Railroads & Tramways - Part-1

RAILROADS
& TRAMWAYS
Of Southeast AlaskaBy: Dave Henderson
With much thanks to Gabe Emerson
and his “SaveItForParts” website,
where many of these photos were
obtained.
Updated April 2020
Part
One
A Thru H

AJ Mine Railroad
 The Alaska-Juneau Mine operated a complex rail
network, much of which was underground in the
mine and in various rail tunnels throughout the
mountains behind Juneau.
 Track gauge was 30” and used electric locomotives,
most powered by overhead trolley wire.
Topo MapChart
2
Links
Condensed
History
Mineral
Resource
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Been
There

AJ Mine Railroad
From Gabe Emerson’s “Saveitforparts.com” website – Public Domain photo courtesy of USGS Photographic Library.
3

Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the “www.Saveitforparts.com” website
4

AJ Mine Railroad
From Gabe Emerson’s “www.Saveitforparts.com” website –
Photo from US Library of Congress, Frank & Frances Carpenter collection
5

AJ Mine Railroad
Baldwin-Westinghouse articulated (tandem) 18-ton combination locomotive
A-Unit:
Control
Engine
B-Unit:
Booster
Engine
6

AJ Mine Railroad
Baldwin-Westinghouse 9-ton “B-B” locomotive
7

AJ Mine Railroad
Smaller
Battery
Powered
Locomotive
From the “Last Chance Mining Museum & Historical Park” sign
8

AJ Mine Railroad
Mine Tours during the 1960’s and 1970’s, using the Battery Operated Locomotive
From Gabe Emerson’s “www.Saveitforparts.com” website –
Postcard: “Ride the train through the Historic Gold Mine, Juneau, AK”
Photo by Bob & Ira Spring, Image courtesy of the Juneau-Douglas City Museum (2005, 06.164)
9

AJ Mine Railroad
Ore Cars:
Approx. 12’ long x 5’ wide
x 3’8” high
Ore Cars built and
repaired in the company’s
rail shop in Last Chance
Basin.
In 1932 the company
owned 186 ore cars.
10

AJ Mine Railroad
Double-Tracked Haul Tunnel: 50 lb rails laid on fir ties, ballasted w/crushed rock
2013
Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the “www.Saveitforparts.com” website – Photo by Brian Weed
11

AJ Mine Railroad
View of Alaska Gastineau Mining Company’s railroad with locomotive and mine cars
2013
Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the “www.Saveitforparts.com” website – Photo by Brian Weed
12

Ak. Pulp & Paper Co. Tram
 This operation was located at Speel River in Port
Snettisham in the 1920’s. It had a tramway around
their plant, probably to move supplies and product
between buildings.
 The plant operated from about 1920 to 1924, with
several attempted comebacks over the years but
finally liquidated around 1950
Topo MapChart
13
Links
Magazine
Article
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Ak Pulp & Paper Co. Tram
From the Alaska State Library, Eugene Patrick Kennedy Photograph Collection, P444-228
14

Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the “www.Saveitforparts.com” website –
15

Tramway
18

Alaska Treasure Tramway
 A 1.1-mile tramway ran from the Alaska Treasure
adit on Douglas Island to the beach on Gastineau
Channel.
 Development of the mine began in 1904 and a 20-
stamp mill operated from about 1906 to 1916.
Topo MapChart
19
Links
Mineral
Resource
Newspaper
Article
Mine
History
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Chart
w/notations of
each of the mine
workings as well
as the tram line.
20

Aerial photo from 1926,
showing the tramway
alignment with a “Y”
branch at the tunnel end
of the tram.
21

Annex Creek Railroad
 After completing the Salmon Creek dam, the Alaska
Gastineau Mining Co. turned their attention to
Annex Lake, another promising source of
hydroelectric power.
 Engineer Bartlett L. Thane began developing this
site in 1915.
Topo MapChart
25
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Annex
Creek

1916
From the Alaska State Library, Alaska Electric Power Co. Photograph Collection (P140-086)
27

1916
From the Alaska State Library, Alaska Electric Power Co. Photograph
Collection (P140-088)
28

1916
29

1916
30

1916
From the Alaska State Library, Alaska Electric Power Co. Photograph Collection (Annex Creek 1)
31

Bear Creek Tramway
 A tramway or railroad was begun in the late 1920’s
on the Juneau side of Mansfield Peninsula, to serve
the Bear Creek asbestos deposit on the northeast
side of Mount Robert Barron, across Admiralty Is.
from Funter Bay.
 A rail tram was begun from the beach towards the
prospect sometime to 1944, but not completed.
Topo MapChart
32
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Berners Bay Railroad
 On the Lynn Canal side of the mountian, the Berners
Bay Mining & Milling Co. had a narrow gauge
railroad connecting the town of Comet (originally
Seward City) to the Kensington Mine.
 Completed in 1893, this is a contender for one of
the earliest railroads in Alaska.
Topo Map
Chart
34
Links
Mineral
Resource
Berners Bay
Mines
Comet
Mine Jualin Mine Kensington
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

From the Oregon Historical Society and Pat Roppel
1894
35

36

37

Berner’s Bay RR
Comet #1
H.K. Porter 0-4-0T,
No. 1592,
Built 1895,
Cosmetically Restored,
On Display at the Last
Chance Mining Museum,
Juneau, AK
38

Berner’s Bay RR
Seward #2
H.K. Porter 0-4-0T,
No. 1421,
Built 1892,
Operationally Restored,
Located in Nevada,
By Jim Walsh
39

From the Michael & Carolyn Nore Collection
BBM&M RR on trestle over Sherman Creek
40

Kensington Mine
1909
From the Alaska State Library, Winter & Pond Collection (P87-0491)
1909
41

Big Harbor Mine Tramway
 A copper deposit discovered around 1902 in
Trocadero Bay led to the development of the Big
Harbor Mine.
 Various reports mention that the company planned
a tramway with a locomotive at the mine site.
Topo MapChart
42
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSiteMineral
Resource

Map of the exposed
portions of the Goose
Claims of the Big
Harbor Mine in
Trocadero Bay, Alaska
Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the www.Saveitforparts.com website
43

Assay Map of the Goose Claims,
Of the Big Harbor Mine in
Trocadero Bay, Alaska:
44

Cache Mine Tramway
 This mine, located 1-1/4 miles east of Silver Bay,
over the mountain from the Lucky Chance Mine, was
opened around 1872.
 The mine was originally known as the “Stewart
Tunnel,” and was reportedly the first quartz mine in
Alaska. It used a horse drawn tram. The mine
closed around 1880.
Topo MapChart
45
Links
Cache Gold
Mine
Cache Mine
Court Case
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Cache Mine Tramway
46

Calder Funicular
 This was a marble quarry, just north of Shakan, AK.
It had a 3,200’ standard-gauge inclined tram,
powered by a cable and winch.
 The tramway, as seen in photos, appears to be a
three-rail funicular. Years later, the tram was
replaced by a truck road.
Topo MapChart
47
Links
Nordic Quest
Blog
Fathom
Webpage
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Calder Funicular
Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the www.Saveitforparts.com website –
Tramway between the
quarry and the boat
dock area
48

Calder Funicular
49

Calder Funicular
50

Cape Decision Lighthouse Tram
 Lighthouses around Southeast Alaska often had
tramways for hauling boats out of the water and for
moving supplies and equipment around the facility.
 Cape Decision Lighthouse had a short tramway
between the boathouse and the boat launch dock.
Topo MapChart
51
Links
Alaska
Lighthouses
USCG
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Cape Decision Lighthouse Tram
Aerial view of the
Lighthouse Station
Tramway
52

Carlson Creek Tramway
 Related to the construction railway at Annex Creek,
a freight tram led up nearby Carlson Creek along
the route of the power line to Juneau.
 The tramway ran approximately 5 miles, from Sunny
Cove to Camp 4, on the Power Line Project.
 Both power lines and tramway were built by the
Alaska Gastineau Mining Co.
Topo MapChart
53
Links
Power Line
Project
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the www.Saveitforparts.com website -
From the Alaska State Library, Alaska Electric Power Co. Collection (P140-038)
54

55

Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the www.Saveitforparts.com website -
From the Alaska State Library, Alaska Electric Power Co. Collection (PCA-140)
57

58

Chichagof Mine Tramways
 The large Hirst-Chichagof mine and company town
of Chichagof had some short mine-gauge tramways
running between workings and ore dumps.
 A longer surface tram ran from the near-shore adits
and the lower aerial tram stations, through a snow
shed, to the sawmill and to the powder magazine.
 Tracks also led along the wharves and between
camp buildings.
Topo MapChart
59
Links
Mineral
Resource
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

The Hirst-Chichagof Mine, Chichagof, Alaska
60

The Hirst-Chichagof Mine and
the town of Chichagof are
located at Klag Bay on
Chichagof Island in Southeast
Alaska.
61

Main Street, Chichagof, Alaska
62

Mining Company Framing Shed and Sawmill
From the Alaska State Library, Paul M. Sorensen Collection (P239-16)
63

Mine Buildings and Wharf at Chichagof, Alaska
From the Alaska State Library, Paul M. Sorensen Collection (P239-03)
64

Cobol Mine Tramway
 The Cobol Mine in Slocum Arm operated from about
1922 to 1936. A small tramway with wooden rails
ran about 1,150’ from the beach to the bottom of
an aerial tram.
 At the top of the aerial tram, another surface tram
was graded with ties laid, but never finished.
Topo MapChart
65
Links
Mineral
Resource
Cobol
Mine
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Cobol Mine Tramway
66

Cobol Mine Tramway
67

Cobol Mine Tramway
Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the
“www.Saveitforparts.com” website
68

Crystal & Friday Tramway
 A tramway with several branches ran between
various mines in the Snettisham area (the historic
town, not the current hydropower station).
 One branch connected the Crystal Mine to the
Friday Mine’s Stamp mill.
Topo MapChart
69
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Mineral
Resource

Friday Mine and Stamp Mill, Port Snettisham
1914
From the Alaska State Library, J. Simpson MacKinnon Collection (P14-202)
70

Mining Properties, Port Snettisham (1900)
71

Mining Properties,
Port Snettisham
(1984-88)
1914Courtesy of Gabe Emerson & the
72

Cymru Tramway
 The Cymru mine included a tramway from Miller or
Mineral Lake to Clarno Cove in Moira Sound.
 The line was built around 1906, was a 36” gauge
track with 20 lb steel rails, and operated one or
more gasoline locomotives.
Topo MapChart
73
Links
Been
There
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Cymru Tramway
74

Dolomi Rail Lines
 The town of Dolomi and surrounding area had a
number of mining operations with various tramways
or railroads.
A survey from 1908 shows 3 tramways originating
at Dolomi, one running up Beauty Creek towards
James Lake, and two running up Paul Creek to Paul
Lake.
Topo MapChart
75
Links
Been
There
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Mineral
Resource
News
Article

Dolomi Rail Lines
76

Dolomi Rail Lines
Prince of Wales
town of Dolomi, AK
77

The town of Dolomi, in Port Johnson, on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska
Dolomi Rail Lines
78

Dolomi Rail Lines
79

Dolomi Rail Lines
Valpariaso Claim on Paul Lake
80

Dolomi Rail Lines
81

Dry Bay Railroad
 A short railroad was begun in 1909-10 at Dry Bay
by the St. Elias Packing Co. This company owned a
cannery at the mouth of the Alsek River, and built
the rail line to link the cannery to a nearby pier.
 The cannery and rail line are closely tied to the
Yakutat & Southern Railroad, and were at times
technically part of the Y&SRR despite not being
connected by rail.
Topo MapChart
82
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Dry Bay Railroad
“www.Saveitforparts.com” website –
Public Domain photo from Wikimedia Commons
83

Dry Bay Railroad
84

Dry Bay Railroad
A Topo map shows the
railroad line from the
cannery to deep
water about 1.5 miles
away.
A 1919 survey shows
the line reaching just
over 2 miles, with a
trestle across a
branch of Dry Bay to
an island which no
longer exists.
85

Dry Bay Railroad
86

Dry Bay Railroad
87

Dyea Tramway
 According to the City of Skagway’s land
management plan, the adjacent community of Dyea
(now a ghost town) had a horse drawn surface
tramway around 1898.
 Other documents mention a tramway along the
Taiya River to Canyon City, built in 1898.
Topo MapChart
88
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite Dyea, AK Chilkoot Trams
Historic Transportation
Resources Report
Been
There

Dyea Tramway
Dyea waterfront, March 1998
89

Dyea Tramway
A Wooden Railed
Horse Tram in
Canyon City, Alaska,
along the Taiya River
on the Chilkoot Trail,
approximately eight
miles north of Dyea.
90

Dyea Tramway
The Chilkoot
Railroad and
Transportation Co.
Power House,
Canyon City,
Alaska
1898
This was just one
of several tram
companies along
the Chilkoot Trail
From the Alaska State Library,
William Werner Shorthill Collection (P389-18)
91

Dyea Tramway
The Chilkoot Aerial Tram
1898
92

Dyea Tramway
Dyea, Alaska, located at the
head of the Taiya Inlet:
The Town’s layout at the
height of the gold rush.
93

Dyea Tramway
The Ghost Town of Dyea, AK, 1978
94

Eagle Harbor (Amalga) Tram
 A tramway ran from Eagle Harbor to the small town
of Amalga, just north of Juneau, serving the Eagle
River, Bessie, and Amalga gold mines.
 This is reported as 6-mile long horse tram with
wooden rails. Mining began in Amalga in 1902 so
the tram was probably built in 1903 to bring in
stamp mill equipment.
Topo MapChart
95
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Eagle Harbor
(Eagle River Landing)
Eagle River Mine
Town of Amalga
Eagle Harbor Tram
96

Eagle Harbor Tram
Amalga, Alaska
From the Alaska State Library, Winter & Pond Collection (PCA 087)
97

Eagle Harbor Tram
Eagle River Mining Company
From 1905 to 1920
there was a large gold-
mining community at the
face of the Eagle
Glacier. Six miles of
horse drawn tram
connected the mines to
tidewater at the Eagle
River Landing.
98

Eagle Harbor Tram
Tramway Bridge over
the Eagle River
1910
99

Eagle Harbor Tram
Eagle River Tramway
From the Alaska State Library, Winter & Pond Collection (P87- 0510)
100

Eagle Harbor Tram
Eagle River
Landing,
Eagle
Harbor, AK
Courtesy of Gabe
Emerson & the
“Saveitforparts” website
101

Forrester Island Tramway
 In 1941 the US Military authorized a radar station
at Forrester Island. Construction began that spring,
with a tramway built from the dock in Eagle Harbor
to a high point where the radar station was to be
located.
 About 20 buildings were started, but low funding
and lack of sufficient radar units halted the project.
Topo MapChart
102
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Forrester Is.
Study

103

Forrester Island, Alaska
Forrester Island was
designated a wilderness
by the US Congress in
1970.
It is a part of the Gulf of
Alaska unit of the Alaska
Maritime National Wildlife
Refuge.
The island is located off
the coast of the southern
most portion of the Alaska
Panhandle, west of Dall
Island.
104

Fortmann Hatchery Tramway
 The Alaska Packers Assoc. had a tramway several
miles long, connecting the cannery at Loring in Naha
Bay to the Fortmann Hatchery at Heckman Lake.
 Also, a 1904 report mentions a tramway 5,524’
long built to move materials for a pipeline from a
spring to the cannery.
Topo MapChart
105
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Been
There
Fortmann
Hatchery

Fortman Hatchery Tramway
106
Location of the APA
Cannery and the town
of Loring, AK
Location of the APA
Hatchery on Heckman
Lake

107
Fortmann Hatchery –
Located at Heckman
Lake and connected to
the APA Cannery at
tide water in Naha Bay
by a several mile long
tramway.
Water flumes for the
hatchery
Tramway to the canneryTramway to the Lake

110
APA Cannery at Loring,
AK on Naha Bay, which
was associated with the
Hatchery. The dam
providing water for the
cannery was connected
to the cannery by way
of a pipeline and a
mile long tramway.
Location of the
cannery
Location of the dam
Location of Loring, AK

Funter Bay Railroad
 Funter Bay had a 1-mile rail line from the beach to
the mine workings, with branch lines along the
beach to other adits.
 The line began as a 36” gauge horse tram and
later changed to a 25” gauge steam railway. A
small Davenport steam locomotive was later
converted to gasoline.
Topo MapChart
111
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Funter Bay
Mining Rpt.
Funter Bay
History
Mineral
Resource
Funter Bay
Mining Co.

Funter Bay Railroad
Davenport 0-4-0T “Dinky”
From the Funter Bay Railroad
The locomotive as it may
have looked in
operational condition
112

Funter Bay Railroad
Funter Bay Railroad Trestle, 1920’s
“www.Saveitforparts.com” website –
From the Alaska State Library (MS 2471_02)
113

Funter Bay Railroad
The Funter Bay Railroad Today
114

Gold Standard Mine Tram
 This was one of a number of mining operations
located in Helm Bay. Documentation mentions an
“iron Tramway” running down to the beach.
 The mine reportedly opened around 1897, and last
produced gold around 1937.
 An undated map shows a tram running about
2,000’ from the “Old Mill” to the beach.
Topo MapChart
115
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Been
There

Gold Standard Mine Tram
Diagram of the Gold Standard
Mine site in Helm Bay, on
Cleveland Peninsula, showing the
tramway between the beach and
the mill.
116

Goldwin Prospect Tram
 A small mine about 4-miles NW of Pelican had a
“surface tram” reported to be in ruins when visited
in the 1980’s.
 The mine was located about 1920. Claims seem to
have been maintained at least through the 1970’s.
 A 1936 report mentions a 24” gauge track
installed from the beach to the tunnel.
Topo MapChart
117
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite

Goldwin Prospect Tram
Mine Location Tramway
118

Gravina Island Tramway
 A ½-mile tramway ran from the beach to a drained
lake on the Felix H. Fielder homestead on Gravina
Island.
 Several small lakes or muskeg ponds seem to have
been drained for farming in this area. The one
served by the tramway was enclosed by a fence.
Topo MapChart
119
Links
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Felix Fiedler
Homesteader
Been
There

Felix Truck Farm Felix’s Landing
Mr. Felix H. Fiedler, who was a farmer, came to Ketchikan, AK, in 1895. He patented a
homestead of 289 acres on Gravina Island, across from Ketchikan. He was born in Minnesota
in 1867 and died in the Sitka Pioneer’s Home in March 1934, one month after moving there.
120

View of Ketchikan, AK,
across the bay from Felix’s
Farm on Gravina Island
121

Guard Island Tramway
 Lighthouses around Southeast Alaska often had
tramways for hauling boats out of the water and for
moving supplies and equipment around the facility.
 Guard Island had a short tramway leading from the
boathouse down to the water for launching the small
surf boat.
Topo MapChart
122
Links
Alaska
Lighthouses
USCG
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Been
There

123
Tramway

124
Guard Island Boat House
Guard Island Boat Tramway

Hadley Tramway
 The town of Hadley was home to a copper smelter
serving local mines.
 Charts from 1906 show rail lines leading towards
the mines and between the town and a nearby
sawmill.
 A 1961 USGS document refers to this as a small
railroad.
Topo MapChart
125
Links
Been
There
Save-it-for-Parts
WebSite
Mineral
Resource

Hadley Tramway
126

Hadley Tramway
127

Hadley Tramway
The Town of Hadley, Alaska
128

Hadley Tramway
129

Railroads & Tramways
Of Southeast Alaska
By Dave Henderson, Ketchikan, Alaska
For much more thorough and detailed information on this
subject, visit the “Lesser Known and Obscure Railroads of
Alaska” section at www.Saveitforparts.com by Gabe Emerson
131
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Two
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(A Thru H)

Railroads & Tramways - Part-1

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