Deep Snow Drives Moose to Road, Tracks

A number of moose carcasses have been observed around the rail tracks in Talkeetna this month, and it’s got some locals wondering where the salvage crews are.

As with most high-snow years, moose killed on roadways and train tracks go up. According to the Anchorage Daily News, moose killed this year on Mat Su roadways are way above average. The numbers are up for the railroad, too.

Alaska Railroad manager of external affairs Tim Sullivan says when trains strike a moose, they notify the troopers and, in situations when the moose are struck in roadless areas, they make effort to get the kill to within reach of the road system. Sullivan says that the Railroad takes measures to help reduce moose kills, even going so far as to pack trail alongside the railroad tracks to give the moose an alternative place to walk.

According to Sullivan, 152 moose this winter have been struck by the railroad as of 5 a.m. (this morning / Tuesday January 24^th). Of those, more than half have been struck along the 66 miles of track in the Talkeetna-Willow area.