Mudslide north of Talkeetna causes delays for Alaska Railroad

Passengers traveling along the Alaska Railroad experienced some delays Wednesday after an early morning mudslide blocked the rails near Cantwell.

According to Tim Sullivan, External Affairs Manager for the Alaska Railroad, one of the locomotives driving northbound cargo train was struck by a mudslide around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday near mile 322. Sullivan says there were no injuries or apparent damage, and no derailment occurred as a result of the slide. He says that the train’s two locomotives were separated Wednesday afternoon, and the engine south of the mudslide was able to backtrack with the cargo train.

The Denali Star trains traveling north and southbound were held at Denali National Park and Talkeetna. Passengers were bussed to their final destinations. Sullivan says excavators are continuing to work on clearing the mudslide, but are having to work through wet conditions.