Historical Note: October 13, 1905 – Progress on the Alaska Central Railway

On this day in 1905, the Daily Gateway newspaper from Seward reported on the status of the Alaska Central Railway. Workers had successfully laid the track to mile 40 on the route towards Anchorage.

The initial construction phase was marked by slow progress, with workers managing to lay about a mile of track every three days. However, upon reaching mile 40 at the Placer River Valley, work was halted due to the necessity of excavating a tunnel, identified as Alaska Railway Tunnel No. 1. This tunnel had to be dug manually, as there were no mechanical tools available at the time. Track construction was expected to resume in 1906, and this tunnel would serve the railroad until its re-alignment in 1951.