The Alaska Railroad to Denali National Park

The camera lens is on the train rail at the Talkeetna train station looking south. It reminds me of the perspective drawings in art class where the train tracks run to the horizon as the rails gradually merge into one line. The attendant in the station apparently didn't appreciate my photographic flair, because seconds after I snapped the photo, he came charging toward me, saying he couldn't have me on the track. For crying out loud, I thought to myself, the train isn't scheduled for 15 minutes and the track's visible for at least 3/4 of a mile in both directions! Spending long days by himself between trains waiting for tourists to show up must have cost this guy his common sense. Before getting off the track when I stood up, I couldn't resist the temptation to look along the track in front of me, then turn around and look along the track behind me searching for a train that could come around the bend and run me over in less than a second, which would require a speed of at least 2,700 mph! It was wasted effort - I don't think he caught on that I was mocking him.

The elusive bullet train finally arrived that would have killed me if the attendant hadn't bravely called me off the track 15 minutes earlier. I sure am glad he did that, because I don't think I would have heard the painfully loud engine in time to get out of the way before it pulled into the station at 5 mph. At any rate, we boarded this train which took us to McKinley Park, a town catering to the tourist industry just outside the George Parks Highway entrance to Denali National Park.

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