Random picture thread for Friday

LeeBone

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johnny9434

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LeeBone

1northcoin

@JWP said:

The reflecting photo reminded me of the "Eye Glass Bridge" photo I took looking out from the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo:

1northcoin

TODAY, THURSDAY -

ULTRA DOME RAILROAD CARS CAPTURED RIDING ALONGSIDE THE ANCHORAGE COASTAL TRAIL

Princess & Holland America Dome Cars Being Pulled by Alaska Railroad Engines Along The Coastal Trail

Two Cruise Line Companies, Holland America and Princess, claim ownership to 20 of the total 44 Ultra Dome rail cars ever built in the world.

in this below linked video see several of the 10 each company own as they are pulled by contracted for Alaska Railroad Locomotives,

In total there are 28 Ultra Dome Railroad Cars riding the Alaska Railroad rails with the other 8 split between the Alaska Railroad, Celebrity Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean.

Rocky Mountain in Canada has the temaining 16 of the total 44 Ultra Dome Railroad cars ever built.

Link to Landscape Panoramic View of Alaska's Ultra Dome Cars Riding Alongside Anchorage's Coastal Trail:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OKAjSqjl2A

THE HISTORY OF RAILROAD DOME CARS IN ALASKA

In the mid 1980's cruise ships were increasingly coming to Alaska and Westours Holland America and Princess seized upon the opportunity to create a cruise ship like experience on the Alaska Railroad by offering Dome Railcars that could better showcase the scenic beauty of Alaska.

It turns out that some of the original Dome Cars that rode the rails in Alaska for cruise ship companies are now in Colorado as part of the Royal Gorge Route Railroad as Holland America has replaced theirs with Ultra Dome Railcars that have more expansive glass.  Those original Holland America Dome Cars all had names of Alaska Rivers.  Their replacements were each named “McKInley Explorer” and have remained so named even during the period of time when Mt. McKinley had been renamed Denali.  (The last Dome Railcar to have been built was in 2007 when the mountain was named Mt, McKinley, as it once again is so named.

The various types of Ultra Dome Railcars that are available today in Alaska include 28 of the total 44 Ultra Dome Railcars ever built.

Alaska’s 28 full length Ultra Dome rail cars are the only ones in the United States and there are only 16 more in the world with those operated by Rocky Mountain in Canada.
Holland America Line owns 10 McKinley Explorer Ultra Dome Rail cars. Princess Tours owns10 Princess Ultra Dome Rail Cars.

The remaining 8 Ultra Dome Rail Cars in Alaska are split evenly between the Alaska Railroad and Royal Celebrity which provides rail tours in Alaska for the Celebrity Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean. The Celebrity rail cars go by the name Wilderness Express.
While both Princess and Holland America contract with the Alaska Railroad to run their own routes, the other 8 are attached to trains with regularly scheduled train service.

All 44 of the world's Ultra Dome Rail Cars were made by a single company, Colorado Railcar and its predecessor, Rader Railcar. The first was manufactured in 1988 and the last in 2007.
Prior to the advent of the Ultra Dome Rail Cars Super Dome Rail Cars had been manufactured by two competing companies, Pullman and Budd.

Alaska's venture into Dome Cars began with these Super models when in 1983-84 Tour Alaska and subsequently Princess in 1984 and Westours Holland America and Princess in 1985 began buying up Full length Dome Car rolling stock from other railroads. By 2005 Westours Holland America had 13 Super Dome Cars when they began selling them off to be replaced by the current Ultra Dome Cars. Each of those were named after Alaska Rivers. Four ended up in Colorado where they are today part of the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. These Super Dome Rail Cars were the first full length dome cars with Pullman having made 10 and Budd 20. Alaska had cornered the market on Super Dome Cars as well.

As an historical note, before the Super Dome Cars that emerged in the 1950's as the first full length dome cars, 199 Short Dome Cars had been built beginning in 1945 until 1958. Alaska Railroad still has some Short Dome Cars that can be seen on scheduled routes. These Short Dome Cars only had the center third of a car as a dome and were never owned or affiliated with the Alaska Cruise lines that first brought the full length Dome Cars to Alaska.

SCREEN SHOT PHOTOS FROM THE ABOVE LINKED VIDEO:

Twobitcollector

Twobitcollector

Twobitcollector

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Twobitcollector

johnny9434

@Twobitcollector said:

I dont see these anymore like I used to. Its a good memory in any case

johnny9434

Went for a walk in the park and couldn't help think of the song. Just smiled and walked

JWP

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johnny9434

johnny9434

1northcoin

REMEMBERING THE MEN (AND WOMEN) WHO DIED TO KEEP US FREE AS WE APPROACH IN TWO WEEKS 250 YEARS OF BEING AMERICANS

This Week, I was able to capture on video an Ever Vigilant USAir Force AWACS Plane Flying Over Mt Foraker & Mt McKinley (a/k/a Denali) Protecting the USA .

The below linked video is accompanied by "God Bless the USA." Especially poignant are the words, "And I'm proud to be an American /Where at least I know I'm free/And I won't forget the men (and women) who died/Who gave that right to me."

Each time I see an AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) plane departing or approaching Anchorage Alaska’s JBER (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) I reflect back on the AWACS plane that lost its crew there as a flock of birds brought it down.

30 Years Ago, on the 22nd of September , an AWACS Surveillance Plane, otherwise known as a Boeing E-3 Sentry, took off from Anchorage Alaska's Elmendorf Air Force Base encountering a flock of Canadian Geese that had taken flight in response to a preceding aircraft. The ingested birds led to a loss of thrust in the plane's two left engines leading to a loss of control that resulted in a crash before the plane could even reach 250 feet of altitude. All 24 United States and Canadian crew members perished.

The accident resulted in bird related protocols that have impacted aviation throughout the world to limit the repeat of such a tragedy.

These planes provide long-range radar capabilities with their large rotating rotodomes mounted on their fuselage that distinguish them from anything else in the sky.

They offer unique surveillance, Command and Control, and Early Warning Capabilities to help make America safe.

Link to AWACS Surveillance Plane as it Flies Over Mt. McKinley a/k/a Denali

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RrDNdYHgq1U

INCLUDED BELOW ARE SCREENSHOTS FROM THE ABOVE LINKED VIDEO FOLLOWED BY PHOTOS OF THE AMERICAN FLAG I HAVE TAKEN OVER RECENT YEARS AS WE PREPARE TO COMMEMORATE ON JULY 4TH THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR FREE NATION

AWACS PLANE OVER MT. MCKINLEY, a/k/a DENALI:

US FLAGS ACROSS AMERICA

Pearl Harbor:

San Diego:

Sacramento:

New York (JFK International Airport):

Seattle:

Carson City (Nevada State Museum):

Portage:

Anchorage:

JBER (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) in Anchorage;

Anchorage Museum:

Mitt Romney's Visit to Alaska that arguably Put Senator Dan Sullivan over the top in a Narrow Election:

President Obama's Visit to Alaska when he announced naming of Mt McKinley to Denali:

Alaska Newspaper Heralding Local Olympic Gold Medal Winner:

AND THE US FLAG OUTSIDE THE US AT OSAKA JAPAN'S EXPO 2026's UNITED STATES PAVILION:

IkesT

dunkleosteus430

@IkesT said:

So John founded CAC AND a candy company. So talented!

Raufus

oih82w8

islemangu

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johnny9434

@JWP said:

A lost art

johnny9434

johnny9434

johnny9434

oldabeintx

@johnny9434 said:

Any drive-ins remaining in your part of the world?

1northcoin

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL

Join in the Fun & Song at the Fathers Day Car Show at Alaska Wild Berry Products in Anchorage Alaska

OK, it is Saturday, but Alaska Wild Berry Products has promoted their Car Show as the Father’s Day Car Show and so it is.

Share in the fun of joining in on a car show in The Land of the Midnight Sun on this Joint Gather’s Day and Summer Solstice weekend,

The video opens with a Mid Century entry chugging its way in as the sounds of then contemporary “Johnny B. Good” are heard.

Continue watching to catch glimpses of the other entrants lined up in front of Alaska Berry Products, Alaska’s largest chocolate factory and home of th world’s largest chocolate “waterfall.”

Link to Video of the Father's Day Car Show at Alaska Wildberry Products in Anchorage:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/--u-bGg1bR0

CONCURENTLY TAKEN PHOTOS:

A Personal Favorite, Having Once Owned the First Honda Car Imported to the US, The Honda 600:

Returning to the Rest of the Show:

And that's a wrap as we depart bidding bye to the Father's Day Car Show at Alaska Berry Products:

Steven59

@johnny9434 said:

1949 jeep willie

VOLO???????

Steven59

Steven59

Hard landings break transmission covers.........

Steven59

JWP

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Winter fun in Michigan