The old Copper River railroad

Alaska · United States · Mine

The line ran from Cordova to the Kennecott mine and was buried when it closed. Gravestones are reported beside the road, and are not there on a second.

The railway from Cordova to the Kennecott copper mine in Alaska was one of the most difficult pieces of engineering ever attempted in the territory, built across glaciers and river ice at enormous cost in money and in lives.

When the mine closed the line was abandoned and the roadbed covered over. It now serves as the road giving access to the back country along the Copper River.

What drivers report is gravestones standing beside the dirt road among the trees, which are not there when anyone goes back to look.

That has an uncomfortable plausibility to it. Men died building this line and were buried where they fell, in country where returning a body was not an option, and a great many of those graves were never recorded.

Government housing was being built in the area at the time of the account.

This is remote country and the road is rough.

FAQ

Where is The old Copper River railroad located?

The old Copper River railroad is in Alaska, United States.

Image: Christoph Strässler / CC BY-SA 2.0 via flickr