The government bought the Alaska Northern Railroad and moved its headquarters to Ship Creek later called Anchorage The government began to extend the rail line northward The Alaska Railroad s trackage has remained largely unchanged since completion in 1923 and it has never gained a direct outside connection For much of its early existence it relied on transporting lumber and other materials within Alaska or other commodities via ship from the ports at Seward and Anchorage While these materials remain important commodities for the railroad today service was greatly expanded with the opening of a railcar barge connection at Whittier in the 1960s Specifications . Size Large. Type Billboards. Scale HO O Scale