"Ship Creek Crossing" by Richard Rearick
“Ship Creek Crossing” depicts locomotive 4006 crossing the historic pony-truss bridge at Alaska Railroad’s milepost 114.3 near downtown Anchorage, which will soon be replaced with a modern ballast deck structure as part of the Alaska Railroad’s 2025 to 2026 capital projects. The bridge’s cultural and economic significance inspired its selection for the 2026 Alaska Railroad Art Print Program, featuring a painting by Alaskan architect and artist Richard Rearick, a University of Idaho graduate and licensed architect with over 30 years of experience. Rearick’s passion for art, sparked by his late mother’s legacy and nurtured through years of creative exploration has led to award-winning designs and a growing reputation for detailed, color-balanced works that carefully blend nature and architecture.
The Alaska Railroad releases “Ship Creek Crossing” prints, posters and lapel pins in January 2026. To reserve a limited-edition art print by complete this form. The public will be able to meet Richard at two Alaska Railroad sign and sale events scheduled for January 2026:
- ANCHORAGE: Saturday, Jan. 10, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Anchorage Historic Depot (411 W. 1st Avenue, Anchorage)
- FAIRBANKS: Saturday, Jan. 17, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Fairbanks Depot (1031 Alaska Railroad Depot Road, Fairbanks)
During the Anchorage and Fairbanks events, the depot gift shops will be open to offer other items that feature the 2026 artwork along with other ARRC gifts and apparel. Following the signing events, prints, posters and pins will remain on sale at the Anchorage Historic Depot and the Fairbanks Depot, and may also be purchased online via the Alaska Railroad Gift Shop website at https://www.alaskarailroadgiftshop.com/. Signed and numbered prints cost $60, posters cost $35 and pins cost $7.95.
Renowned artist Jon Van Zyle produced the first official Alaska Railroad painting in 1979. Since then, the annual tradition has evolved into a popular collector’s item. A catalog of the railroad's annual artwork can be found here.
