Alaska Railroad Names Ken Edmier of Georgia as Catch the Train Photo Contest Winner
Ken Edmier of Leesburg, Georgia, was selected as the winner of the 2023 Alaska Railroad Catch the Train photo contest. He wins $1,500 and four round-trip tickets on the Denali Star train to Denali, along with having his photo on the cover of the 2025 Alaska Railroad calendar.
Ken Edmier
Ken Edmier of Leesburg, Georgia, is the grand prize winner in the annual Alaska Railroad Catch the Train photo contest. Edmier’s photograph bested nine others in a public vote through the Alaska Railroad Facebook page in January. Edmier’s photograph captures the Aurora Winter Train passing through a snowy landscape near Cantwell.
As the winner, Edmier receives $1,500 in cash, four round-trip tickets on the Denali Star Train to Denali and his photo will be the cover photo of the 2025 Alaska Railroad calendar.
From Hundreds, Twelve
Photographers from across the country participated in the yearly competition, submitting their best images of Alaska Railroad trains in all seasons. This year’s contest included nine photographers from six states: Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas.
The photographers included in the 2025 calendar are:
- Rebecca Richardson, Titus, Alabama
- Tamara Shumate, Anchorage, Alaska
- Jon Nafzger, Girdwood, Alaska
- Dylan Robert, Fairbanks, Alaska (3 photos)
- Gabriel Falk, Vista, California
- Ken Edmier, Leesburg, Georgia
- Pete Konefke, Huntington Woods, Michigan (2 photos)
- Bruce Carswell, Lubbock, Texas
- Miklos Szabo, Houston, Texas
Current Issue
January 2026
“This year’s Catch the Train photo contest brought us hundreds of photo submissions, and the opportunity to see our trains through the unique perspectives of our passengers and fans,” says Robin Moore, Alaska Railroad’s marketing communications manager. “The photos captured the essence of the Alaska Railroad and it was very difficult to pick the twelve best.”
Judges reviewed the submissions based on criteria such as artistic excellence, uniqueness, subject relevance, and composition. The selected finalists will see their photographs showcased as individual months in the Alaska Railroad’s 2025 calendar, and they will also be highlighted in its onboard magazine, Panoramas. Calendars are sold both online and in-person at Alaska Railroad Depot gift shops.
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We’re honored again this year to celebrate our partnership with Junior Achievement of Alaska, a nonprofit that educates local youth about enterprise, business, money, and financial literacy. In the special section, three Junior Achievement of Alaska students weigh in on their experience with the exceptional volunteers and teachers involved with the program.
And in Industry Support, we explore the range of varied services that industry in Alaska requires, from mancamps to spill response to off-grid energy solutions.
Outside the special sections, make sure to check out the 2026 Economic forecast, where Alaska leaders share their insights on what may lie ahead in the coming year. Enjoy!