The Alaska Railroad

• The Alaska Railroad (AkRR) from Seward and Whittier, in the south of Alaska, to Fairbanks and beyond, carries both freight and passengers between those two cities and to many destinations between them, including Denali National Park.

• The railroad has a mainline over 750 km long . Currently there is no fixed land connection with any other railroad lines on the North American network.

• Official site http://www.akrr.com/

AkRR railroad(south to north):

SewardKenai ParkWhittierGridwoodAnchorageTalkeetnaDenali NenanaFairbanks(North Pole)

The Denali Star runs from Anchorage to Fairbanks (12 hours one-way) and back with stops in Talkeetna and Denali National Park.

The Coastal Classic winds its way south from Anchorage along Turnagain Arm before turning south to the Kenai Peninsula, eventually reaching Seward. This 114-mile (183 km) journey takes around four and a half hours.

The Glacier Discovery provides a short (2 hour) journey south from Anchorage to Whittier for a brief stop before returning to Anchorage in the evening.

The Hurricane Turn provides rail service to people living between Talkeetna and the Hurricane area. This area has no roads, and the railroad provides the lifeline for residents who depend on the service to obtain food and supplies.

One of America's last flag stop trains, the Hurricane Turn train has delivered Alaska locals to their remote cabins since 1923. On this wilderness run, one can get off the train anywhere along the 55-mile stretch and return to civilization stopping the train on its return with the wave of a flag.

The Alaska Railroad Hurricane Turn

Boarding…

a yellow metal step stool to help in

A railway journey ahead…

Viewing car

Top deck of the Alaska Railroad.

Watching the AkRR train go by in the morning.

1 Anchorage to Seward through Kenai park and Whittier

• Seward Highway

The Turnagain Arm is actually a glacial fjord. Located in the lower arm of the Cook Inlet, east of Anchorage, the Arm was named by Captain Cook on his last voyage to Alaska.

Pond near Girdwood: a fabulous start.

Bartlett glacier

AkRR

The region of Turnagain Arm experiences the second largest tidal range in the northern Americas, reaching twelve metres.

Reflections Along Turnagain Arm

Bird Point on Turnagain Arm

Bird Creek in the Chugach Park flowing heavily under the trestle bridge.

Girdwood Girdwood

Arriving at Whittier

• Arriving at whittier

The Kenai Fiords 

Holgate Glacier at Whittier

From Whittier towards Seaward

A marsh reflects the Glacier Discovery at Portage

Twenty Mile bridge, Portage

Moose Pass is a small community at the heart of Kenai peninsula.

Crossing Trail Lake at Moose Pass

Surrounded by the Chugach Forest, Moose Pass is located south of Anchorage and north of Seward along the shoreline of upper Trail Lake.

Railroad Truss Bridge tressel near Seward 

Arriving in…

Seward"Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park”

AkRR Seward terminal

Seward, Alaska

WINTER images Christmas AKRR to Anchorage

Reflection on Girdwood Pond

Anchorage to Seward.

Bird Point in Winter

Whittier to Portage

Beluga Point

Beluga Point, named for the Beluga whales that frequent the Arm.

AnchorageEagle RiverTalkeetnaHurricane GulchSummitDenaliHealyFerryNenanaFairbanks

2 Anchorage to Fairbanks through Denali park

Anchorage Skyline

Anchorage International Airport

Anchorage depôt

Boarding for the North

Interior of the Denali railcar

Dawn view, Denali Park ahead

Leaving Anchorage northbound

Eagle river bridge

• Between Talkeetna and Denali 

Denali Star on Knick river

Talkeeetna = “where the rivers join” in indianTalkeetna is  very small village

http://www.pbase.com/doug_and_sue/alaska_2005&page=24

Talkeetna bridge

Denali Star passenger train crossing the Talkeetna bridge.

Hurricane Gulch Trestle Denali Star Train between Talkeetna and Denali.

• The Hurricane Gulch Bridge is the longest bridge on the Alaska Railroad, spanning 914 feet across and 296 feet above Hurricane Creek.

• Here, the Hurricane Turn train has pulled out onto the bridge to give the passengers a view of the gulch while the engine crew swaps ends to get on the south end of the train for the run back to Anchorage.

• View to Hurricane Gulch Gulch = ravine torrent. The railroad is about 300 feet above the streambed below.

In winter

In summer

In fallIn fall

Halfway between Fairbanks and Anchorage, a remote bridge near Honolulu

Summit Lake, the highest point on the Alaska Railroad

Riley Creek bridge, just a few moments from its stop inside Denali

Bridge over the Nenana River at Denali

(Parks Highway)

The “million dollar curve”, the single greatest maintenance problem for the railroad

Denali Park, September

Denali depôt

Hurricane Turn at Denali

Denali Park is home to North America's highest mountain, Mt. McKinley. The park also gives opportunities to see Alaska's wildlife such as grizzly bear, moose, wolves, marmots, foxes, lynx and caribou. Denali Park is 8 hours by train from Anchorage.

http://www.nps.gov/dena/

Denali Star on a beautiful fall day

http://www.pbase.com/ambadale/alaska_rr

http://www.pbase.com/bhowen/alaska_by_rv&page=2

Mount Mckinley ahead

Mt. McKinley, Denali National Park and Preserve, from the Alaskan Railroad.

At over 20 000 ft (6 190 m) it is the tallest mountain on the North American continent.

The mountain is characterized by extremely cold weather. A thermometer left exposed on Mount McKinley recorded a temperature of −100 °F (−73.3 °C) !

Snow River Bridge, way to Seward 

Winter views from AkRR

Glacier view from AkRR

Baby Bear from AkRR

Forest and river from AkRR

Frozen Denali Park

Frozen Lake from AkRR

Snow Peaks from AkRR

Nenana river

Nenana depôt

Originally an Indian village, Nenana (pop. 402) is located on the south bank of the Tanana River at the confluence of the Nenana River.  Nenana is an Athabascan Indian word meaning "a good place to camp between the rivers".

One of the longest bridge span truss bridges in the world.

Mears Memorial Bridge, over Tanana River at Nenana,

Freight train in Healy Canyon, Nenana river

the curve north of Nenana Curving out off Nenana River

Fairbanks depôt

Fairbanks, located in the heart of Alaska's Interior,is the state’s second largest city.

3Fairbanks to North Pole

This railroad is mainly used by military, oil, and freight trains. In Christmas there are special tourist trains.

Boarding at Fairbanks

North Pole (pop 1645)

Famous for its Santa Claus House shop.

Home to a refinery and military bases.

The name "North Pole" was to attract the toy industry to manufacture articles from the "North Pole". This endeavor failed. Now North Pole has the highest income in Alaska.

AkRR Sunrise, North Pole, - 40º

Fairbanks to North Pole

Toward Moose Creek

http://www.pbase.com/seanwung/20071225northpole

4A rail journey in Winter

Bartlett Glacier in Winter

Northbound Aurora

The ski train at Grandview

Gliding across the frozen Alaskan landscape

Can you feel the cold?

Winter Hurricane TurnatHurricane Gulch bridge

Turnagain arm

At Fairbanks – houses along Tanana river.

The end of the jouney: near Bird Point, the glint of the setting alaskan sun…

Elderberry Park , Anchorage , waving good-bye…

The Alaska RailroadSources(photos and text):

http://www.akrr.com/ (official site)

http://www.alaskarails.org/

http://gallery.alaska.org

http://www.railpictures.net/

http://www.city-data.com/city/Fairbanks-Alaska.html

©Mario Ricca, 2008