Alaska Railroad
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The Alaska Railroad runs 750 km from Seward and Whittier in the south to Fairbanks and beyond in the north, carrying passengers and freight. Key routes include the Denali Star from Anchorage to Fairbanks, and the Coastal Classic from Anchorage to Seward. The Hurricane Turn provides the only land access for residents in remote areas between Talkeetna and Hurricane. The railroad allows visitors to view spectacular Alaskan scenery throughout different seasons while connecting communities.
Alaska Railroad
- 3. 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/
- 4. AkRR railroad (south to north): Seward Kenai Park Whittier Gridwood Anchorage Talkeetna Denali Nenana Fairbanks (North Pole)
- 5. 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.
- 6. 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.
- 7. The Alaska Railroad Hurricane Turn
- 10. Boarding… a yellow metal step stool to help in
- 12. A railway journey ahead…
- 13. Viewing car Top deck of the Alaska Railroad.
- 14. Watching the AkRR train go by in the morning.
- 15. 1 Anchorage to Seward through Kenai park and Whittier Seward Highway
- 16. 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.
- 17. Pond near Girdwood: a fabulous start.
- 19. The region of Turnagain Arm experiences the second largest tidal range in the northern Americas, reaching twelve metres.
- 20. Reflections Along Turnagain Arm
- 21. Bird Point on Turnagain Arm
- 24. Bird Creek in the Chugach Park flowing heavily under the trestle bridge.
- 27. Arriving at Whittier
- 29. The Kenai Fiords
- 32. Holgate Glacier at Whittier
- 33. From Whittier towards Seaward
- 34. A marsh reflects the Glacier Discovery at Portage
- 35. Twenty Mile bridge , Portage
- 37. Moose Pass is a small community at the heart of Kenai peninsula.
- 38. 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.
- 42. Railroad Truss Bridge tressel near Seward
- 43. Arriving in…
- 44. Seward " Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park”
- 46. Seward , Alaska
- 47. WINTER images Christmas AKRR to Anchorage
- 48. Reflection on Girdwood Pond
- 49. Anchorage to Seward .
- 50. Bird Point in Winter
- 52. Beluga Point
- 53. Beluga Point , named for the Beluga whales that frequent the Arm.
- 54. Anchorage Eagle River Talkeetna Hurricane Gulch Summit Denali Healy Ferry Nenana Fairbanks 2 Anchorage to Fairbanks through Denali park
- 57. Anchorage depôt
- 59. Boarding for the North
- 60. Interior of the Denali railcar
- 61. Dawn view, Denali Park ahead
- 62. Leaving Anchorage northbound
- 65. Between Talkeetna and Denali
- 66. Denali Star on Knick river
- 69. Talkeeetna = “where the rivers join” in indian Talkeetna is very small village
- 71. Talkeetna bridge
- 72. Denali Star passenger train crossing the Talkeetna bridge.
- 74. Hurricane Gulch Trestle Denali Star Train between Talkeetna and Denali.
- 75. 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.
- 76. View to Hurricane Gulch Gulch = ravine torrent. The railroad is about 300 feet above the streambed below.
- 77. In winter
- 78. In summer
- 79. In fall In fall
- 80. Halfway between Fairbanks and Anchorage, a remote bridge near Honolulu
- 81. Summit Lake, the highest point on the Alaska Railroad
- 82. Riley Creek bridge, just a few moments from its stop inside Denali
- 83. Bridge over the Nenana River at Denali (Parks Highway)
- 84. The “ million dollar curve ”, the single greatest maintenance problem for the railroad
- 86. Denali depôt
- 88. Hurricane Turn at Denali
- 89. 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/
- 90. Denali Star on a beautiful fall day
- 96. 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.
- 97. The mountain is characterized by extremely cold weather. A thermometer left exposed on Mount McKinley recorded a temperature of −100 °F (−73.3 °C) !
- 101. Snow River Bridge, way to Seward
- 102. Winter views from AkRR
- 103. Glacier view from AkRR
- 104. Baby Bear from AkRR
- 105. Forest and river from AkRR
- 106. Frozen Denali Park
- 107. Frozen Lake from AkRR
- 108. Snow Peaks from AkRR
- 111. Nenana river
- 113. 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".
- 114. One of the longest bridge span truss bridges in the world. Mears Memorial Bridge , over Tanana River at Nenana,
- 115. Freight train in Healy Canyon, Nenana river
- 116. the curve north of Nenana Curving out off Nenana River
- 117. Fairbanks depôt Fairbanks, located in the heart of Alaska's Interior,is the state’s second largest city.
- 119. 3 Fairbanks to North Pole This railroad is mainly used by military, oil, and freight trains. In Christmas there are special tourist trains.
- 121. 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.
- 122. AkRR Sunrise, North Pole, - 40º
- 123. Fairbanks to North Pole
- 124. Toward Moose Creek
- 126. 4 A rail journey in Winter
- 128. Bartlett Glacier in Winter
- 129. Northbound Aurora
- 131. The ski train at Grandview
- 132. Gliding across the frozen Alaskan landscape
- 134. Can you feel the cold?
- 135. Winter Hurricane Turn at Hurricane Gulch bridge
- 136. Turnagain arm
- 140. At Fairbanks – houses along Tanana river.
- 141. The end of the jouney: near Bird Point, the glint of the setting alaskan sun…
- 142. Elderberry Park , Anchorage , waving good-bye…
- 143. The End
- 144. Sources (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 The Alaska Railroad