Alaska Railroad

Northern Rail Extension to Delta Junction

An extension of the railroad from Fairbanks to Delta Junction over a bridge spanning the Tanana River was envisioned as early as 2009.^{[citation needed]} The 2011 Alaska state budget would provide $40 million in funding for the bridge, which initially be only for vehicular use. The United States Department of Defense would provide another $100 million in funds, as the bridge and a subsequent rail line would provide year-round access to Fort Greely and the Joint Tanana Training Complex.^[13] Groundbreaking ceremony for the Tanana River Bridge took place on September 28, 2011,^[14] and the new bridge was opened (for military road traffic only) in 2014.^[15]

Point MacKenzie Line

On 21 November 2011, the Surface Transportation Board approved the construction of a new 25-mile (40 km) line between Port MacKenzie and the existing main line at Houston, Alaska.^[16] As of May 2023 this spur line had not been completed.^{[citation needed]}

Anchorage Vicinity Service

A spur line was built to Ted Stevens International Airport in 2003, along with a depot, officially named after Bill Sheffield. The line never received scheduled service but cruise lines charter trains to convey passengers between ships and the airport.^[17] The railroad currently leases the depot to citizens for private events such as conferences, seminars, and corporate functions.^[18]

There are plans to provide commuter rail service within the Anchorage metropolitan area (Anchorage to Mat-Su Valley via Eagle River, north Anchorage to south Anchorage); additional tracks would be necessary to accommodate the heavy freight traffic.^{[citation needed]}

Proposed connection to the contiguous 48 states

In 2001 federal legislation, sponsored by Republican U.S. senator (and later Alaska governor) Frank Murkowski, formed a bilateral commission to study feasibility of building a rail link between Canada and Alaska;^[19] Canada was asked to be part of the commission, but the Canadian federal government did not choose to join the commission or commit funds for the study. However, the Yukon territorial government did show some interest.^{[citation needed]}

A June 2006 report by the commission recommended Carmacks, Yukon, as a hub, with three possibilities: A line could go northward to Delta Junction, Alaska (Alaska Railroad's northern end-of-track). Another line could go from Carmacks to Hazelton, British Columbia (which is served by the CN), passing through Watson Lake, Yukon, and Dease Lake, British Columbia. The third line could go from Carmacks to either Haines or Skagway, Alaska. The latter path by way of Whitehorse, Yukon,^{[20][21][22][23]} the northern terminus of the 3 ft (914 mm) (narrow-gauge) White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad). However, currently the latter's trains only reach Carcross, Yukon, because service has not been completely restored following a 1982 embargo of the entire line.

Following the demise of the ill-fated Keystone XL Pipeline project, the Alaska Canada Rail Link (ACRL) was rekindled as an alternative.^[24] In November 2015, the National Post reported that a link between the southern provinces and the Alaska Railroad was again being considered by the Canadian federal government, this time routing to Alberta. In this scenario, the route would originate at Delta Junction and use Carmacks as a hub, as in prior plans. The route would continue through Watson Lake, Yukon, en route to a stop at Fort Nelson, British Columbia. It would continue to Peace River, Alberta, with its southern terminus at Fort McMurray. The route was endorsed by the Assembly of First Nations.^[25][26] It was unclear whether this rail connection would ever be utilized for passenger service.

On September 25, 2020, then President Donald Trump announced he would issue a presidential permit to the Alaska-Alberta Railway Development Corporation (A2A Railway),^[27] which had an agreement with Alaska Railway^[28] to develop a joint operating plan for the rail connection to Canada. The proposed A2A Railway would have connected to the Alaska Railroad at North Pole, Alaska, and run through Yukon Territory to Fort Nelson, and from there to a terminus at Fort McMurray, Alberta.^[29] (The A2A Railway had also been negotiating with the Mat-Su Borough on an agreement to complete the Port Mackenzie Railway Extension.)^[30]

General managers under federal ownership

Presidents under state ownership

Routes

• The Denali Star runs from Anchorage to Fairbanks^[36] (approximately 12 hours one-way)^[37] and back with stops in Talkeetna and Denali National Park, from which various flight and bus tours are available. The Denali Star only operates between May 15 and September 15.^[37] Although the trip is only about 356 miles (573 km), it takes 12 hours to travel from Anchorage to Fairbanks as the tracks wind through mountains and valleys; the train's top speed is 59 miles per hour (95 km/h) but sometimes hovers closer to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h).
• The Aurora Winter Train^[38] is available in winter months (September 15 - May 15) on a reduced weekend-only schedule (Northbound, Saturday mornings; Southbound, Sunday mornings) between Anchorage and Fairbanks on the same route as the Denali Star.
• 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) trip takes around four and a half hours due to some slow trackage as the line winds its way over mountains.
• The Glacier Discovery provides a short (2-hour) trip south from Anchorage to Whittier for a brief stop before reversing direction for a stop at Grandview while 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 the last flag-stop railway routes in the United States, passengers can board the Hurricane Turn anywhere along the route by waving a large white flag or cloth.
• The Grandview Cruise Train is a set of single level passenger dome cars that Alaska Railroad makes available for charter to cruise line operators for the transportation of their passengers exclusively, typically between May 15 and September 15. On alternate Mondays this train operates under charter to NCL Holdings between Anchorage International Airport and the Whittier NCL Depot, where it meets Norwegian Cruise Line vessels. On Thursdays and Fridays this train operates under charter to Royal Caribbean Group between Anchorage International Airport and the Dale R. Lindsey Alaska Railroad lntermodal Terminal in Seward, where it meets Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises vessels. On Sundays this train operates under charter to HAP Alaska-Yukon between Anchorage Depot and the Whittier HAP Depot, where it meets Holland America Line vessels. On Saturdays and alternate Wednesdays this train operates under charter to HAP Alaska-Yukon between McKinley station, located 3.4 miles south of Talkeetna, and the Whittier HAP Depot, where it meets Princess Cruises vessels; this operation is known as the McKinley Express.
• The Denali Express uses a set of bilevel passenger dome cars that are owned by Tour Alaska, a subsidiary of Carnival, and a single bilevel passenger dome car that is owned by Alaska Railroad, with all cars operated under contract by Alaska Railroad. This train operates Saturdays, Sundays, and alternate Wednesdays exclusively for Holland America Line and Princess Cruises passengers. The train operates between Denali Park Depot and Whittier HAP Depot, where it meets Holland America Line and Princess Cruises vessels.
• The McKinley Explorer uses a set of bilevel passenger dome cars that are owned by Tour Alaska, a subsidiary of Carnival, operated under contract by Alaska Railroad. This train operates daily and is available to all persons, whether a cruise line passenger or not. The train operates between Denali Park Depot and Anchorage Depot.
• The Wilderness Express uses a bilevel passenger dome car that is owned by Premier Alaska Tours, and which is attached to the Denali Star train and operated by Alaska Railroad. This service operates daily and is available to all persons, whether a cruise line passenger or not. While the Wilderness Express is part of the same consist as the Denali Star, there is no passage between this car and the Denali Star cars. The train operates between Fairbanks Depot and Anchorage Depot.
• Note that the spur affording access to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is used during the summer season for cruise ship service only. It was activated temporarily during the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) 2006 convention to provide airport-to-hotel mass transit for delegates.

Active

As of 2022^[update], Alaska Railroad rosters a total of 51 locomotives, two control cab units, and one DMU (self-propelled railcar):

• 28 EMD SD70MAC locomotives (12 equipped with head-end power for passenger service)
• 15 EMD GP40-2 locomotives
• 8 EMD GP38-2 locomotives
• 2 EMD F40PH control cab units
• 1 Colorado Railcar DMU

Retired

• Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC) (Retired 2009; sold to TriMet, in Oregon, as spare equipment for its WES Commuter Rail service)
• EMD MP15AC (Retired 2009)
• EMD GP49
• EMD F7
• EMD FP7 (Two units, 1510 and 1512 sold to Verde Canyon Railroad in Arizona for excursions)

Other

In 2011 the Alaska Railroad reacquired ARR 557, the last steam locomotive bought new by the railroad^[40] and the last steam locomotive used by the railroad, with the intent to refurbish and operate it in special excursions between Anchorage and Portage.

A USATC S160 "2-8-0 Consolidation" engine built in 1944^[41] by Baldwin Locomotive Works, 557 was originally coal-fired but was converted to oil in 1955. It operated until 1964, when it was deemed surplus and sold as scrap. It was purchased by Monte Holm of Moses Lake, Washington and displayed in his House of Poverty Museum.^[42]

After Holm's death in 2006, Jim and Vic Jansen bought 557 from the museum and returned it to the Alaska Railroad on the condition that it be restored to operation and put into service.^[43]

The locomotive was sold to the non-profit Engine 557 Restoration Company for "One Dollar ($1.00) and other good and valuable considerations"^{[44][full citation needed]} and they have invested (as of January 2019^[update]) 77 months and over 75,000 hours of volunteer time in the restoration and overhaul.^{[45][full citation needed]}