The Alaska Railroad is a full-service Class II railroad that stretches from Seward in the south all the way to Fairbanks in the interior. Funded entirely by the federal government, unlike the rest of the nation's railroads, the 470 mile railway was completed in 1923. The railroad is an important transporter of coal and petroleum products from the interior to the ports, where it is then shipped around the world. 'Full-service' means that it is also a passenger train, and as such has become a popular tourist attraction.
Besides providing regular passenger service for Alaska residents and visitors, the Alaska Railroad also offers several tour packages of interest to tourists. The railway introduced 'Gold Star service' featuring 89 foot double-decker dome cars, making the beautiful views accessible while travelling in luxury. There are many day trip excursions available, and a number of multi-day tours as well. The railway has an additional 500 miles of track that extend beyond the main route into some fairly remote parts of Alaska, including the Talkeetna to Hurricane route, an area without roads, so is an important mode of transport for the people who live there and need to bring in supplies.
One of the unique features of the Alaska railroad, of interest to tourists, is their use of local students as tour guides during the summer recess. This provides an important employment opportunity for young people, as well as providing a colourful service to tourists. These students have a large breadth of knowledge about the regions the train travels through, and give a personal touch to such topics as the local flora and fauna, the geography of the land, and the history of the railroad.
Many visitors who travel the Alaska railroad take the train up from Seward to Fairbanks, then return by bus. This allows more flexibility in the travel arrangements, and provides an alternate route through the national parks so that visitors get to see a variety in the land. The view from the dome cars is spectacular throughout, and provided the weather is clear, majestic Mt. McKinley located in Denali National Park is clearly visible.
Also of interest to visitors to Alaska is the White Pass & Yukon route, based in Skagway. Skagway is a popular stop with cruise ships, and this railine is often offered as an day-trip excursion. The White Pass line is an historic route, that was used by the stampeders during the heady goldrush days in the late 19th century. It used to bring the hopeful prospectors in, and the gold out, during the Klondike goldrush. Now it is simply a tourist attraction, since the road is used primarily to bring supplies into Skagway from the Alaska highway to the east.
Like most rail excursions in North America, the cost is fairly high. Unlike Europe, which provides passenger service at reasonable prices to most places, the railways in North America were established barely before the arrival of the automobile, and the car quickly became the transport of choice. But as a unique, luxury way to travel, seeing Alaska by rail can't be beat. With so many tours to choose from , the Alaska Railroad is a great choice to add to your itinerary for your trip to America's north.
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