Cruisin' Alaska

From Fairbanks to Seward and Beyond

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This section is divided into four pages to provide quick loading

This section was set up on January 7, 2002.

The best way to see Alaska's interior is by rail. Each day during the tourist season, passenger trains head south fom Fairbanks and north from Anchorage to cover most of the Alaska Railroad. These passenger trains are actually four trains in one. At the front, directly behind the locomotives, are several cars that make up the Alaska Railroad's own Denali Star. Behind the ARR cars is a large white full-length dome which operates as Royal Celebrity Tours' Wilderness Express. Next are several cars operated by Holland America as the McKinley Explorer. Finally, Princess has cars at the rear, which is the cruise line's Midnight Sun Express. Additional passenger service is offered south of Anchorage to Seward and Whittier. Here's a sampling of the ARR cruise service; the photos are from early June 2001.

We actually start our tour several miles south of Fairbanks at the town of Nenana. A freight train usually departs Fairbanks ahead of the passenger train, and we are at the large bridge over the Nenana River to see the freight approaching. One of the railroad's attractive SD70MAC's leads the freight.

TT3801

About an hour later, another SD70MAC appears, this one hauling the Denali Star.

TT3802

After crossing the brige, the train negotiates a large horseshoe curve and drops down to river level, where it passes the Nenana depot. The structure has been restored and houses a railroad museum. The bridge over the Nenana River which the train just crossed is visible in the background.

TT3803

Just beyond the depot, the train passes under the Parks Highway bridge over the Nenana River. The highway very roughly parallels the railroad south from Fairbanks. Usually the Parks Highway and railroad are several miles apart.

TT3804

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