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Weekly UpdatesIn today's ultra-modern world, travelers making their way across Alaska have several options on how to transport themselves from one place to another. From backpacking to cruising, The Last Frontier's transportation infrastructure covers everything from the practical to the romantic. For some, the romance of travel is embodied by a boat ride, for others it's the open road (or no road at all) and for many, the height of romantic travel begins and ends with a train ride. Here in Alaska, travelers who seek the romantic notion of "hitting the rails" have two options-both of which offer modern comforts along with the nostalgia and history of doing business in America's far north for close to a century.
THE WHITE PASS & YUKON ROUTE RAILWAY
In the late 1800s, building a railroad in the Alaska wilderness that climbed almost 3,000 feet in 20 miles didn't seem possible, but thanks to American engineering, British financing and Canadian contracting, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway went into operation in 1900 to transport gold seekers and their goods to the Klondike during the Gold Rush. With its 110-mile track, a steel cantilever bridge that was the tallest in the world at the time, cliff-hanging turns, and two tunnels and numerous bridges, the railway was considered an engineering feat that employed tens of thousands of men and used 450 tons of explosives to come into existence in July 1900.
Today, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway (a narrow-gauge railroad) is considered an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and shares this designation with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. Along with being an engineering pioneer, this railway innovated the inter-modal (ship-train-truck) transportation movement of containers that is now a commonplace practice in most of the world.
After serving Canada's Yukon Territory for close to a century, the railroad suspended its operation in 1982 when the Yukon's mining industry collapsed. Six years later, the railroad transformed itself into a tourist attraction to what was then Alaska's fledgling visitor trade. That summer, 37,000 tourists climbed aboard the historical train in Skagway, a small town located at the end of Alaska's famous Inside Passage. Last year, the same railroad transported close to 405,000 passengers and is the state's most popular shore excursion for cruise ship passengers.
"Last year was our biggest year on record," said Michael Brandt, White Pass & Yukon Route Railway's vice president of marketing and planning.
"We broke the previous year's daily rider-ship record 12 times. It used to be a big deal to have 5,000 passengers daily and last year it became commonplace to have 6,000 daily passengers. It's a real testament to our people that the company can handle that load effortlessly."
With 150 seasonal employees, 70 rail cars, two vintage steam locomotives, and three basic products that use the first 40 miles of the original 110-mile track, the White Pass & Yukon Railway offers three basic products to a clientele that is largely comprised of cruise ship passengers.
"Seventy five percent of our business is our summit excursion," said Brandt. This trip leaves Skagway three times a day during the summer and goes to Lake Bennett in British Columbia. "We also go to Frasier, B.C., and that trip can interface with a Yukon land tour and we provide a hiker (pickup and drop-off) service to people hiking the Chilkoot Trail."
This year the White Pass & Yukon Route is putting back into service Steam Engine No. 69, a steam locomotive built in 1907 for the railway.
"Steam Engine No. 69 was the largest steam locomotive ever made for the White Pass," Brandt said. "We traded a museum a whole host of freight equipment for this large locomotive, which will join our Steam Engine No. 73 as the pride of our fleet. We will put it to service this summer."
One of Steam Engine No. 69's maiden voyages will be into Carcross, a small town located north of Skagway in Canada's Yukon Territory.
"We're trying to build Carcross as a destination so we'll be running No. 69 into the area on a charter basis," Brandt explained. "We're really excited about having another steam engine in our fleet."
"When the steam whistle blows in downtown Skagway and echoes throughout the valley, it's just an incredible sound that is a throwback to another era. Steam is a premium historical product--its classic nostalgia."
THE ALASKA RAILROAD
Almost a century ago, President Woodrow Wilson thought an Alaska railroad that started in an ice-free southern harbor and traveled north to the Interior would open the state to commerce. With the Alaskan Engineering Commission mapping the route and 5,000 men laying the track that covered 525 miles that crossed three mountain ranges and the continental divide, the Alaska Railroad was completed in 1923 creating a major transportation corridor to Fairbanks.
In 1985, the State of Alaska bought the railroad from the federal government for $22 million and appointed a board to oversee its operation. Today, the railroad is completely self-sufficient and doesn't receive any operating funds from the state. With income generated from real estate holdings and its freight and passenger services, the railroad posted record level earnings of $15.4 million in 2004.
"It was a good year for us," said Tim Thompson, Alaska Railroad's public affairs officer. "Hauling freight is the majority of our business-we move everything from gravel and coal to petroleum products, but our passenger segment is growing. Our total passenger load last year was significantly higher than it was in 2003--it was very close to half a million people."
With several passenger products that include service to Fairbanks from Anchorage, an all-day trip to Spencer Glacier that includes a raft trip, tours to Denali National Park, and packages that range from a day trip to an 11-day itinerary, the railroad caters to cruise ship passengers, independent travelers and Alaskans.
To capture an even larger percent of the passenger market, the railroad purchased two new custom-made, bi-level dome cars that will offer travelers first-class service this summer.
"We're introducing our Gold Star Service from Anchorage to Fairbanks with stops in Wasilla, Talkeema and Denali National Park," said Thompson. "This service is an upgrade of our normal service and guarantees a seat in one of the new luxury cars that have an open air vestibule on the top. People can actually go outside on the top floor."
"The new rail cars are unique to the Alaska Railroad and are the only ones like this in the world," he added. "The response from the public has been tremendous."
The new cars are decorated with Alaska art, offer complimentary appetizers, access to the private outdoor viewing platform, and rotating reclining seats as well as 36 dining room chairs--all of which have access to the view from just about any angle.
Along with the new cars, the railroad's fleet includes circa-50s style coaches, single-level dome cars, classic rail cars, and dining cars that are all designed so passengers can enjoy the mare attraction--the scenery.
"We travel into parts of Alaska that the only way to get there is by train," said Thompson of the railroad that was recognized as ma Maska Scenic Byway for its outstanding scenic, natural and historic features in 1997, The railroad was also awarded the "Overall Best Railroad" distinction by Onboard Services magazine in 2003 as well as scooping up first place honors from the same organization for safety, equipment, entertainment, uniforms and food services, and second place for onboard services.
Last year, 145,000 cruise ship passengers took a ride on the Alaska Railroad and the rest of the passenger load was comprised of independent travelers and Alaska residents.
"Our main passenger business is comprised of visitors who have already been to Alaska and now they've come back and want to do the things that they didn't do on their first trip," explained Thompson.
One of the trips many passengers seem to be interested in doing this summer is taking advantage of the railroad's all-day tour to Spencer Glacier that departs from Anchorage, Girdwood, Portage and Whittier and includes lunch and a raft tour.
"This is the third year we've offered the tour and our bookings are up nearly 200 percent from last year," said Thompson. "This tour is really starting to take off. Overall, we are at such capacity this summer that we went out and leased cars."
Currently, the Alaska Railroad covers 611 miles of track, employs some 900 people in peak season, and has 1,700 cars-50 of which are for passengers.
"It's looking like it will be a very good passenger season for us. People really like to ride the train and we have many different products that cater to a wide variety of travelers," Thompson said. "Plus, we have 90 years of history of taking people across Alaska."
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