Relax and view the scenic beauty of a ride in a deluxe dome railcar. Your railcar's dedicated Car Manager will be your guide during your trip.

After departing Denali. we passed through Broad Pass, the highest point on the Alaska Railroad at 2,363 feet. North of Talkeetna we crossed the startling 918-foot Hurricane Gulch trestle, towering 296 feet above the creek below. Pam did fine (she has a fear of heights - much less than this one!! This was one of many of this route's best photo opportunities. South of Talkeetna, about 3 hours before we reached Anchorage, marks one of the most spectacular views of Mt. McKinley. The weather was not all that great, however.   We were encouraged to Keep an eye out for bears, moose, eagles, beavers, wolves and swans. Alas, we did not see much wildlife on this trip - but the views of the countryside were spectacular!  Beverage service was available in the dome area and we enjoyed a gourmet meal in the dining room downstairs. Each car has an open-air viewing platform, a lower level observation lounge and gift shop. We were scheduled to arrive in Anchorage at approximately 5:30pm.  As you will read below, it was closer to 10 PM.

The reasons for the late arrival were two:

(a) This train came from Fairbanks and had to pass two areas where there are common rock slides. As luck would have it, there we two that morning and it delayed our train for well over an hour. 

(b) About 10 miles from Anchorage, there was an earthquake (6.3) with its epicenter about 70 miles from Anchorage.  We did not feel it, but from talking to folks in Anchorage, it was a good shaker.  We killed over an hour waiting for the officials to green-light the bridge we would pass over in the last few miles of our journey.  We got into Anchorage close to 10 PM instead of 5:30.  Thanks to Holland America's efforts, the restaurant stayed open, and the manager coordinated with a great Italian restaurant across the street from the hotel to stay open late as well. 

This was a gorgeous train ride. Enjoy the pictures and videos.

 

 

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