A 5:45 AM wake call found the Princess cruise ship Sun Princess sitting at the dock in Whittier since midnight. I went off for my last buffet breakfast of the cruise.
The pre-dawn was beautiful from the front of the Lido Deck.
Below us, the train that would take us to Anchorage pulled into Whittier.
After watching "Freaky Friday", I went up to the Lido Deck for a few final pictures from the Sun Princess while I waited for our disembarking group to be called. We were light blue 2 but when we actually disembarked, they called the "Scenic Train". At 7:48 AM, they called "Train" and my mother and I disembarked from the Sun Princess for the last time. What a great cruise it was and I truly loved it all.
Once off the ship, everyone walked through a building and the train passengers had to exchange vouchers for train tickets. We walked across the main highway to a tented covered area where we boarded Alaska Railroad car 552, taking table seats 12A&B. Our train consisted of GP40-2 3011, low-level domes 553, 554, bi-level Tiki Railbar 352 and two more low level dome cars 551 and 552, with former Amtrak F40PH 244 as cab car 31 and the trainset is used only for cruise ship passengers and used to be part of the former Florida Fun Train.
The four single level dome cars can carry 76 passengers at table seating. The seats have high backs that are alternately coloured in bright orange, yellow, purple and green hues. The dome glass rises from the table level to a point high above the aisle then repeats down the other side of the car. In the middle of the five-car trainset is the lone bi-level car that is the Tiki Railbar. Yes, it has a Tiki bar running around Alaska. This car has a complete thatched roof and faux palm trees covering the bar. There is still a dance floor and tables for enjoying beverages at one end of the car. There are a few gallery seats still on one side on the upper level above the dance floor. It was a fantastic trainset and a true blessing to be able to ride it.
Our train to Anchorage departed at 8:40 AM and the whole journey was new mileage.
We proceeded along the far end of the Passage Canal.
A glacier high to the north.
One last view of the Sun Princess.
We had to wait for a green signal at the highway staging area before we could enter the 13,075 Whittier Tunnel, also known as the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. It passes under Maynard Mountain and is the second longest highway tunnel and longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America. The rail line was originally opened on April 23rd, 1943, linking Whittier to the Alaska Railroad's main line at Portage In the mid 1960's, the Alaska Railroad began offering a shuttle service for automobiles through the tunnel between Whittier and the former town of Portage. As traffic to Whittier increased, the shuttle became insufficient, leading the 1990's to a project to convert the existing railroad tunnel into a one-lane, combination highway and railway tunnel. It opened on June 7th, 2000. Traffic is scheduled in twenty minute blocks - twenty minutes each for eastbound highway traffic, westbound highway traffic and the Alaska Railroad.
We exited the tunnel into the fog as we passed Bear Valley siding.
Crossing Placer Creek before plunging into the 4,960 feet Portage Tunnel.
Weather conditions improved as we exited, where Byron Glacier came into view.
As we followed the Portage Creek west, Middle Glacier was seen.
Explorer Glacier was seen next to the south. Its name was reported by the Mountaineering Club of Alaska for the Explorer Scouts who were trained in glacier-climbing techniques on this and nearby glaciers.
The vistas to the north were spectacular with the low-lying fog.
We reached the yard at Portage.
We had to stop to align the switch to the mainline to Anchorage.
A house that sank as a result of the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake.
Trees that were killed are the result of salt water in the water table when the land settled. The earthquake really affected the railroad in this area. The ground sunk so far that the tracks were washed away during high tides. After repairs had been made, the railroad had a twice-a-day schedule to pass through Portage at low tide then a new railroad grade was built which solved that problem, allowing for daily operations.
From Portage to Anchorage, our route followed the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet.
Off to the north is Twenty Mile Glacier before the train crossed Twenty Mile River.
To the south is the route the Alaska Railroad takes to Seward via Moose Pass.
The train curved for many miles along the base of the steep canyon wall then a few minutes later, crossed Kern Creek.
Traversing Glacier Creek with the fishermen trying their luck before we passed through Girdwood.
The train, Seward Highway and Turnagain Arm.
After the train passed under the highway, our shoreline running of Turnagain Arm began.
We passed one of the many slide areas on the highway.
Mount Alpenglow stood out on the Kenai Peninsula across the water.
The siding at Bird.
Every curve along the inlet provided another picture of the train.
Curves abounded on our route; we then passed Indian siding.
With every turn, more and more beauty unfolded.
The long siding at Rainbow.
Another turn, another view and more photographs.
Beautiful vistas were everywhere.
We entered the siding at Potter.
Milwaukee Road rotary snowplough 900207 built by the railroad and formerly operated on the Coast and Rocky Mountain Divisions. It was sold to Alaska Railroad in 1981 and is currently numbered X-900212.
At Potter we met the Glacier Discovery train holding the main with Conductor Steve aboard.
The tide had headed out across the mud flat of Turnagain Arm as the Potter State Game Reserve Refuge is to the right.
Our train had now reached the outskirts of Anchorage. Off to the right is Alaska's largest mall, Diamond Mall, before we rolled through Spenard and passed the backyard landing fields as we approached the junction to the Airport Line.
At MP 110, we turned off the mainline onto the Airport Line.
Curving towards the airport.
The Anchorage Airport control tower could be seen ahead.
We climbed the viaduct for the remaining distance to the airport station.
The Alaska Railroad Bill Sheffield Airport station.
We detrained and went downstairs to catch the shuttle bus.
One last view of the fantastic Alaska Railroad Grandview Cruise train as seen from the bus which took everyone who did not have an immediate flight to the Hospitality Center at the Anchorage convention centre to wait for hotels or later flights.
Anchorage
Once we were dropped off, my mother waited at the convention centre while I went to the Alaska Railroad station to pick up my tickets for the trip to Seward tomorrow then was off to the Downtown Mall for more film and lunch at Arby's. I returned to the Convention Center to write and wait for our hotel shuttle at 3:15 PM and while listening to Jethro Tull to pass the time, remembered that our conductor was named Jethro. It is a small world! They called all those going to the Captain Cook Hotel, which was just four blocks away.
After a slight room mix-up, we receied a room on the 17th floor of Tower 3 with an excellent view of the Alaska Railroad yard and shops. Later we went to the Glacier Brewhouse where I had an excellent Prime Rib then went for a walk down to the depot to time it for my walk in the morning.
The former Holland America dome cars at the shops. After my second e-mail check of the day in the Captain Cook Business Center, I watched the classic film "Airport" then turned in early, expecting to have a great train adventure tomorrow.
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