Passenger train returns, adds Spencer Glacier whistle stop

GAIL L. RICHARDS

May 09, 2008 at 11:25AM AKST

For The Seward Phoenix Log

A recent increase of freight train activity on the Alaska Railroad is a reminder that the Coastal Classic passenger train will begin daily service between Anchorage and Seward on Saturday, May 10.

And, while the Coastal Classic is often seen as a gravy train for Seward, locals may find the lure of new adventures via the railroad an affordable alternative to out-of-state vacations made expensive by rising fuel costs.

The Alaska Railroad and the U.S. Forest Service introduced a new whistle-stop service to the Chugach National Forest, opening doors to wilderness travel and recreational opportunities.

Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop is the first completed station of five scheduled for travelers who want to disembark the train to explore.

Service to that station is not available directly from Seward on the Coastal Classic, but getting there is doable, according to Susie Kiger, the railroad’s director of passenger sales and marketing.

"One could drive from Seward to the Portage stop and hop on the Glacier Discovery train and have the afternoon to explore the area," she said.

"The train leaves Portage for Spencer Glacier daily at 1:25 p.m. and departs for the return trip at 4:40. Actual train rides either way only last 20 to 30 minutes.

The fare to Spencer station, which is south of Portage and east of the Seward Highway, is $59, which includes access and an interpretive hike with a Forest Service ranger. Travelers may also choose to venture out on their own, according to Kiger, and are encouraged to contact the Forest Service for information about overnight stays.

Information about rafting and canoe tours offered from Spencer Glacier is available through the offices and Websites of either the railroad or the U.S. Forest Service.

For people who don’t covet the wilderness experience but simply want to get out of Dodge, the Coastal Classic train travels round trip between Anchorage and Seward every day, from May 10 to Sept. 15. The train leaves Seward at 6 p.m., making an overnight trip to Girdwood or Anchorage an option.

Weaving through three hours of green wilderness otherwise inaccessible to humans, the Coastal Classic will likely draw more passengers from Seward after adding its new double-decked Gold Star car. Gold Star cars feature a first-level dining area and optimal viewing from the upper deck.

The $4 million luxury-dome car is a sister to five others that the Alaska Railroad has been adding to its fleet since 2005. The first four are in service on the Denali Star train.

Two others, including a car scheduled to be added to the Coastal Classic, are due to arrive later this summer from the manufacturer in Colorado. Kiger said the new cars would draw higher-end clients and expand the upscale services from Seward to Fairbanks.

Current rates and times for travel on the railroad are posted online at www.akrr.com.

"Fares are estimated to increase 4 percent in 2009 due to the increased cost of fuel," Kiger said.

Gail Richards is a Seward artist and freelance writer. She can be reached at 224-2426 or gail@gailrichards.com.