Amtrak vs Alaska Ferry

[greatcats]

Does anybody know which ship sails from Bellingham to Seward?

That should be the Kennicott, which offers a bi-weekly sailing from Bellingham. I just got off this morning the Marine Atlantic ferry on a 14+ hour voyage, North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland, headed to St. John's, where I am writing this. I have ridden the Alaska Ferry a number of times and love the trip scenery wise and am fond of some of their old ships, such as the Malaspina. But Alaska is really behind the times. My trip on the " Atlantic Vision " last night surpassed the Alaska operation, and certainly surpassed Amtrak service, while I am a fan of them, too.

A few days ago while driving on a secondary highway east of Moncton, New Brunsdwick that the GPS routed me onto, I was treated to a surprise: Across the field came the eastbound VIA Ocean, with two locomotives hayuling a twelve car train.

 

[railiner]

Does anybody know which ship sails from Bellingham to Seward?

That should be the Kennicott, which offers a bi-weekly sailing from Bellingham. I just got off this morning the Marine Atlantic ferry on a 14+ hour voyage, North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland, headed to St. John's, where I am writing this. I have ridden the Alaska Ferry a number of times and love the trip scenery wise and am fond of some of their old ships, such as the Malaspina. But Alaska is really behind the times. My trip on the " Atlantic Vision " last night surpassed the Alaska operation, and certainly surpassed Amtrak service, while I am a fan of them, too.

A few days ago while driving on a secondary highway east of Moncton, New Brunsdwick that the GPS routed me onto, I was treated to a surprise: Across the field came the eastbound VIA Ocean, with two locomotives hayuling a twelve car train.

Seems strange to hear from you on the opposite side of North America this time of year....

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Does anybody know which ship sails from Bellingham to Seward?

That should be the Kennicott, which offers a bi-weekly sailing from Bellingham. I just got off this morning the Marine Atlantic ferry on a 14+ hour voyage, North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland, headed to St. John's, where I am writing this. I have ridden the Alaska Ferry a number of times and love the trip scenery wise and am fond of some of their old ships, such as the Malaspina. But Alaska is really behind the times. My trip on the " Atlantic Vision " last night surpassed the Alaska operation, and certainly surpassed Amtrak service, while I am a fan of them, too.

A few days ago while driving on a secondary highway east of Moncton, New Brunsdwick that the GPS routed me onto, I was treated to a surprise: Across the field came the eastbound VIA Ocean, with two locomotives hauling a twelve car train.

I've never heard about the Marine Atlantic ferry. I looked them up but I'm confused about the ferries' routes. I don't know the places where they go. Could someone please explain?

 

[Eric S]

Does anybody know which ship sails from Bellingham to Seward?

That should be the Kennicott, which offers a bi-weekly sailing from Bellingham. I just got off this morning the Marine Atlantic ferry on a 14+ hour voyage, North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland, headed to St. John's, where I am writing this. I have ridden the Alaska Ferry a number of times and love the trip scenery wise and am fond of some of their old ships, such as the Malaspina. But Alaska is really behind the times. My trip on the " Atlantic Vision " last night surpassed the Alaska operation, and certainly surpassed Amtrak service, while I am a fan of them, too.

A few days ago while driving on a secondary highway east of Moncton, New Brunsdwick that the GPS routed me onto, I was treated to a surprise: Across the field came the eastbound VIA Ocean, with two locomotives hauling a twelve car train.

I've never heard about the Marine Atlantic ferry. I looked them up but I'm confused about the ferries' routes. I don't know the places where they go. Could someone please explain?

In bold above. Also available on their website. Check an online map site (Google Maps, for instance) if you're not familiar with those two locations.

 

[railiner]

Does anybody know which ship sails from Bellingham to Seward?

That should be the Kennicott, which offers a bi-weekly sailing from Bellingham. I just got off this morning the Marine Atlantic ferry on a 14+ hour voyage, North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland, headed to St. John's, where I am writing this. I have ridden the Alaska Ferry a number of times and love the trip scenery wise and am fond of some of their old ships, such as the Malaspina. But Alaska is really behind the times. My trip on the " Atlantic Vision " last night surpassed the Alaska operation, and certainly surpassed Amtrak service, while I am a fan of them, too.

A few days ago while driving on a secondary highway east of Moncton, New Brunsdwick that the GPS routed me onto, I was treated to a surprise: Across the field came the eastbound VIA Ocean, with two locomotives hauling a twelve car train.

I've never heard about the Marine Atlantic ferry. I looked them up but I'm confused about the ferries' routes. I don't know the places where they go. Could someone please explain?

Their busiest route is the five hour crossing from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. Their largest boats carry loads of cars, trucks, and buses, as well as foot passengers either in reclining chairs or private staterooms that sleep up to four. They have restaurants, shops, and recreational activities. Not exactly a 'cruise ship', but a pleasant break for motorists....

Check them out...

http://www.marine-atlantic.ca/eng/index.asp

Originally, they were CN Marine, designed to connect passengers from CN trains at North Sydney, to the narrow guage CN railway that ran from Port aux Basques all the way to St. Johns. Now they connect with Acadian buses in Nova Scotia to DRL buses in Newfoundland.

 

[busboy]

I just got back from Alaska, while I didn't get to do the Ferry, I did ride the Alaska railroad from Anchorage to Seward, the scenery was AMAZING!! Saw a mother grizzley with two cubs right next to the track, the engineer slowed the train to a crawl so everyone could take pictures. He also slowed way down as we passed a bald eagle nest with mother eagle and chick clearly visible. There was a guide onboard and he provided interesting tidbits of information along the way, whenever the engineer spotted wildlife, they announced it over the speaker so everyone could get ready for photos. The train was really cool, a mixture of old and new cars sort of cobbled together. The older cars were beautifully restored. Ours had a dome area in the middle of the car. I looked on the plaque and discovered it was made in S Korea. Other cars were manufactured in various other places. The diner was very much like an Amtrak viewliner diner. One really cool thing, they keep the upper part of the half doors in the vestibules between cars open so you can sort of hang out and take pictures without a dirty window in your way. They also have an open air viewing platform at the back of each first class car. Staff on the train were amazing, bubbling with friendliness, everyone seemed to love their job. If you take the ferry to Whittier, there is a train you can take to Anchorage. We took that one as well, an interesting part is when it goes thru a long tunnel. They've poured concrete in the tunnel and cars use it when the train isn't going thru. It's wide enough for only one way one lane traffic, so there is a stop lite at each end, you wait till the lite turns green before going thru. The trip thru the tunnel takes about 20 minutes.

Too bad Amtrak doesn't operate between Alaska and Washington state, it would be a spectacular route.

 

[zephyr17]

Too bad Amtrak doesn't operate between Alaska and Washington state, it would be a spectacular route.

No rails to Alaska. Period. ARR has no connection to the North American rail network, other than by barge.

 

[greatcats]

Does anybody know which ship sails from Bellingham to Seward?

That should be the Kennicott, which offers a bi-weekly sailing from Bellingham. I just got off this morning the Marine Atlantic ferry on a 14+ hour voyage, North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland, headed to St. John's, where I am writing this. I have ridden the Alaska Ferry a number of times and love the trip scenery wise and am fond of some of their old ships, such as the Malaspina. But Alaska is really behind the times. My trip on the " Atlantic Vision " last night surpassed the Alaska operation, and certainly surpassed Amtrak service, while I am a fan of them, too.

A few days ago while driving on a secondary highway east of Moncton, New Brunsdwick that the GPS routed me onto, I was treated to a surprise: Across the field came the eastbound VIA Ocean, with two locomotives hayuling a twelve car train.

Seems strange to hear from you on the opposite side of North America this time of year....

Hello there. Obviously I am not working in Alaska this year! I am back from Canada and am in Connecticut today and will be visiting trolley museums.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Does anybody know which ship sails from Bellingham to Seward?

That should be the Kennicott, which offers a bi-weekly sailing from Bellingham. I just got off this morning the Marine Atlantic ferry on a 14+ hour voyage, North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland, headed to St. John's, where I am writing this. I have ridden the Alaska Ferry a number of times and love the trip scenery wise and am fond of some of their old ships, such as the Malaspina. But Alaska is really behind the times. My trip on the " Atlantic Vision " last night surpassed the Alaska operation, and certainly surpassed Amtrak service, while I am a fan of them, too.

A few days ago while driving on a secondary highway east of Moncton, New Brunsdwick that the GPS routed me onto, I was treated to a surprise: Across the field came the eastbound VIA Ocean, with two locomotives hauling a twelve car train.

I've never heard about the Marine Atlantic ferry. I looked them up but I'm confused about the ferries' routes. I don't know the places where they go. Could someone please explain?

Their busiest route is the five hour crossing from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. Their largest boats carry loads of cars, trucks, and buses, as well as foot passengers either in reclining chairs or private staterooms that sleep up to four. They have restaurants, shops, and recreational activities. Not exactly a 'cruise ship', but a pleasant break for motorists....

Originally, they were CN Marine, designed to connect passengers from CN trains at North Sydney, to the narrow guage CN railway that ran from Port aux Basques all the way to St. Johns. Now they connect with Acadian buses in Nova Scotia to DRL buses in Newfoundland.

http://www.marine-atlantic.ca/index.asp

I was in North Sydney on Saturday……here's the Marine Atlantic Ferry just arriving from Port aux Basques (pronounced Port O Bask)

 

These are big boats!.......handling 500 to 550 cars depending on the combination of trucks and vehicles and up to 1000 passengers.

 

 

 

During the summer the Atlantic Vision is on the Argentia run and as pointed out above, a 14 hr trip with a full range of cabins, restaurants and lounges. Another interesting aspect of the Argentia run, is passing through a short stretch of French Territorial Waters……the Islands of St. Pierre Miquelon are just of the south coast of Newfoundland. (Go to France without leaving North America!)

 

And the Ferry Terminal at Argentia is at a former United States Naval Air Station…..where you can still see the old runways while docking.

 

Also as noted above………Marine Atlantic can trace its roots back to the CN Ferries which carried rail cars to Newfoundland up until the late 1980's. Standard Gauge cars had their wheel-sets changed out for Narrow-Gauge one and off they went across the Island. (note the different gauges in the photo below) Nearly the entire 550 mile abandoned railway is now a hiking/biking/ATV trail. Here's a link to photos of an ATV trip I took on a portion of the rail-trail a couple of years ago.

https://picasaweb.go...feat=directlink

 

[Guest]

The ferry employees work for the state of Alaska directly. Amtrak employees are employees of a government corporation. I assume ferry employees are better paid but have no direct knowledge of it. Amtrak people, while not highly paid, do receive more than hotel or typical restaurant pay so tips are not as important as wait staff or hotel cleaning staff but do supplement their pay.

Tipping on the ferry is prohibited by state law. It is made VERY clear including signs posted on the dining room walls (which reference the law) and signs on each dining room table (which have a copy of the law). Amtrak employees are permitted to accept tips for service in rooms, coaches and dining areas.

Last page of this details entry level wages.

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/doc/employment/steward_2012.pdf

Amtrak usually starts out at ~$15 and then some of them want a tip too.

Also cost of living is higher in AK so wages are probably about the same if you are an AK resident and less if you are not.

So, same wages, no begging cup for tips, and they actually have good service.

 

[railiner]

Thanks so much for sharing those photo's!

I looked at your slideshow via the link you provided and thoroughly enjoyed the 'tour' via the rest of the photo's.

I noticed that the DRL Prevost H3-45 had a satellite dome.....do you know if they use that for communications in remote area's of the Trans Canada Highway, or is it for on board entertainment (or perhaps both)?

 

[williamflemming]

not to change the subject, but do you think amtrak will ever build a route from seattle to Anchorage. I already have a good name, the North Star

 

[railiner]

not to change the subject, but do you think amtrak will ever build a route from seattle to Anchorage. I already have a good name, the North Star

Not in this century,

As for the "North Star", Amtrak used that name several years ago for a Chicago-St. Paul-Duluth train....

 

[zephyr17]

not to change the subject, but do you think amtrak will ever build a route from seattle to Anchorage. I already have a good name, the North Star

Given the fact that there is no rail route to Alaska at all, that is the very longest of long-shots. Expect to see every passenger route ever run, pre-Amtrak, restored before that happens.

Amtrak doesn't build routes, and outside the NEC and Michigan they own no track, they depend on existing rail routes. If no freight railroad sees a percentage in building to Alaska, don't expect Amtrak to build a route for passengers through a very sparsely populated area, in a foreign country (Canada). The closest thing to a rail connection to Alaska was the Dease Lake Extension of the BCR, now abandoned. That was still some hundreds of miles short, but it was the closest track connected to North America's rail network ever got to Alaska.

Not to mention the terrain challenges building a railroad north from Seattle along the Inside Passage. If a rail route was ever built to Alaska, it would be inland from the BC interior along the lines of the Alaska highway or Stewart-Cassier highway.

Short answer: No. Completely impossible, unless that proposal for a Bering Strait bridge gains traction in some alternate reality.

 

[williamflemming]

not to change the subject, but do you think amtrak will ever build a route from seattle to Anchorage. I already have a good name, the North Star

Given the fact that there is no rail route to Alaska at all, that is the very longest of long-shots. Expect to see every passenger route ever run, pre-Amtrak, restored before that happens.

Amtrak doesn't build routes, and outside the NEC and Michigan they own no track, they depend on existing rail routes. If no freight railroad sees a percentage in building to Alaska, don't expect Amtrak to build a route for passengers through a very sparsely populated area, in a foreign country (Canada). The closest thing to a rail connection to Alaska was the Dease Lake Extension of the BCR, now abandoned. That was still some hundreds of miles short, but it was the closest track connected to North America's rail network ever got to Alaska.

Not to mention the terrain challenges building a railroad north from Seattle along the Inside Passage. If a rail route was ever built to Alaska, it would be inland from the BC interior along the lines of the Alaska highway or Stewart-Cassier highway.

Short answer: No. Completely impossible, unless that proposal for a Bering Strait bridge gains traction in some alternate reality.

Actually, The bering strait route will only gain traction IF Amtrak, along with the Russian equivalent builds railroads to Uelen (like nome, but in Russia) , Russia and Nome, Alaska. This is quoted from a news organization:

"Russia will open a £900million extension to the Trans-Siberian railway to Yakutsk."

thus, Russia has already met what they would need to do to make the Bering strait route reality. Also, the news company said Russia has already gave 9 billion pounds to completing the tunnel. I mean, whats the point of a tunnel if you don't have a railway to connect it with?

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Thanks so much for sharing those photo's!

I looked at your slideshow via the link you provided and thoroughly enjoyed the 'tour' via the rest of the photo's.

I noticed that the DRL Prevost H3-45 had a satellite dome.....do you know if they use that for communications in remote area's of the Trans Canada Highway, or is it for on board entertainment (or perhaps both)?

I noticed that too, but I don't know who DRL is.

 

[NS VIA Fan]

Thanks so much for sharing those photo's!

I looked at your slideshow via the link you provided and thoroughly enjoyed the 'tour' via the rest of the photo's.

I noticed that the DRL Prevost H3-45 had a satellite dome.....do you know if they use that for communications in remote area's of the Trans Canada Highway, or is it for on board entertainment (or perhaps both)?

I noticed that too, but I don't know who DRL is.

Swadian.......That's what Google's for:

http://drl-lr.com/schedule-and-fares/

 

[NS VIA Fan]

I noticed that the DRL Prevost H3-45 had a satellite dome.....do you know if they use that for communications in remote area's of the Trans Canada Highway, or is it for on board entertainment (or perhaps both)?

 

Could be satellite TV as there is cellular coverage all across Newfoundland (or at least where a DRL Bus would be travelling)

 

[zephyr17]

not to change the subject, but do you think amtrak will ever build a route from seattle to Anchorage. I already have a good name, the North Star

Given the fact that there is no rail route to Alaska at all, that is the very longest of long-shots. Expect to see every passenger route ever run, pre-Amtrak, restored before that happens.

Amtrak doesn't build routes, and outside the NEC and Michigan they own no track, they depend on existing rail routes. If no freight railroad sees a percentage in building to Alaska, don't expect Amtrak to build a route for passengers through a very sparsely populated area, in a foreign country (Canada). The closest thing to a rail connection to Alaska was the Dease Lake Extension of the BCR, now abandoned. That was still some hundreds of miles short, but it was the closest track connected to North America's rail network ever got to Alaska.

Not to mention the terrain challenges building a railroad north from Seattle along the Inside Passage. If a rail route was ever built to Alaska, it would be inland from the BC interior along the lines of the Alaska highway or Stewart-Cassier highway.

Short answer: No. Completely impossible, unless that proposal for a Bering Strait bridge gains traction in some alternate reality.

Actually, The bering strait route will only gain traction IF Amtrak, along with the Russian equivalent builds railroads to Uelen (like nome, but in Russia) , Russia and Nome, Alaska. This is quoted from a news organization:

"Russia will open a £900million extension to the Trans-Siberian railway to Yakutsk."

thus, Russia has already met what they would need to do to make the Bering strait route reality. Also, the news company said Russia has already gave 9 billion pounds to completing the tunnel. I mean, whats the point of a tunnel if you don't have a railway to connect it with?

Then a railroad to Alaska would have to be built on its own merits based traffic it would generate that would repay the cost of construction. And the verdict on that is most definitely in. The traffic is not there to justify construction of such a railroad.

No one is going to build it just to connect with a hypothetical bridge/tunnel. I see you reference pounds, so you may not understand that this would not be a government project in North America, but private enterprise and they would have to see a buck in it somewhere. Amtrak simply would not be involved. They don't build new track.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Thanks so much for sharing those photo's!

I looked at your slideshow via the link you provided and thoroughly enjoyed the 'tour' via the rest of the photo's.

I noticed that the DRL Prevost H3-45 had a satellite dome.....do you know if they use that for communications in remote area's of the Trans Canada Highway, or is it for on board entertainment (or perhaps both)?

I noticed that too, but I don't know who DRL is.

Swadian.......That's what Google's for:

http://drl-lr.com/schedule-and-fares/

But when I searched for DRL it came up with Doral Financial Corp, daytime running lamp, Department of Safety and Professional Services, etc..

According to your link, DRL even has attendants on their buses!

 

[jis]

not to change the subject, but do you think amtrak will ever build a route from seattle to Anchorage. I already have a good name, the North Star

Not in this century,

As for the "North Star", Amtrak used that name several years ago for a Chicago-St. Paul-Duluth train....

The other North Star is, or at least used to be, an RZD overnight service between Moscow (Okyubrskaya/Leningradski) and Murmansk.