Recent Alaska Railroad trip (Northbound, Achorage to Fairbanks)

[TaseMeBro]

First, I'll begin with two quick apologies:

1) If I've put this in the wrong subforum, and mods wish to move, certainly no offense taken

2) I tend to be "of the moment", so my photographs are nothing special, but I've tried to include some of the more interesting ones nonetheless

This past Saturday, October 19th, I took the Alaska Railroad Northbound from Anchorage to Fairbanks, accompanied by my mom. We travelled in "Adventure" class, which is the off seasons, and, ostensibly, the "lower" of the two classes (the other being the peak season "Goldstar"), but I honestly felt it was a great operation from start to end.

I've taken Goldstar myself in both directions from Anchorage to Denali (about 2/3rds the total distance) myself on a few occasions, and the full distance of Adventure class (as this time) once before.

I can say absolutely comfortably they run a great operation, with on time cars, reliable baggage delivery, clean surrounds, kind staff, and tasty food.

On the Northbound end, the train departs at 8:30 am, and the depot opens at 7:30 am. Since boarding is pretty efficient, I suspect most of this gap Is to allow for check in, and baggage handling/tagging/sorting.

One quick note - while there is a fair amount of seating, with my mom, who is on the elderly side, I was glad we got there on the early end. It meant she had no trouble finding a seat in the station, which helped start the day more comfortably.

The station as a basic coffee cart, and small gift shop. If you're looking for a more substantial breakfast I'd recommend either waiting for the train, or having it in town prior to leaving (thumbs up to the Snow City Cafe).

Seats are assigned, and while you're not given choice, they will seat members of your party toghter. It's a single level train, so minimal steps and climbing are required.

Each car has a modest luggage rack downstairs, but I'd really recommend checking anything much larger than a daybag - you're limted by what fits in the overhead racks, or beneath the seats.

The train has a "Bistro" car, which serves bar drinks as well as simple snacks like warm (but premade) sandwiches. Note that in *both* food cars, only cards are accepted, no cash (except as tips)

Theres's also a cafe car. They'll come through and take reservations a few hours ahead, and we never had trouble getting a seat. It seems like dinner was the popular meal, but that was also the one we skipped, having plans for dinner in Fairbanks upon arrival.

The food was fine. It won't win any Michelin Stars, I'm sure, but the menu was varied (https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/Marketing/2024_Winter_Menu.pdf), and had a decent balance of hearty and (kinda) healthy. If you're a vegetarian, or put off by more uncommon meats like reindeer, you may want to come prepared. Seating is communal, at tables for 4. I'll say the tables seemed a good bit more spacious than Amtrak 4 place tables, but the time alotted per meal was perhaps a little tighter.

There are a reasonable number of announcements along the way - railroad history, information on flagstops, and so on. But also a reasonable about of silence to just relax and enjoy. And, on that note, don't forget there are some pretty long stretches with no cell. I had a satellite modem (work obligations), but don't count of "constant contact"

Electricity, also, was in short supply - each passenger car had a USB charging station at the end, but that's about it, so bring your own power bank if you plan on lots of photos or otherwise consuming lots of battery.

The train cars were clean. The seats were adequately comfortable, but did lack basics like outlets and tray tables.Each passenger car has two restrooms - a regular one, and a larger disability-accessible one. I'd say there was a wait more often than not, but typically brief.

Upon arriving in Fairbanks, I'd suggest contacting your accomodation in advance and asking for their advice on transportation. A train of passengers is a lot to "dump on" a small town like Fairbanks, so advance planning helps.

Bags do start coming out immediately, but it did take a solid maybe 20 minutes to get through them all, so despite the hard work put in, there was a lot to do. You'll be waiting inside the heated station.

We were flying home the next day, and I had been tempted to get a generic chain near the airport. Instead, I got cabins at "Pikes Lodge", and was very glad I did. I'll let the pictures below (two cabins, for my mom and I) speak for themselves.

Overall, as always, I really do recommend this trip. Even if everything else were terrible (and it's certainly not), the views and experience alone make it a great experience.

Happy to answer any questions as I can.

 

[tgstubbs1]

The onboard dining menu is interesting. I take it the train "encounters" a number of reindeer
Despite my AncestryDNA telling me I have Laplander/Finnish ancestry, I've never had reindeer sausage. I'm not sure I would like it, although I've read Laplanders rely on reindeer almost exclusively, as they can't grow much where they live.
I wonder if the bacon is regular bacon, or reindeer bacon?

 

[Bob Dylan]

First, I'll begin with two quick apologies:

1) If I've put this in the wrong subforum, and mods wish to move, certainly no offense taken

2) I tend to be "of the moment", so my photographs are nothing special, but I've tried to include some of the more interesting ones nonetheless

This past Saturday, October 19th, I took the Alaska Railroad Northbound from Anchorage to Fairbanks, accompanied by my mom. We travelled in "Adventure" class, which is the off seasons, and, ostensibly, the "lower" of the two classes (the other being the peak season "Goldstar"), but I honestly felt it was a great operation from start to end.

I've taken Goldstar myself in both directions from Anchorage to Denali (about 2/3rds the total distance) myself on a few occasions, and the full distance of Adventure class (as this time) once before.

I can say absolutely comfortably they run a great operation, with on time cars, reliable baggage delivery, clean surrounds, kind staff, and tasty food.

On the Northbound end, the train departs at 8:30 am, and the depot opens at 7:30 am. Since boarding is pretty efficient, I suspect most of this gap Is to allow for check in, and baggage handling/tagging/sorting.

One quick note - while there is a fair amount of seating, with my mom, who is on the elderly side, I was glad we got there on the early end. It meant she had no trouble finding a seat in the station, which helped start the day more comfortably.

The station as a basic coffee cart, and small gift shop. If you're looking for a more substantial breakfast I'd recommend either waiting for the train, or having it in town prior to leaving (thumbs up to the Snow City Cafe).

Seats are assigned, and while you're not given choice, they will seat members of your party toghter. It's a single level train, so minimal steps and climbing are required.

Each car has a modest luggage rack downstairs, but I'd really recommend checking anything much larger than a daybag - you're limted by what fits in the overhead racks, or beneath the seats.

The train has a "Bistro" car, which serves bar drinks as well as simple snacks like warm (but premade) sandwiches. Note that in *both* food cars, only cards are accepted, no cash (except as tips)

Theres's also a cafe car. They'll come through and take reservations a few hours ahead, and we never had trouble getting a seat. It seems like dinner was the popular meal, but that was also the one we skipped, having plans for dinner in Fairbanks upon arrival.

The food was fine. It won't win any Michelin Stars, I'm sure, but the menu was varied (https://www.alaskarailroad.com/sites/default/files/Marketing/2024_Winter_Menu.pdf), and had a decent balance of hearty and (kinda) healthy. If you're a vegetarian, or put off by more uncommon meats like reindeer, you may want to come prepared. Seating is communal, at tables for 4. I'll say the tables seemed a good bit more spacious than Amtrak 4 place tables, but the time alotted per meal was perhaps a little tighter.

There are a reasonable number of announcements along the way - railroad history, information on flagstops, and so on. But also a reasonable about of silence to just relax and enjoy. And, on that note, don't forget there are some pretty long stretches with no cell. I had a satellite modem (work obligations), but don't count of "constant contact"

Electricity, also, was in short supply - each passenger car had a USB charging station at the end, but that's about it, so bring your own power bank if you plan on lots of photos or otherwise consuming lots of battery.

The train cars were clean. The seats were adequately comfortable, but did lack basics like outlets and tray tables.Each passenger car has two restrooms - a regular one, and a larger disability-accessible one. I'd say there was a wait more often than not, but typically brief.

Upon arriving in Fairbanks, I'd suggest contacting your accomodation in advance and asking for their advice on transportation. A train of passengers is a lot to "dump on" a small town like Fairbanks, so advance planning helps.

Bags do start coming out immediately, but it did take a solid maybe 20 minutes to get through them all, so despite the hard work put in, there was a lot to do. You'll be waiting inside the heated station.

We were flying home the next day, and I had been tempted to get a generic chain near the airport. Instead, I got cabins at "Pikes Lodge", and was very glad I did. I'll let the pictures below (two cabins, for my mom and I) speak for themselves.

Overall, as always, I really do recommend this trip. Even if everything else were terrible (and it's certainly not), the views and experience alone make it a great experience.

Happy to answer any questions as I can.

Thanks for sharing!

This should be on everyone's Bucket List!

 

[TaseMeBro]

The onboard dining menu is interesting. I take it the train "encounters" a number of reindeer
Despite my AncestryDNA telling me I have Laplander/Finnish ancestry, I've never had reindeer sausage. I'm not sure I would like it, although I've read Laplanders rely on reindeer almost exclusively, as they can't grow much where they live.
I wonder if the bacon is regular bacon, or reindeer bacon?

The bacon was regular bacon (both as served in strips with the various breakfasts - which I didn't try), and in crumbles/pieces in the burrito, which I did.

As a slight amusement, I'm a huge "spicy food guy" - grew up in Southwest, etc. Over the course of my burrito, I used probably most of a bottle of Tobasco. Though he didn't say anything, I think the guy across from me was starting to get a little concerned. lol.

I did not try the sausage, Someone at my table did, and said it tasted (and had the same texture), as most "supermarket" sausage he'd had.

 

[TaseMeBro]

Thanks for sharing!

This should be on everyone's Bucket List!

I absolutely agree.

Not only that, the "Adventure Class", which honestly I thought was just fine, was still quite reasonably priced. My regular adult fare was less than $200, and my mom's senior fare was cheaper still.

When I did Goldstar a few years back it was nicer - bi-level cars, meals included (and somewhat better quality), I guess the seats were a smidge better. But honestly, it was more than double the price, and I didn't see that value in return. Just MHO, of course.

I know the trip as a whole requires more, but it's overall a domestic US trip which can be planned using miles, chain motels, and such for a pretty attainable amount of money.

 

[railiner]

Nice report, thanks for posting!
I noticed on the bottom of the menu, the food is catered by this company:
https://essalaska.com/

It appears that the OBS employees work for them, as well. I suppose that is so on all passenger trains operating over the ARR.
I know that Holland America/Princess does that on its own cars operating seasonally on the ARR. They have their own employees.

The ARR provides only T&E crews for all the trains, AFAIK…

 

[TaseMeBro]

Nice report, thanks for posting!
I noticed on the bottom of the menu, the food is catered by this company:
https://essalaska.com/

It appears that the OBS employees work for them, as well. I suppose that is so on all passenger trains operating over the ARR.
I know that Holland America/Princess does that on its own cars operating seasonally on the ARR. They have their own employees.

The ARR provides only T&E crews for all the trains, AFAIK…

I don't have enough background/knowledge to offer definitive info or clarity for your points, but I know that at certain times of year cars operated by the cruise lines are attached to the train (not this one, though), so there's at least some degree of partnership.

I also noticed that while some of the staff swapped out part way through, the food service folks "stuck out" the whole 12 hours, so *maybe* thats's part of a reflection of what you're pointing out.

 

[zephyr17]

Nice report, thanks for posting!
I noticed on the bottom of the menu, the food is catered by this company:
https://essalaska.com/

It appears that the OBS employees work for them, as well. I suppose that is so on all passenger trains operating over the ARR.
I know that Holland America/Princess does that on its own cars operating seasonally on the ARR. They have their own employees.

The ARR provides only T&E crews for all the trains, AFAIK…

One small point of clarification. ARR operates its own passenger service, they are responsible for everything. They chose to outsource onboard service, but ARR provides the whole train, not just T&E crews. Cruise lines contracting with ARR to run cruise line trains with cruise line equipment is a different story.

BTW, they've outsourced the dining service, at least, for a very long time. It was outsourced back when I rode it in the mid-1980s. The diner at that time was an ex-UP 4800 series diner.

PS, I've eaten and enjoyed reindeer sausage in Alaska. My experience is it's a bit more fatty than pork breakfast sausage and so is a bit greasy. When in Rome...

 

[pennyk]

Thanks for sharing. I rode from Anchorage to Fairbanks (Goldstar) in late May 2017 and loved the experience.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

When I did Goldstar a few years back it was nicer - bi-level cars, meals included (and somewhat better quality), I guess the seats were a smidge better. But honestly, it was more than double the price, and I didn't see that value in return.

Goldstar is basically the same menu and same quality now, I've talked to fellow passengers who said it used to be better. I agree, I've taken both Goldstar and Adventure Class and Goldstar really isn't worth the money vs. Adventure - especially if the train isn't too crowded and you can spend as much time as you want in the domes. The Denali Star Conductors are usually really easy going about the dome car, but the train to Seward I've seen the Dome car "over policed" by the high school tour guides.

I noticed on the bottom of the menu, the food is catered by this company:
https://essalaska.com/

It appears that the OBS employees work for them, as well. I suppose that is so on all passenger trains operating over the ARR.

Only the food service employees work for them. I believe everyone else works for Alaska RR.

 

[railiner]

One small point of clarification. ARR operates its own passenger service, they are responsible for everything. They chose to outsource onboard service, but ARR provides the whole train, not just T&E crews.

Only the food service employees work for them. I believe everyone else works for Alaska RR.

Besides the T&E crew, what other OBS employee work for ARR? AFAIK, ARR does not have any other OBS employees. I don't think they have train attendants. As mentioned, the caterer staffs the diner and lounge cars.
Holland America/Princess, on the other hand, has a Train Manager to oversee all of their OBS employees, an attendant in each car, bar tender's, cooks, waiters, a tour guide to announce enroute scenery, gift shop clerks, and maybe more...

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Besides the T&E crew, what other OBS employee work for ARR? AFAIK, ARR does not have any other OBS employees. I don't think they have train attendants.

I'm not sure what the titles are but there are indeed OBS employees. There is a position similar to the old "Chief of On Board Services" - there are also tour guides, they are seasonal. Even the Hurricane Turn (the flag stop train) had an attendant on board - she was pretty much the tour guide, coach attendant, and passenger conductor all in one - she was awesome.

 

[railiner]

Even the Hurricane Turn (the flag stop train) had an attendant on board - she was pretty much the tour guide, coach attendant, and passenger conductor all in one - she was awesome.

Maybe she was the conductor?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Maybe she was the conductor?

No, I spoke to the Conductor as well. She was not in operations.

 

[DetroitTed]

I took the Denali Star from Fairbanks in early September in Gold Star class. The food was decent but not memorable. Three comments: the seats were not all that comfortable; believe them when they say the overhead storage is limited; the baggage claim at the end of the trip was an actual clusterf**k; I've never seen anything worse.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

the baggage claim at the end of the trip was an actual clusterf**k; I've never seen anything worse.

This is 100% true... north to Fairbanks is fine for baggage but don't check baggage TO Anchorage. It is indeed a cluster.

That's another reason for taking Adventure Class vs. Gold... you can easily bring your carry-on with you.

 

[TaseMeBro]

I took the Denali Star from Fairbanks in early September in Gold Star class. The food was decent but not memorable. Three comments: the seats were not all that comfortable; believe them when they say the overhead storage is limited; the baggage claim at the end of the trip was an actual clusterf**k; I've never seen anything worse.

It's been... several years at least... since I rode the Gold Star southbound. I'm thinking maybe 2016 or so?

At the time, they had outdoor tents (like the white poly-canvas "EZ-UPS") they'd set up outside the station.

Once baggage started getting unloaded, they used a mix of everything from wheelbarrows to hand carts to utility-ATVs to just rapidly heave bags from the train into the area under those tents.

I could well be forgetting, but I don't recall any sorting or organization to it - it was more or less up to passengers to find their own bag. Made slightly more annoying by the fact it was all right by the curb, so the bag-hunt crowd was sharing space with the "hailing a taxi" crowd.

Is that about what you remember/are describing?

When I saw Fairbanks had something kinda resembling a modern airport carousel and a *system* I was actually kinda relieved.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

It's been... several years at least... since I rode the Gold Star southbound. I'm thinking maybe 2016 or so?

At the time, they had outdoor tents (like the white poly-canvas "EZ-UPS") they'd set up outside the station.

Once baggage started getting unloaded, they used a mix of everything from wheelbarrows to hand carts to utility-ATVs to just rapidly heave bags from the train into the area under those tents.

I could well be forgetting, but I don't recall any sorting or organization to it - it was more or less up to passengers to find their own bag. Made slightly more annoying by the fact it was all right by the curb, so the bag-hunt crowd was sharing space with the "hailing a taxi" crowd.

Is that about what you remember/are describing?

When I saw Fairbanks had something kinda resembling a modern airport carousel and a *system* I was actually kinda relieved.

Tents - Check!
No sorting or organization - Check!

For better or worse, they now stack large plastic bins of luggage with a forklift and load and unload them, stacked. Typcially they unload all of them and leave them stacked, and then go back and unstack them with the forklift. Obviously passengers can't go within the forklift zone, so until the entire process is done, you may see your bag, but you can't get to it.