I experienced the scenic wonders of God via a trip through the Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic Route.
During the summer months, the Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic train departs the Anchorage Depot early each morning to make its 4 hour plus trip to Seward, traveling about 114 miles. The train remains idle in Seward for five hours before returning to Anchorage in the late evening. This was a long day as we met at the Train Depot at 5:45 am, departed at 6:45 am and returned at 10:45 pm. By the way, it was still daylight upon our return. The sun sets in Alaska during the summer months between 10:45 pm and 11:30 pm. During my 6 day visit to Alaska, I did not see darkness, especially since my body was on Houston’s time, which was a 3 hour ahead difference.
It is hard to narrow down the highlights on the Coastal Classic train since so much of this rail journey is noteworthy. Of course the route travels through Anchorage, the state’s largest city, and you get a nice overview of the downtown area, residential neighborhoods, and commercial areas. Nearly all of the 50 mile section between Anchorage and the old Portage Station hugs the coast line of the Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm.
Here you will marvel at the ever changing scenery as you watch for beluga whales, bald eagles, Dall sheep and the chance to witness one of the largest bore tides in the world. Your journey on the Coastal Classic train will also take you over the Kenai Mountains, though a 1,063 foot summit pass appropriately named Grandview. This section of the rail trip is studded with glaciers, waterfalls, scenic gorges and rivers. Very picturesque scenery!
Last, but certainly not least, is the town of Seward, which is nestled on the shores of the Resurrection Bay, and surrounded by Kenai Fjords National Park and the Chugach National Forest. Day cruises, kayaking, fishing, hiking and the Alaska Sealife Center are just a few of the things that make Seward a must visit summer destination. Of course, I found a lovely Quilt Shop and a Yarn and Bookstore to enjoy. Melvin and I also had lunch at a lovely restaurant overlooking Resurrection Bay.
On board the Coastal Classic you can choose from two classes of service, either the standard Adventure Class or GoldStar Dome service. Really this is like choosing between great and really super great. Of course, we chose the GoldStar Dome service.
For dining options , the Adventure Class cars feature the Wilderness Café which offers a hot and cold meal selection to go. This service is often referred to as “Grab ‘N Go”, but in practice there are tables in the café where you can eat, or you can take your food with you back to your seat. The GoldStar Dome cars feature onboard “Sit Down” dining in the lower level of each dome car. This upscale option is available to GoldStar guests, who enjoy meals and two beverages (alcohol or non-alcoholic) included in their ticket price. In the GoldStar Dome service the food was good and served on linen table cloths. The service was fast and excellent.
A typical train is made up of locomotives, a baggage car, several Adventure Class coaches, the GoldStar dome car, a shared dome view car, and a dining and lounge car. The train is wheelchair accessible, including the GoldStar dome, and ramps are available at each boarding location. On board narration is provided by host guides, and there is an informative magazine on board with maps, photos and more trip details. On our train ride, high school students narrated the ride as part of an educational program for the summer months. What a great opportunity!
The weather in Anchorage averaged 50 degrees on my visit. It was a bit colder on our visits to Seward which was in the 40’s with a periodic light rain drizzle.
All in all, this was an exceptional trip that I will always treasure as I got to experience more of God’s wonders!
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