Alaska Railroad returns passenger and freight service to entire route
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck south central Alaska on Friday, Nov. 30, caused damage to the state's infrastructure and forced the Alaska Railroad to suspend operations. But not for long. Crediting a tireless and coordinated effort of railroaders statewide, Alaska Railroad sent its first freight trains along its entire line Dec. 3 and resumed passenger service on Dec. 6.
Following a post-earthquake assessment of the nearly 500 miles of track, crews found a number of areas that sustained damage with some sections of track, such as an area south of Eklutna Lake, as well as a portion of track south of the Cheri Lake Road crossing, deemed impassable and requiring immediate repairs.
"We could not be more pleased with the work our crews have done to get the Alaska Railroad back up and running in just over 72 hours," said Dale Wade, vice president of marketing and customer service for the Alaska Railroad. "This incredible effort from railroaders speaks to the grit and perseverance of Alaska and its people. We are happy to be able to return to serving our passengers and freight customers so quickly."
The Winter Hurricane Turn Train on Thursday, Dec. 6, signaled the first passenger train to use the tracks after the earthquake. Alaska Railroad said Aurora Winter Trains and Holiday Trains will also resume service the weekend of Dec. 7 and Dec. 8. Winter and summer services will continue as scheduled and all package and day trip itineraries are now available for booking.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
