Alaska - Why doesn't the Alaska Railroad run from the ANC airport?

I've been meaning to ask you native Alaskans about this, especially those of you who live in Anchorage. On my recent trip, when taking the shuttle bus to car rental, I noticed the Alaska Railroad train depot at the airport. I initially thought: What a great idea! People can go right from their plane to a train to either downtown Anchorage or even up to the interior. Then I found out there is no service from there.

So tell me folks, what's going on? Why is there a train station at the airport and no train service? Sounds like there's a pretty interesting story behind this.

$38 million in state money and $2 million in federal money (or maybe it was the other way around) was spent on that train depot.

Yet the only people allowed to use it are cruise passengers traveling on a train chartered by the cruise companies from the airport to the cruise dock (I think it's Seward only). No local traffic goes from the train station.

It was a sore subject when it first opened but is by now a long-forgotten one...

Jackal, I knew you'd have the answer. Thanks! ^ ^

Seems like such a waste not to use that depot on a regular basis.

It really was a sore subject as it kept the cruise passengers practically prisoners and prevented them from spending any money in Alaska outside of the cruise company's control.

It meant that for thousands of cruise passengers not even having to spend a night in a pre-cruise hotel, buying a meal or shopping.

Keeping their feet dry!

Warning: mis-posted OMNI post. :)

I bet Ted Stevens has something to do with all this.

Warning: mis-posted OMNI post. :)

I bet Ted Stevens has something to do with all this.

that is a fair assumption. There are a 1000 projects that could have benefitted Alaskans, but this one benefits cruise companies.

that is a fair assumption. There are a 1000 projects that could have benefitted Alaskans, but this one benefits cruise companies.

I don't think it was a bad idea to build the station in and of itself. I just think that it should be used to benefit the Alaskan economy, not just the cruise companies and their pampered bluehair passengers. Intermodal transportation projects are generally good things--if they are used properly. This one isn't.

In a slight defense, though, it does still have a minor boost to the local economy in the form of jobs--many of the cruise bag handlers/tour guides are locals, and the creation of the cruise charter trains probably adds a total of 10 jobs to the Alaska Railroad for the summer season (a net benefit to the local economy of maybe $200,000)...

jackal, when the idea got going by the cruise companies to do round trip sailings and things like this reailroad connection to keep the passengers 'feet dry', that is keeping them bound up so they will spend most of their money with the cruise companies....... it really hurt the Alaskan economy.

Before the cruise lines round tripped so many cruise passengers many passengers actually got off the ships and spent time in Alaska. I meet people all the time who assure me (and brag) that they have been to Alaska and never need to go back as they 'saw it all' when all they did was a round trip cruise out of Seattle.

The cruise companies reap Alaska like a crop every year and don't put anything back into the state.

10 jobs is good.

But keeping the cruise passengers out of Anchorage likely caused that many jobs to be lost in hotels, shops and restaurants.

The train station should be available to everyone. That would be fair.

Before the cruise lines round tripped so many cruise passengers many passengers actually got off the ships and spent time in Alaska. I meet people all the time who assure me (and brag) that they have been to Alaska and never need to go back as they 'saw it all' when all they did was a round trip cruise out of Seattle.

My parents were in that category for a few years. They took a cruise once and "saw it all". They had taken a cruise to Alaska a few years before my family and I moved to Fairbanks from Florida. After making a trip to visit us, they realized they hadn't seen anything. They have since made several trips back.

They are on the way back there in the next few days, even though I'm working overseas right now. With my daughter heading to UAF this fall, they will have even more excuses to return to Alaska again and again. :D