Alaska Railroad – The Holland America McKinley Explorer
Tuesday, August 4, 2009. The Holland America McKinley Explorer dome cars are 18 feet tall and 89 feet long and bear the name of Alaska rivers: Chena, Chulitna, Eklutna, Kashwitna, Kenai, Knik, Kobuk, Nenana, Talkeetna and Teklanika.
The Alaska Railway takes us to Denali and FairbanksOur rail car has viewing above and dining below.Breakfast is served! (Tuesday, August 4th)Wide open countryside!I spent a lot of time out on the viewing platform.Our car had a bar and tender, but we drank water.Our waitress and the kitchen crew.The travelling guzzards and one trainee.Looking backward.Passing through WasillaShaun was our railcar tour guide.It's a great day for a ride!Mount McKinley comes into view!The Talkeetna Rail StationHow many busloads can a train hold?After Talkeetna mountains are in the treeline.Denali over the Chulitna RiverOnly 20% of tourists get to see this unclouded.There is some rugged country out there!Often the view is only trees.The railroad follows the river a long way.Mount McKinley "The Great One" 29,028 feetLandscapes are amazing!Like I said, I spent a lot of time on the platform.This is the photo for our page header._Out in the middle of nowhere!_I shouldn't be leaning out here!How cool is that?