3.0 Affected Environment - Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority

Knik Arm Crossing DraftFinal EIS
Affected Environment
spur line to be operating by 2030.
3.2.2.3.2 Anchorage
Existing facilities
The main ARRC freight yard is located adjacent to Whitney Road in the Ship Creek area,
southeast of the POA (see Figure 3.11). The freight main runs through the area and is used by
all freight traffic running between Anchorage and points south, and for daily switching
operations. A single rail spur leads from the ARRC operations center into the POA. Trains
run through the yard at restricted speeds, between 5 and 15 mph. ARRC recently built a new
operations center on Whitney Road and has plans for a new car shop. The main passenger
line traverses the southern portion of the Ship Creek valley, serving all passenger trains and
freight trains bypassing the freight yard. The Alaska Railroad mainline to points north out of
Anchorage roughly parallels the Glenn Highway. The Alaska Railroad also transports
passengers south to Whittier and Seward. A new intermodal transportation center (depot) is
planned adjacent to the existing railroad depot. The railroad transports freight, jet fuel,
gravel, coal, and other resources. The Alaska Railroad also transports a substantial numbers
of passengers in the summer months through Wasilla to points north.
ARRC’s Anchorage Terminal Reserve, which covers about 600 acres, includes a rail yard
and other properties leased to tenants. It is bordered by Cook Inlet to the west, the
Government Hill community and Elmendorf Air Force Base to the north, the Mountain View
community to the east, and downtown Anchorage to the south. Much of the land including
the rail yard, is near Ship Creek.
The rail yard includes a track system, repair buildings, fueling area, steaming rack,
warehouses, and office buildings. In 2005, ARRC completed construction of its Operations
Center in the freight yard area. This state-of-the-art facility serves as the nerve center of the
Alaska Railroad, bringing dispatch, transportation, safety, and operations together under one
roof. The track network includes an estimated 170,000 linear feet of track, the most
concentrated of which is north of Ship Creek in the main freight yard area located adjacent to
Whitney Road, southeast of the POA (see Figure 3.11). In addition to the passenger main and
freight main, which merge at the south end near Elderberry Park, there are more than 60
tracks in the yard and surrounding area that are used for loading and offloading of freight,
serving customers, switching cars and assembling trains. There are more than 15 additional
tracks that serve maintenance and operations buildings. Two rail spurs lead from the ARRC
Operations Center into the POA, along with other industrial spur tracks. The freight main is
used by freight trains running between Anchorage and points north and south transporting
freight, jet fuel, gravel, coal, and other resources. Trains run through the yard at restricted
speeds (5 to 15 mph).
The main passenger line traverses the southern portion of the Ship Creek valley and serves
all passenger trains and fright trains, bypassing the freight yard. The Alaska Railroad
transports a substantial number of passengers in the summer months through Wasilla to
points north, and south to Whittier and Seward.
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