Hurricane Turn

The Hurricane, or Hurricane Turn, is a passenger train operated by the Alaska Railroad between Talkeetna and Hurricane Gulch in Alaska. This train is unique in that rather than making scheduled station stops, it is a flag stop train meaning that passengers between Talkeetna and Hurricane can wave a white cloth anywhere along the route and the train will stop to pick them up. The train runs daily Thursday through Sunday between the months of May and September and the first Thursday of every month the rest of the year (between Hurricane Gulch and Anchorage).[1] The Hurricane Turn is one of the last true flag-stop trains in the United States.[2]

Hurricane Turn
Overview
Service typeFlag stop
StatusOperating
LocaleMatanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, USA
Current operator(s)Alaska Railroad
Route
TerminiTalkeetna
Hurricane Gulch
Distance travelled57.6 mi (92.7 km)
Average journey time2 hours 30 minutes each way
5 hours 45 minutes round trip
Service frequencyThursday through Sunday (May through September)
On-board services
Seating arrangementsCoach
Catering facilitiesNone
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed59 mph (95 km/h)
Track owner(s)Alaska Railroad
Route map
281.4 mi
452.9 km
 Hurricane
273.8 mi
440.6 km
 Chulitna
270.0 mi
434.5 km
 Twin Bridges
263.2 mi
423.6 km
 Gold Creek
257.7 mi
414.7 km
 Sherman
248.5 mi
399.9 km
 Curry
236.2 mi
380.1 km
 Chase
226.7 mi
364.8 km
 Talkeetna
year-round
winter only
159.8 mi
257.2 km
 Wasilla
114.3 mi
183.9 km
 Anchorage

= flag stop

By 2009, the Budd Rail Diesel Cars were removed from service on the Hurricane Turn.[3] Current configuration is two passenger cars and one baggage car with a powered locomotive on one end and a non-powered cab car on the other. This gives a control cab on both ends so the train can be operated safely in both directions and doesn't need to be turned around at Hurricane Gulch. In 2020, summer services began in July in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

Alaska Railroad route
(interactive version)
1435mm gauge tracks, paved roads

References
  1. "Alaska Railroad official train information". Archived from the original on 2012-07-11.
  2. Feidt, Annie (19 September 2011). "Into The Wild: Alaskan Train Caters To The Intrepid". NPR. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  3. "Alaskarails.org".
  4. "Alaska Railroad pushes back start of summer passenger service to July". Anchorage Daily News. 4 April 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.


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