Cresting glacial lake creating issues for Alaska Railroad

MOOSE PASS, Alaska (KTUU) – A melting glacial lake has caused the waters of the Snow River to rise unexpectedly, forcing the Alaska Railroad to prepare for possible flooding events near railroad tracks.

A glacial lake that sits near the headwaters of the Snow River has released, causing the water levels of the nearby Snow River to rise and threaten railroad infrastructure, including tracks.

According to Meghan Clemens, the Alaska Railroad is monitoring the situation and has already prepared for potential delays.

“We are preemptively offering a modified passenger service between Anchorage and Seward on Saturday and Sunday — we will operate the train between Anchorage and Moose Pass, and then offer a complimentary motor coach transfer between Moose Pass and Seward, and the reverse on the northbound trip,” Clemens said in an email.

The only passenger train scheduled by the Alaska Railroad for service to Seward this weekend is the Coastal Classic train, which departs Anchorage daily at 6:45 a.m. and arrives in Seward at 11:20 a.m. That same train will depart from Seward at 6 p.m. and arrive back in Anchorage at 10:15 p.m. It is unknown if there are any chartered rail services planned for this weekend —which are commonly offered as cruise ship excursions — or whether precautions will affect trains carrying freight. No cruise ships are scheduled to make port calls at Seward this weekend.

The affected glacial lake is prone to releases every two to three years, typically in the fall months. In late summer 2019, multiple sections of railroad track were washed out when the lake released, causing $350,000 in damages and cancelling train service for several days. The same release can cause flooding at the Primrose Campground, and even a one to two foot rise in water levels at Kenai Lake.

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