Exports from Usibelli, the only operating coal mine in Alaska, will come to a halt for the rest of the year as sustained drops in global price and demand force the temporary closure of the coal loading facility in Seward, officials from the mine announced on Tuesday.

[See story]

The Alaska Railroad Police say they cited two men for criminal trespassing last week after the ATV they were driving down the middle of the tracks nearly crashed into an oncoming train. 

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Railroad is launching a photo contest this week and 18 lucky winners may get to see their own work in the railroad's 2016-2017 calendar. The public at large will also be able to get involved by voting for their favorite image online and the grand prize winner will have the honor of having their photo on the cover of the calendar and receive $1,500 and round-trip rail travel for four people. “Especially in this age of social media and photo sharing, we are constantly seeing incredible images of our trains and beautiful sites along the Railbelt,” says Alaska Railroad Director of Guest Services and Passenger Marketing Bruce LaLonde. “We want our calendar to offer a genuine look at the Alaska Railroad experience, and we believe that using photos from Alaskans and those from around the world who have traveled the Railbelt is a fun, new way to accomplish that.” The submission period begins this week and ends Dec. 13. Entries can be submitted through a tab on the railroad's Facebook page or via Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #CatchTheTrainAK. Photos can portray the railroad's freight or passenger trains and must been at least 1,000 pixels. The railroad will select 18 winners and announce them on Dec. 21. That day will also mark the beginning of the online voting period. The grand prize winner will be announced on Jan. 11, 2016. For more information, go to www.alaskarailroad.com/catchthetrain.
.

With international customers shunning Alaska coal for cheaper sources, Usibelli, the state's sole working coal mine, faces more layoffs and a possible sixth straight year of declining production, mine officials said.

[See story]

A larger-than-projected drop in revenue this year for the Alaska Railroad has president and CEO Bill O'Leary exploring ways to strike real estate deals on railroad property and run more beer trains and other popular specialty passenger excursions.

[See story]

POINT MACKENZIE -- The state of Alaska paid nine farmers more than $8 million to clear a path for the as-yet-unfinished 32-mile railroad line slated to cross Point MacKenzie farmlands en route from the Matanuska-Susitna Borough port to the Parks Highway.

[See story]

Some diners judge an eatery by the quality of the view. By that standard, the GoldStar Dining Room, aka the dining car on the Alaska Railroad, must be one of the finest restaurants on the planet.

[See story]

The Alaska Railroad did very little advertising to promote the opening of the Spencer Bench cabin south of Anchorage earlier this year,†yet the word spread quickly that the cabin was available.

[See story]