Innovation in Action
When faced with the challenge of bringing freight to Alaska, conventional thinking told us to simply lay down more track. This plan, however, was fraught with problems, so we had to put on our thinking caps and come up with a unique solution. The revelation? Transport boxcars by sea! And thus, CN’s AquaTrain was born.
AquaTrain is our unique rail-marine barge service that provides a vital link between Alaska and the rest of North America. Whether it’s frozen orange juice from Florida, power generators from England via the Port of Montreal, or steel from Japan via the Port of Vancouver, AquaTrain has proven to be a successful, efficient and reliable way to ship goods to this remote state.
The AquaTrain, operated by Foss Maritime, uses the shortest water route to Alaska and the largest rail car barge in the world, to transport railcars between our northwestern terminus of Prince Rupert, B.C. and the Alaska Railroad at Whittier, Alaska for over 30-plus round-trips each year.
Quick facts and transit times
- Four days from Prince Rupert, BC to Whittier, AK, with next-day service to Anchorage, AK
- Daily service from Anchorage to Fairbanks, AK
- 10 days for a round-trip, with more than 30 round-trips each year
- Shortest water route to Alaska by approximately 600 miles compared to southern ports
- Shipment stays on the railcar from origin to destination, so only one bill of lading is needed
Call us today for pricing and shipping information at 1.888.426.9962.