JUNEAU, Alaska — A resolution calling for federal funding for two extensions of the Alaska Railroad network is dead for this year after failing to advance out of a Senate committee.
The Senate Rules Committee voted 14-6 on May 20 against advancing House Joint Resolution 14. Features of the resolution include a call for the state’s contingent in Congress to pursue federal funding for a 32-mile rail line to Port MacKenzie and the Northern Rail Extension, an 80-mile addition between North Pole and Delta Junction to serve military installations and other interests. Passage of the resolution is considered a necessary step to pursue funding such as Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grants, according to Must Read Alaska.
The legislature adjourned for the year on May 20, meaning no further action can take place until legislators reconvene on Jan. 20, 2026.
The resolution had passed the state House by a 40-0 vote on May 7.
State Rep. Kevin McCabe (R-Big Lake), the bill’s lead sponsor, has pushed on several fronts for the Alaska Railroad to complete the connection to Port MacKenzie. That line has been approved, and construction began in 2012 but has halted over funding; an effort by McCabe to secure bond funding for the project was killed by the legislature last year [see “Legislative committee advances bill …,” Trains News Wire, May 15, 2024].
McCabe was also the sponsor of a bill this year calling for privatization of the Alaska Railroad [see “Alaska legislator reintroduces …,” News Wire, March 12, 2025]. That bill also failed to advance out of committee.
The issue with Port Mackenzie is that there doesn’t seem to be any need for it. What are you going to ship out of there that isn’t currently being handled at Anchorage? Coal exports would go to Seward, and those have stopped. I don’t think there’s any great amount of natural gas for export, and oil has traditionally gone through Valdez. Containers currently transit through Anchorage because it’s closer to the population centers. You could argue for military use, but how frequent will that be? And remember that the port is on the opposite side of the Cook Inlet from Anchorage and the nearest military base, so anything going towards those or points south has to take a longer, roundabout route.
Likewise for the Delta Junction extension, which I recall being first proposed some 15 years ago. They even built a new road bridge that could be turned into a road-rail bridge at a critical river crossing. Nothing’s happened since, because there’s no demand other than occassional military use or a hypothetical Alaska to Lower 48 railroad.
I know we talk a lot about “federal funding this” and “state funding that”. Even though this is a state-owned railroad, this is one case where I’d say if the only reason to build it is a federal need (the military), then the Feds can pony up the money for it. I don’t see that happening under any administration anytime soon.
One, anything to improve potential military readiness and movement is a must for this country. Two, the “hypothetical Alaska to Lower 48 railroad” as you call it is not hypothetical, it is practical and only needs 2 things, people with cajones and 2 Federal governments to get off their collective asses and build it…then contract operations to the private sector. Service would be faster and less expensive than the current barge/ferry service, which would/should lower costs for the citizens of Alaska. Third, it would open up a wealth of mineral rights that expensive to mine because of transporation costs. It’s almost like the Trans-Siberian RR, only would see much more use and is more strategic.
We need to get this bill passed Chucky needs to stop putting on the brakes. We will never give in to the Democrats and we are not giving money to their projects. High speed rail, green vehicles, infant killing, famicide, luxury items, cheap healthcare, and that other Democratic garbage we are not paying for that. Alaska Railroad is ran by the United States Military and this project needs to get through even if Trump has to use imminent domain. Get this bill passed get us to the port.
“Features of the resolution include a call for the state’s contingent in Congress to pursue federal funding”
Stop ranting. Re-read the article, click on embedded links. This is regarding the ALASKA State legislature and senate. Nothing to do with the US Congress or Senate. The resolution wants the 2 Alaska Senators and one Congressman to get federal money for a state project.
Fail — Alaska Railroad hasn’t been run by U. S. military in a zillion years. Was run by USDOT going back as far as I remember, then handed over to the State of Alaska.
Dang Aaron, I’ve been on this site a very long time and have never seen anyone get a story so wrong. Ya might want to go back and read it again and this time click on the Must Read Alaska” part. There you will find the Democrat who is in my opinion wrongly holding up the bill is STATE, not federal, Senate Rules Committee Chairman Bill Wielechowski. It seems the Chairman is putting his own political interests and grudges ahead of what’s best for his state, something that is exceedingly rampant in all areas of government and both parties especially now.
Of course even if the STATE did pass the resolution and send it to Washington the chance of federal dollars going to this project during your king trump’s reign are infinitely remote. Then I wonder who your rant will be directed towards.
IMO both projects have a high military need. An alternate way to get equipment to Delta.