▁and ▁Fair b anks ▁to ▁North ▁P ole , ▁with ▁sp urs ▁to ▁Wh itt ier ▁and ▁Pal mer ▁( loc ally ▁known ▁as ▁" The ▁Rail b elt "). ▁It ▁car ries ▁both ▁fre ight ▁and ▁passengers ▁throughout ▁its ▁system , ▁but ▁only ▁runs ▁daily ▁passenger ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁tour ists ▁and ▁a ▁more ▁limited ▁week ly ▁passenger ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁primarily ▁for ▁residents . ▁ ▁The ▁rail road ▁plays ▁a ▁vital ▁part ▁in ▁moving ▁Al aska ' s ▁natural ▁resources , ▁such ▁as ▁coal ▁and ▁gra vel , ▁to ▁ports ▁in ▁An ch orage , ▁Wh itt ier ▁and ▁S ew ard . ▁The ▁Al aska ▁Rail road ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁few ▁remaining ▁rail ro ads ▁in ▁North ▁America ▁to ▁use ▁cab o oses ▁in ▁regular ▁service ▁and ▁offers ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁flag ▁stop ▁routes ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁A ▁stretch ▁of ▁about ▁ ▁of ▁track ▁along ▁an ▁area ▁in access ible ▁by ▁road ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁transport ation ▁to ▁cab ins ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁Although ▁rail ▁fer ry ▁service ▁links ▁Al aska ▁with ▁Washington ▁state ▁( Se attle ) ▁and ▁British ▁Columbia , ▁there ▁are ▁plans ▁to ▁link ▁Al aska ▁to ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁rail ▁network ▁via ▁Y uk on ▁Territ ory ▁and ▁British ▁Columbia . ▁ ▁An ▁additional ▁isolated ▁system ▁is ▁the ▁White ▁Pass ▁and ▁Y uk on ▁Route ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 . ▁ ▁Near ly ▁all ▁larger ▁cities ▁and ▁bor ough s