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Many
of the locomotives feature a Thunderbird emblem. According to
the current unofficial WP&YR historian, Carl Mulvihill, the
thunderbird is based on the Kwatkiutl Thunderbird Totem Pole.
The were added to locomotives in 1956 with help from the WP&YR
tinsmith and the WP&YR painter, Oscar Selmer. |
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One
the WP&YR trains returns to the depot after a passenger run
in early 1999 after the Broadway crossing was redone. It's a
treat to spend a couple of hours in Centennial Park at midday
as the several morning trains return, realign themselves for
the afternoon runs, then leave for the afternoon excursions.
When in Skagway, always Stop, Look Listen before driving
or walking over the rails at street and sidewalk crossings! |
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Detail
of the coupling of two 90-series locomotives. |
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Detail
of the back of a 90-series locomotive. This and the photo above
may be photos that only a train buff will appreciate. In fact,
this photo was specifically requested by a train buff several
thousand miles from Skagway, who asked for it. Train buffs who
active model existing rail equipment try to be nit-pickingly
accurate. This photo was requested with the statement that "so
few photos of the backside of a 90-series are available to the
modeler". |
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A
four-engine train pauses at the Junction to pick up independent
travelers who will have their own coach or two (or more) a minute
or so after departing the Railroad Dock with cruise ship passengers.
With four locomotives, this train likely has eighteen coaches
in tow and several hundred passengers. |
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Even
another "railfan" view of a 90-series locomotive in
the Yards. These locomotives started appearing in 1954 and were
custom built by General Electric for the WP&YR. They were
designed for cold weather operation, steep grades and snow. |
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The
interior of a "90's" cab. In cold weather, most engineers
prefer these older 90s for comfort above that of the 101s. |
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A
cab-view of the wooden trestle and entrance to the 1898 tunnel.
The tunnel and original trestle were created in mid-winter 1898
and was the only tunnel required for the original 110-mile run
from Skagway Alaska at tidewater to the headwaters of navigation
on the Yukon River in what is today Whitehorse, the capital of
Yukon, Canada. |
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A
rare sight. A view of the Fraser train on the main line on Canada
Day, July 1, 2000, as it passes the Lake Bennett Steam Train
at the Glacier siding. The lucky Lake Bennett Steam passengers
thereby got a double photo runby as they watched the Fraser,
then the steam train pass over the Glacier Station bridge. |
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Three
days after the above photo, the trains of the WP&YR proudly
display the Stars and Stripes on the Fourth of July. |
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A
"fireman's" view of Clifton from the cab of a "90". |
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A
view of our "90s" from Coach 211, the only coach in
2000 with a cupola and only unnamed coach in the fleet. This
is from the summit of White Pass, the midpoint of the most-often
traveled Summit Excursion. Our engines are "running around"
to the other end of the train to pull us back down the hill,
while in the distance we see the 101-series engines of another
Summit train ready to descend from the Pass as well. |
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Glacier
Station no longer has a station house for workman, but is a flag
stop for hikers heading to Laughton Glacier. Here's a view of
a train approaching Glacier Station Bridge as could be seen by
a hiker. In 2000, the WP&YR along with Packer Expeditions
and Temsco Helicopters, was honored as the "Best Tour in
Skagway" by the cruise ship industry for its shore excursion
which features a helicopter ride, hike, and train ride. |
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Since
the WP&YR no longer runs scheduled trains to Whitehorse,
the only highway crossing is at Log Cabin, a few miles north
of Fraser BC. In 2000, this Lake Bennett Adventure diesel-electric
train and the Saturday Steam Bennett trains crossed the highway
four days a week June through August, often with visitors and
photographers documenting the crossing. |
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Here
four 90-series engines from a Summit excursion are running around
to what was the back of their train so they can pull the train
back to Skagway. [This and the three images below are 1200-pixel
wide images for added detail] |
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Once
the locomotives are reconnected to the other side of the train
and the brakes are tested, this Summit Excursion is ready to
begin its return journey to town. |
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The
Fraser and Bennett trains will pass well into British Columbia.
This is the Fraser train on its way back to Skagway with a new
load of passengers crossing Bridge 26A, visible from the Klondike
Highway just south of Canadaian Customs. |
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A
sight rarely seen on the WP&YR is a caboose on a passenger
train. Offered for charters, the caboose offers an authentic
narrow-gauge experience to its luck passengers. Having joined
the afternoon Fraser train out of Skagway on July 6, 2002, the
train is now on the Fraser Loop and will follow the Lake Bennett
Adventure train back to Skagway. |
