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Return of the Alcos

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Return of the Alcos? Were they here, then left, then returned? What is this all about?

In 1969, the WP&YR bought seven new locomotives from the American Locomotive Works (ALCO) in New York with the actual construction done by the Canadian subsidiary, Montreal Locomotive Works. Engines 101-107 arrived in Skagway later that year to help with the busy freight and passenger operations of the railroad. Engines 102 and 105 were unfortunately lost shortly thereafter in the 1969 Skagway roundhouse fire. Because of this loss, three new sister locomotives were purchased in 1971, engines 108, 109, and 110.

The "permanent" closure of the WP&YR in 1982 due to low ore prices and the completion of the Klondike Highway to Skagway resulted in the surplusing of five engines, numbers 101, 103, 104, 106, and 107 with their eventual sale in 1992 to the STF Railroad in Bogota, Colombia. This "permanent" closure of the WP&YR came to an end in 1988 when visitors to Skagway, many arriving by cruise ship, were pleased to find that the WP&YR had reopened passenger operations as a summer tourist attraction. Tourism has increased over the years to the point that in 1999, over 690,000 visitors arrived in Skagway--and an amazing more than 274,000 chose to ride a WP&YR excursion train in the short 5-month summer season. Realizing the need for extra engines (the spectacular 2865-foot climb in just twenty miles from sea level in Skagway to the White Pass requires two to four engines for each of the four or so passenger trains that may simultaneously be on the rails), the WP&YR negotiated a buy-back from STF in Colombia of engines 101, 103, 104, 106 and 107 in January 1999. The tug Gimrock Titan and barge PB001 left Santa Marta on May 5 with all five engines and after an eventful voyage, the five engines finally returned to Skagway on July 30, the first locomotive delivery in Skagway since 1971! Because of the Return of the Alcos, the busy 2000 season will now open with eighteen operating diesel-electric locomotives as well as the WP&YR's steam engine 73 and steam engine 40 on loan from the Georgetown Loop RR in Colorado. Two of these returned Alcos were put into service on passenger runs in 2000 to help carry over 303,000 passengers in the short five-month tourist season.

Information for the above was obtained from the WP&YR web site, Boerries Burkhardt's web site and the local Skagway newspaper, the Skagway News.

	Section workers lay temporary track at the Railroad Dock in 1999 for the arrival of the locomotives. Note that even with this temporary track being laid, that passenger service dockside is still being offered to passengers of the Princess cruise ship.
	Unloading of Engine 106 from the barge Chehalis and tug Gimrock Titan. The Gimrock Titan brought the locomotives all the way from Colombia, yet the Barge Chehalis isn't Barge PB001, the one used to load the locomotives in South America. Why? Visit the WP&YR website and see if you can discover the reason.
	Engine 106, a closer view.
	Engine 106, the first of the engines unloaded, is being set on its trucks which are already on the temporary track.
	Next in line to be offloaded, this engine is still in its STF colors and may be used as a source of parts for other Alcos.
	Another unloading view.
	An overview of the unloading operation.
	A mismatch of the WP&YR 3/4-size coupler when compared to the full-size Colombian couplers.
	Mismatch—a detail view.
	Work train 114 pushes the Colombian Alcos to the Yards.
	Engine 101 after a long trip. After the accident at sea, this engine is going to require more work before it can be used.
	All five returned engines lined up back at the WP&YR Yards July 31, 1999.