WP&YR

[oltmannd]

Got to take a ride on the WP&YR. It's an amazing RR! None of the pictures I've ever seen do it justice - perhaps because it's nearly impossible to get pictures of most of the route from anywhere but on board the train. It was hacked, blasted, bridged and tunneled all the way from the port to the summit over some completely ridiculous mountain terrain....and it was built in little more than a year. Steepest grade is just shy of 4%. Makes the D&S "highline" look like child's play.

They run up to 12 trains a day on the line, which is completely dark, mostly by fleeting them around the multiple sections of morning, noon and afternoon summit round trips. The summit round trip takes about 3 hours and there is never a dull moment. They even allow you to ride on the the platform ends of the cars - at your own risk, of course - which is neat. Of the million cruise ship visitors to Skagway each season, about half ride the WP&YR. Not too shabby for 5 months work!

What makes the trip even more interesting is the story of the completely insane Klondike Gold Rush - the reason the line was built in the first place.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

Thanks for sharing your impressions, Don. 3 ft. gauge, too, as most of us know.

I have not yet seen it in person, but for 30+ years one of the books in my personal library is "Gold Rush Narrow Gauge: The story of the White Pass and Yukon Route" by Cy Martin, from the late 1960's or so. It's more of a folksy history than a scholarly one, but the essentials are there. It also has a detailed recounting of th epic shoot-out over control of Skagway between local crime gang leader Jefferson 'Soapy' Smith and the acting Sheriff, Frank Reid. Reid apparently did the surveying to lay out the town, and was appointed as sheriff - or at least as a high-class hired gun or security guard - by a committee of essentially vigilantes, which was loosely affiliated with / motivated by the railroad. It's all a better story than most of Hollywood's creations.

- Paul North.

[gbrewer]

I titled my photo essay the same as that book. Not intentionally or even knowingly; it just seemed the logical title for my essay.

Gold Rush Narrow Gauge

Glen Brewer

[oltmannd]

Nice! So, the sun does actually shine in Skagway. It poured the day we were there....

[gbrewer]

Thanks Don,

Yes, once in awhile.  Cool wet air might actually be a benefit for photographing steam, however. I couldn't have taken some of the scenic views in that kind of weather though.

Glen