White Pass Railfan
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The White Pass & Yukon Route A Passenger Guide Extra 73 highballs north out of Skagway, preparing for another ascent on the grade to White Pass. If you're planning a trip to Skagway, there is a very good chance you will be traveling by cruise ship on your visit and most itineraries limit your time allowed at each destination with a set number of hours in each port. If a visit to the White Pass & Yukon Railway is going to be a highlight of your vacation, it would serve you well to research the various cruise schedules and available excursion options offered while in Skagway. This guide is written for all potential visitors who may not be familiar with the railroad with the purpose of describing where the variety of trains go, when they operate, and the many differences between them. Everything about the most common ticket, seating, and passport questions will be covered in detail. In addition, rail fans may enjoy the advice about understanding specific train operations and ways to photograph the railroad with limited time. Gateway to the North The White Pass & Yukon Route is a narrow gauge railway based in Skagway, Alaska. Originally built to move people and materials to the Yukon during the 1898 Gold Rush, the railway was once part of a massive transportation network that included ships, trucks, airplanes, and even horse drawn sleds that helped open up southeast Alaska, Yukon, and destinations further north to development. The route is located in such a geographically strategic location it was used by the U.S Army during construction of the Alaska Highway. This very same geography composes some of the most beautiful scenery on Earth. The railroad follows a route that operates among Alaska, British Columbia, and Yukon Territory. The White Pass & Yukon is one of three large narrow gauge railroads still operating in the United States, and true to form, it has been awarded many accolades for civil engineering feats, the preserved natural beauty along its route, and the significant role it has played in the history of Alaska and Yukon. The Route Departing Skagway at sea level, the railway climbs 2,888 feet to the summit of White Pass within the first 20 miles of track. Many bridges, rock cuts, cribs, and tunnels were constructed through the granite landscape so trains could climb a mostly consistent four- percent grade while ascending the mountainside. As the right-of-way hugs the eastern slope of the mountain, the valley below continues to drop further away on the opposite side of the roadbed. Upon arriving at White Pass, the international border between the United States and Canada crosses the railroad at the summit. Beyond here the route immediately flattens out for several miles and the landscape opens up as the rails dodge back and forth between broken slabs of granite and glacially carved, oblong lakes and pools. A short descending grade brings the railroad along the Summit Lake drainage before entering Fraser, British Columbia. Fraser only exists as a Canadian customs checkpoint. Located 27 miles by rail from Skagway, it serves the Canadian side of the international border for both railroad and the adjacent highway traffic. Lake Bernard is visible to the east and the last surviving water tank used by the railroad for steam locomotives is located here. Proceeding north, the track winds along three different lake shores before turning west near Mile Post 32 and then enters a deep boreal forest. After crossing the highway at Log Cabin, the railroad follows this western path for a short distance to access a natural gap in the mountains. Several meadows and marshes are traversed before another descent in the grade brings the route to the southernmost beach of Lake Bennett. Already 40 miles from Skagway, the route continues north. Rails will follow the eastern shoreline of the lake for another 27 miles before arriving at Carcross. During railroad construction, the last section of track to be laid was the stretch between Bennett and Carcross. The delay was due to the amount of blasting required to clear the mountain face away from the lakeshore to compensate for steep underwater cliffs under the surface level of the lake. Once arriving at the current end-of-the-line in Carcross, a train running this length has covered nearly 68 miles of track, climbed 2,888 feet in elevation, descended 737 feet, operated in two Time Zones, two countries, one American State, and two Canadian Provinces. The Railroad and Skagway Today Many visitors familiar with other railroad operations are pleasantly surprised upon their first visit to the White Pass & Yukon. Offices, shops, and maintenance infrastructure along with the large passenger counts and train frequency make the railroad feel much more like an urban commuter line than a preserved American narrow gauge railroad. Over ninety passenger cars are currently used, along with nineteen diesel-electric and two steam locomotives. Nearly 200 employees keep the line running effectively during the height of the season. The entire route of the railroad lies 110 miles in length from Skagway to Whitehorse, YT. Today, trains only operate between Skagway and Carcross, YT. A decline in freight traffic brought the railroad into bankruptcy in 1982 which resulted in the abandonment of service to Whitehorse, but the railroad was able to reform and re-open with a new focus on tourist service in 1988. Skagway has resiliently tended a developing economy derived from the tourist and cruise ship industry. The town of Skagway is only populated by about 1,000 year round residents at this time, but seasonal workers add greatly to the population during the summer. Despite its small size, it is possible to 7:02 AM in the Skagway coach yard. The locomotives assigned to the Fraser train wait in the foreground for their engineer. In the distance, the yard crew is taking another set of locomotives down to the dock for one of the summit assignments while #73 pulls up to get into line. travel to Skagway by nearly any means. A small airport hosts regular flights to Juneau among other destinations. By water, most bulk items are brought in by barge from Seattle along with Alaska State Ferry and many cruise ship passengers. Highway access is possible to the outside world by means of AK-98/HWY 2 that connects to the Alaska Highway. Of course, you can still take the train to get in or out if you travel between Skagway, Fraser, Bennett, or Carcross. Research Your Interests Today, the White Pass & Yukon is very proud to offer some of the most beautiful train excursions in the world and passengers have several trip options from which to choose. White Pass Summit Excursions originate in Skagway and operate roundtrip to White Pass. The Fraser Excursion/One-Way Trains and Fraser Meadows Steam Excursions operate between Skagway and Fraser. The longest ride available is the Bennett Scenic Journey/Carcross-One Way Service which runs between Skagway and Carcross. There are many differences among the trip options and it is advisable to research photos from the White Pass & Yukon company website (www.wpyr.com) in addition to this article to help illustrate the diversity of scenery each train offers. Every day of the week the railroad uses a varying operating schedule which is mostly determined by the many different cruise ship operators and their specific requirements. Most railroad tickets are booked in advance through the cruise lines as a shore excursion. Unless you are spending several days in Skagway, your choice of train trips will be limited to the specific day your ship will be in port. Every train may not be operating on a certain day, so it’s very important to research itineraries in advance to avoid disappointment. Without research before booking you may find you arrive on a day that does not operate a steam or Carcross train, or that without being specific enough when purchasing train tickets, booked a tour that only utilizes the train one-way and connects with a tour bus service. Every passenger has different interests and it will be up to you to decide ahead of time the aspect you consider most important. The 2016 operating season for the White Pass & Yukon will offer various ticket options to ride the trains from May - September. The differences among them will be explained in detail later in this article. Your choices are divided into four categories: White Pass Summit Excursions Available: May 3 - September 27, 2016 Tour Duration: 3.5 Hours Departure Times: 8:15 AM & 12:45 PM DAILY Additional Departures: 4:30 PM on Tuesdays & Wednesdays (From May 24 - August 31) Limited seating available on the 8:15 AM departure on Wednesdays (From May 25 - August 31) EXCEPTIONS TO SCHEDULE: No Summit train service on May 5, 6, 13, 16 & 22; August 28; September 11, 18, 19, 23, 25 & 26. The 12:45 Summit departure is not available on the following Sundays: May 22; June 5, 19; July 3, 17; August 14, 28 Fraser Excursion/Fraser One-Way Service Available: May 3 – September 27, 2016 NORTHBOUND: Departs from Skagway Depot at 7:40 AM or 12:10 PM SOUTHBOUND: Departs from Fraser, BC at 10:20 AM or 2:45 PM (AK Time) EXCEPTIONS TO SCHEDULE: No Fraser train service on May 5, 6, 13 & 16 ; September 11, 18, 19, 23, 25 & 26. The PM departures are not available on Sundays and May 3, 4, 7 & 14; September 4, 17 & 24. The AM departures are not available on September 22 & 27. NOTE: Departures from Skagway at 7:40 AM and 12:10 PM require 1/2 mile bus transfer to train departure location.