|
Caption: The three foot gauge White Pass and Yukon Railway was originally built to provide transportion toward Yukon's Klondike Gold Rush area from the nearest port, Skagway Alaska. Nowadays, it mainly serves as a summer-season passenger railway carrying cruise ship and other tourists to view the mountain scenery on a round trip from Skagway Alaska to the White Pass Summit, or the longer trip between Skagway and Fraser BC (about 12.5 km into Canada, where the Klondike Highway comes close to the railway).
GE shovelnose units WPY 91 and 97 are running around their train at Fraser BC, for the return trip to Skagway Alaska. Passengers from a tour bus can be seen going to board the train. The Fraser station sign indicates 27.7 rail miles to Skagway. Note the portable railway crossing sign, weighed down by a small flanged wheel and rail joiners.
Originally powered by Alco 6-251 prime movers, these locomotives have been re-engined with Cummins QSK45L diesels and now sound totally different, much higher revving. I miss the Alco chug, but lower emissions is an important benefit.
|
Nice shot. This disappoints me. I’d rather have the ALCO chug than lower emissions.
Responding to “JP” (not myself!) I agree. However, the original build dates for the shovelnose GE-Alcos were 1954, 1956, 1963 and 1966. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_White_Pass_and_Yukon_Route_locomotives_and_cars It is reasonable to assume the original Alco engines were worn out after years of mountain railroading. Less dirty diesel exhaust should yield a more pleasant environment for the passengers riding in the antique coaches behind. John Pittman
Considering how much money these trains make, the fact they re-engined these instead of outright replacement is surprising. The White Pass is no small time tourist operation…. the volumes of passengers are staggering and the number of trains then run in a single day equally so for the remoteness of it all.