White Pass & Yukon Route

ALONG THE
ROUTE
White Pass & Yukon Route
The Container Route
Photos and information about the mileposts and whistle stops
all along the WP&YR narrow gauge Railroad Line as it winds
its way thru Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon Territory
Presentation by: Dave Henderson, Ketchikan, AK
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Email: dhend@kpunet.net
Updated: April 2023

White Pass & Yukon Route
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Class-III Narrow Gauge (3-ft.) Railroad
WP&YR – A Canadian and United States

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White Pass & Yukon Route Railway
"The Scenic Railway of the World, Skagway, Alaska"
WP&YR – White Pass & Yukon Route Skagway, AK to Whitehorse, YT

Skagway has always been known as the “Gateway to the Golden North”
because of its strategic location at the end of marine navigation and the
beginning of land transportation over the steep mountains and into the
back country. In 1898, it was the reason this railroad was built, and it is the
reason it still operates today.
This railroad stopped carrying freight in 1982 when the zinc mines in the
Yukon closed. Today the railroad specializes in showcasing the spectacular
scenery and its amazing history for the thousands of people who visit the
area every summer.
4 WP&YR Brief History
WP&YR – White Pass & Yukon Route

In 1887, Skagway’s original homesteaders, Captain William Moore
and his son, Bernard, came here with a vision that one day this would
be a thriving port with a road and even a railroad through the
mountains. Even before they built their cabin, they spent weeks
building log cribbing for a wharf along the east side of the valley.
Moore’s Wharf was leased and later sold to the White Pass Railroad,
and today giant ships tie up in the very spot where the Moore’s began
building their dream.
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Moore's wharf about 1900.
Note the mining machinery
(lower left) and the rails,
cattle, hay, and boilers (near
the temporary storage tents)
awaiting transport to the
mines inland.
WP&YR – White Pass & Yukon Route WP&YR Brief History

The Railroad Dock – Skagway, AK
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During Skagway’s early days, ships began a tradition of painting their ship’s
registry on the sheer walls alongside the Railroad Dock. Most had the date they
first arrived in Skagway, the name of the ship and its captain, and sometimes the
name of the company that owned the steamer. Most of these very early markings
have long since washed away, but registries from the 1920s and 1930s can be seen
at the south end of the railroad dock. Today, the tradition continues with modern
cruise liners proudly painting their own ship’s registry on these rock walls.
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This photo was taken in the 1930s, when the
dock was known as Moore's Wharf.
The ship signature wall today

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 Today it is commonplace to see goods shipped in big metal boxes called
containers. Ports around the world are bustling with huge machinery loading and
unloading shipping containers. Everything you buy today probably arrived from
some foreign country inside a container, thanks to the pioneering work of the
White Pass and Yukon Route. They built and tested one of the world's first
container shipping systems back in 1955, and was the first to enter the integrated
ship-train-truck business. The new ship and containers, combined with the
upgraded railroad and truck fleet, made the Yukon the home of the first integrated
container system in the world.
The 6,000 ton White Pass
container ship, Frank H.
Brown, enters Vancouver
Harbour.

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The 6,000 ton container ship Frank H. Brown was equipped
with an ultra-modern Gantry Crane.

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The Ore Dock is called this because it was a staging facility for the transfer of
train loads of heavy lead/zinc ore that weighed two tons per cubic yard. The ore
was trucked from a large mine in the Yukon to Whitehorse, where it was loaded
onto waiting railcars for the 110-mile trip to Skagway. The ore is still there, but
because the world prices are too low, the mines are closed down at this time. But
the Yukon Territory is so rich in resources – gold, silver, lead, zinc, emeralds,
copper, and coal—to name just a few! – that there are always proposals to reopen
the mines.
The White Pass & Yukon Route
Ore Handling site in Skagway,
Alaska
WP&YR Brief History

The Railroad Ore Terminal – Skagway, AK
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WP&YR – Skagway Station
Today the historic White Pass and Yukon Route Railway building is home
to the National Park Visitor Center (NPS photo)
MOW: AK Division (Skagway) WP&YR Milepost 0.0
Railroad Depot - Scheduled Stop
Elevation: Sea level
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The White Pass and Yukon Route (WP&YR) headquarters and Skagway station is
located at the foot of Broadway. The large, red, 2-story building is the 1898 White
Pass Railroad Depot which is now the headquarters for Klondike Gold Rush
National Historical Park. If you look closely, you can see a bay window that juts out
over the street. The railroad tracks used to run right down the middle of Broadway,
and that window is where the railroad dispatcher sat, and hung colored flags out of
the window to control train movements.
The large yellow 2-story building next door was the original corporate offices and
is now also operated by the National Historical Park as a museum.
The large white 2-story building with red trim next to that is the current railroad
station depot. The single story white building with green trim beyond that is the
current corporate headquarters.
WP&YR Milepost 0.0
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MOW: AK Division (Skagway)

The Railroad Station – Skagway, AK
MOW – Alaska Division (Skagway) 14

WP&YR – Engine #195
Baldwin 2-8-2 Locomotive on Display
behind the Skagway Museum & City Hall
Photo Opportunity
Elevation: 21 ft. Above Sea level
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WP&YR Engine #195, Baldwin 2-8-2 Mikado Locomotive, Skagway Museum

WP&YR – Coach Yard
Fleet of 75 vintage & modern passenger coaches
Railroad Car Storage Sidings
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Elevation: 48 ft. Above Sea Level
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The coach yard, large enough to accommodate the 15-car trains used on the WP&YR on busy days.

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WP&YR’s fleet of 75 passenger coaches is a mixture of vintage and modern
railcars. All are named after the beautiful lakes and rivers that dot Alaska and
Northwestern Canada. Many pre-date this railroad’s construction, and were
acquired over the years as various narrow gauge railroads in the American West
went out of business. One of our oldest cars is Lake Emerald (Car #244), built in
1883 and acquired by White Pass in 1927.

WP&YR – Skagway Yard and Shops
Equipment Maintenance Facility
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Located at the north end of town are the maintenance shops where the engines
and railcars are repaired and refurbished. In 1954, the White Pass Railroad began
the job of converting their engine power from steam to diesel. Today there is a
fleet of about 19 diesel engines, most either built by General Electric in Erie,
Pennsylvania, or by ALCO in Montreal, Canada. At times when passing by the
shops you can get a glimpse of the two operating, historic steam engines: Engine
#73 , a 1947 Baldwin Mikado 2-8-2, built in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the
big Engine #69, a 1908 Baldwin 2-8-0 Consolidation, the largest engine ever to
run on these rails. It was just recently returned to the WP&YR fleet. The second
engine to ever run on these rails, brought to Skagway in 1898, is the old Engine
#52. It has been many years since this 1881 Brooks engine was in running
condition, but it currently rests on a spur track near Centennial Park.
MOW: AK Division (Skagway) 21
Engine #52 (originally #2) is believed to be the
first engine to reach the White Pass Summit.
WP&YR Milepost 2.3

WP&YR Skagway Shops –
This facility once had a ‘roundhouse’ but
it burned down in a fire in 1969. At one
time there was also a maintenance shop
facility in Whitehorse, YT.
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White Pass & Yukon Route railway
(WP&YR) maintenance shops.

Another Aerial View of the White Pass & Yukon Route Shops
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The track north originally went down the middle of Broadway St. and
crossed the river near the current vehicle bridge, then followed the river
up the west side a ways before crossing back over at the “boulders.”

WP&YR – Gold Rush Cemetery
View looking down towards the WP&YR Shops
Historic Landmark & Photo Opportunity
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On the right-hand side of the tracks, a little ways beyond the Shops, is Skagway’s
Gold Rush Cemetery. Life in 1898 Skagway was dangerous—if you survived the harsh
White Pass Trail, disease or foul play were waiting for you back in Skagway. The
cemetery’s most prominent marker belongs to Skagway’s hero, Frank Reid, while the
town’s villain, Jefferson Randolph Smith, lies within his view. Smith was an infamous
con-man who had honed his skills in tough Colorado gold towns. There he earned the
nickname of “Soapy Smith” by selling miners bars of soap that he conned them into
believing had $20 bills hidden inside. Arriving in Skagway in the fall of 1897, “Soapy”
quickly named himself Skagway’s uncrowned king, and ran the town ruthlessly.
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On the evening of July 8, 1898 Skagway businessmen met to find a way to rid
themselves of Soapy and his gang of thugs. Frank Reid was posted outside with his
rifle. Hearing of the meeting, Soapy rushed down to the dock, armed with his
Winchester rifle and two revolvers. Angry words were exchanged between Soapy and
Reid, and then shots rang out. Soapy fell, dying instantly, while Reid suffered an
excruciating groin injury. Lying in agony for twelve days while his wounds festered,
Reid, even on his deathbed, was happy that he had rid Skagway of its notorious
criminal mastermind, whose gang had been quickly rounded up and dispatched out
of town after Soapy’s demise. A grateful town erected a tall monument to its hero,
Frank Reid, with these words inscribed in the marble: “He gave his life for the honor
of Skagway.” Soapy was buried in ignominy outside the legal limits of the cemetery.
South of Reid’s burial, the brown wooden steps lead up to Soapy’s grave, which is
surrounded by the only bars that could ever hold him.
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WP&YR – Bridge #2A
[No Photos Available]
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Bridge crossing Reid Creek
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WP&YR – Boulder Station
Flag Stop and Railroad Siding
Named for boulders located in the Skagway River at this location. In the early days
the railroad ran up the far side of the river and crossed back to this side at this point.
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WP&YR – Denver Station
Flag Stop & Hiker’s Destination
Elevation – 402 ft. Above Seal Level
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Even back in the Gold Rush days Denver Station was a popular hiking
destination. During the 1920s and ‘30s, convicts from Juneau were sent to
Skagway to serve their sentence. Since in those days the railroad tracks from town
to Denver station were on the opposite side of the river, the convicts helped to
build a road for automobiles so tourists could more easily come out here to enjoy
this beautiful spot. The road was never finished, but on the right side of the tracks
you can sometimes catch a glimpse of rock abutments that are the only remaining
features from the road that was never finished.
No days, you will see a red caboose donated by the railroad to the Forest Service
to shelter overnight hikers. The Denver Glacier has receded high up into the
mountains, and is no longer visible from the train, but as the train passes the old
caboose it will cross the East Fork of the Skagway River. There are beautiful views
here from both sides of the train. Sometimes Boundary Peak is visible at the end
of the Denver valley.

Old caboose #905 (2013) -
You can rent this wonderful
caboose donated by the WP&YR
from the National Park Service.
Boerries Burkhardt Collection
Dropping off hikers at Denver
(2013) -
A group ready to make the 5-mile
round-trip wilderness hike to Denver
Falls in the lush old growth forest of
the Denver Valley.
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Southbound Train pulls into Denver (2009),
after crossing Bridge 5A
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Elevation – 473 ft. Above Sea Level
Bridge crossing the East Fork of the Skagway River
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A set of two rebuilt GE-90 Class Engines with a Summit Train
southbound near Denver (Sept. 2013)

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Bridge 5A over the East Fork of the
Skagway River at Denver.
Photo by Murray Lundberg

WP&YR – Rocky Point Station
Flag Stop & Photo Opportunity
Traveling thru the Rocky Point Cut, which consists
of a 120-ft. high, 2o thousand ton plug of solid
granite.
View of Skagway from Rocky Point
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WP&YR – Brackett’s Road
Historical Landmark & Photo Opportunity
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During the Gold Rush, Skagway was known as the “Gateway to the Golden
North.” Across the narrow canyon from the railroad, where today we see the
Klondike Highway, ran the original route of the White Pass Trail. Promoted as a
wagon road by Skagway’s original homesteader, Captain William Moore, it was
little more than a treacherous footpath where loaded packhorses fell to their death
into the canyon below. A better road for wagons was built during the winter of
1897-1898 by George Brackett, a former mayor of Minneapolis. Having lost his
hard-earned fortune in the Panic of 1893, Brackett, with six of his seven sons and
their families, arrived in Skagway in the fall of 1897 to regain their wealth by
selling supplies to the gold seekers. He quickly became part of a consortium to
build a new toll road for wagons, but had to buy out all his dishonest partners
before he could complete it in March 1898.
Advertised as the “easy route” over the mountains, Brackett charged $40 a ton
for freight, $10 for every wagon, $1 for every horse, and 25 cents for every dog.
Because the men operating the teams of pack horses resisted paying these tolls,
the only way Brackett was able to recoup his investment was to sell his right-of-
way, and eventually his entire toll road, to the White Pass Railroad for $110,000.

Looking down at the Fraser Train, with its 3 blue GE
Engines and steel passenger cars at bridge 7A.
Photo by Ross Pugsley, June 25, 1990
MOW: AK Division (Skagway) WP&YR Milepost 7.?
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Bridge crossing a gap in the terrain
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WP&YR – Bridge #7B
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View of 7B from the back of a
northbound train sometime in 1949.
A northbound train with 3 GE's
passes Bridge 7B, back in 1982.
Boerries Burkhardt collection

WP&YR – Bridge #7C
Another view of the Fraser Train, with its 3 blue GE
Engines and steel passenger cars at Bridge 7C.
Photo by Ross Pugsley, June 25, 1990
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WP&YR – Clifton Station
Flag Stop, Railroad Siding & Section House
CLIFTON Siding (1966)
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CLIFTON - Hanging Rock
(before 1920)
Hanging Rock at Clifton -
This was mostly a picture
taking stop for passengers
during the early days.
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Clifton North Switch (1966)
Photo of the track siding and the
old section house.
Photo by Eric L. Johnson
Clifton station with a work
train (1969) -
Bernard Kern took this photo
when he was with the work crew
that was upgrading the tracks.
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Clifton - Sectionhouse - 1st Floor
Copy of original historical White Pass
& Yukon Route Document A-12-c.
Submitted by John Stutz
Clifton - Sectionhouse - 2nd Floor
Copy of original historical White Pass &
Yukon Route Document A-12-c.
Submitted by John Stutz.
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Winter 1971 - The old Section House is gone (down over the hill)
Photo by J.D. True
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~ Then and Now ~

WP&YR – Buchanan Rock
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On the left-hand side of the tracks at Milepost 8.8 we can start to see Skagway’s
International Port of Entry, the blue building on the opposite side of the canyon.
Although the official border between the United States and Canada is at the
mountain summit, there was no room to build a border station there. The Klondike
Highway, completed in 1978, is open year-round for people to travel between
Skagway and Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory.
Below the border station, painted in six-foot high white letters is the slogan “On
To Alaska With Buchanan.” This sign commemorates Alaskan trips for kids from
1922 until the late 1930s sponsored by George Buchanan, a wealthy Canadian
industrialist who made his fortune selling coal in Detroit, Michigan. He wanted to
instill values of hard work and thriftiness, so the children were required to raise 1/3
of the cost of the trip themselves by doing odd jobs. This was a trip of a lifetime for
these youngsters, and sometime in the late 1920s they rewarded Buchanan by
managing to get across the canyon to that steep rock face and painting that sign.
Over the years, it has been repainted many times by volunteer groups from
Skagway.

Bridge crossing Pitchfork Falls
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WP&YR – Black Cross Station
Flag Stop, Historical Landmark & Photo Op.
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Elevation – 1,090 ft. Above Sea Level
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 On August 3, 1898, while building the White Pass & Yukon
Route Railroad, Michael J. Heney, the company foreman
and chief engineer were supervising some blasting at a
place called Black Rock which is about 10 miles up the track
from Skagway.
 As the explosion went off, a huge slab of rock slid down
over two men. At first, rumors flew that there were more
casualties, but in the end it was confirmed that there were
just the two.
 The company decided that there could be no better
memorial to these two men than the rock and so a small
memorial was placed there.
 Over the years the names of Al Jeneux and Maurice Dunn
have been given for the two men, although in all the
research, I have yet to find any historical reference to
confirm those names.
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The site where a blasting accident on August 3, 1898, buried two railroad workers
under a 100-ton granite boulder, and the black cross still keeps vigil over their
tragic final resting place.

WP&YR – Foy Station
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Flag Stop
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WP&YR – Bridal Veil Falls
Through the trees of the Tongass National
Forest, we get a glimpse of a spectacular
waterfall, Bridal Veil Falls. This waterfall has its
origin in the Carmack Glacier, and even tired
gold rush stampeeders stopped to admire its
beauty.
There are falls and cascades its entire length
as it drops over 5,000 feet to meet the Skagway
River in the valley below. Only from the train do
we get this view of its biggest waterfall.
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Bridal Veil Falls – near Skagway, Alaska

WP&YR – Heney Station
Elevation: 1,573 ft. Above Sea Level
Flag Stop & Section House
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 During the Gold Rush, this valley that today looks so pristine was daily
filled with hundreds of men and horses, all struggling along the White
Pass Trail to get their year's worth of supplies - a ton of goods! - to the
summit of the White Pass. Just below was the largest settlement along
the trail - White Pass City.
 By the end of September, railway workers, working in two 10-hour
shifts, had laid rail to milepost 12.3, which was named to honor the
contractor who built the railroad, Michael J. Heney. But costs were
high, up to $120,000 a mile in the more difficult sections. By the fall of
1898, the railroad was taking passengers and freight to Heney Station,
where they were unloaded. The freight was transferred down the 300'
incline to White Pass City by a winch-operated tramway to waiting pack
horses. White Pass Railroad used profits from these rail operations to
help finance the rest of the railroad construction.
Heney Station:
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300 ft. cable tramway from Heney Station down to White Pass City:
Photo taken from video uploaded by Keith Nore
Sept. 25, 1898
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Bridge crossing small creek
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WP&YR – Glacier Station
A Northbound Train arriving at Glacier
Flag Stop, RR Siding & Section House
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Glacier Station is named for Laughton Glacier which filled this valley with ice
thousands of years ago. Today it has receded so far up the valley that it is no longer
visible from the train. It is an extremely popular hiking destination. Some hikers
ride the train to the trailhead while others take helicopter tours which land on
concrete pads on the valley side of the train. An easy mile and a half hike will take
you to an overlook of the glacier itself, and if you want to stay overnight, a cabin
can be rented from the Forest Service. Beyond the red boxcar on the right-hand
side is the trailhead. After that is the bridge over the headwaters of the Skagway
River. There are wonderful camera views from both sides of the train.
At this point the railroad begins its ascent up the High-Line section, the steepest
grade on the rail line. The grade along this stretch is 3.9%, and it gains 206 feet for
every mile of travel. This is about as steep a grade as any railroad can handle. As
the train ascends, the wisdom of the engineers in using narrow gauge track for the
White Pass Railroad will become apparent. The WP&YR ‘s narrow gauge track is
only three feet wide, and thus they only had to blast out a ten-foot ledge for the
railbed, plus the train can negotiate much tighter turn radius’s.

A Southbound Train passes
Glacier Station (1949) -
A very rare photo of a Baldwin 70
Class engine with a passenger train
passing Glacier.
GLACIER (1968) -
The large old Section House is
now gone and a smaller house
replaces it. An outhouse, tool
shed, box car and square water
tank can be seen in the photo.
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Square Water Tank at
Glacier (1959) –
This one was the first of the two
water tanks at Glacier.
Glacier April 1969
The second water tank was
still in place when this photo
was taken.
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Glacier Station today

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~ Then and Now ~

Bridge crossing Glacier Gorge, Skagway River Middle Fork
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Bridge 14A in the early 1970's -
A Southbound freight train with 4
GE's at Glacier on bridge 14A.
Bernard Kern, Keven Sivils
Collection
Bridge 14A - 1993
The Fraser Train crossing 14A on its way
back to Skagway. Two blue GE's are on
the rebuilt steel section of the bridge.
Boerries Burkhardt Collection.

14B Bridge at Glacier -
Bruce Curry took this photo while
riding the Northbound Train to Fraser
in July 1999. This is the location of
the original Glacier water tank.
Glacier Water Tank -
A rare photo of a Northbound
Train. Bridge 14B is directly in
front of the water tank.
Bridge crossing a small creek
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WP&YR – Snow Shed #15A
15A Snow Shed (1966) - When this photo
was taken , the snow shed was still in place.
233 ft. long Snow Slide Shed (Demolished)
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WP&YR – Slippery Rock Station
Flag Stop, Historic Landmark & Photo Op.
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At about Milepost 15 the track will be hugging the mountainside at Slippery Rock,
the sheer rockface that could be seen previously below. Imagine what it must have
been like for the men building the railroad to get up every morning and have to
hike all the way up here from the camp in White pass City–and backpack up all
the equipment needed! Once around Slippery Rock, the men had the challenge of
bridging the 900 foot chasm of Glacier Gorge with a wooden trestle.
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WP&YR – Bridge #15C
Bridge 15C, 1954 – A Northbound Train
with lumber is crossing the bridge
and entering the tunnel.
Bridge crossing over Glacier Gorge
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The approach to the tunnel through Tunnel Mountain crossing bridge 15C
(Note the snow drift shed at the entrance to the tunnel)

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Looking south from Tunnel Mountain
south portal across Bridge 15C.
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WP&YR – Tunnel #16A
Elevation : 2,275 ft. Above Sea Level
250 ft. long tunnel through Tunnel Mountain
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Looking through the 250 ft. long railroad
Tunnel 16A where the railroad track
runs through “Tunnel Mountain” on its
way up to the White Pass Summit.
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Crew working the wooden trestle bridge connecting Tunnel Mountain with
the south portal of the tunnel during the construction of the WP&YR (1899)
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WP&YR – Inspiration Point
Inspiration Point, looking south toward Skagway, in mid May
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Across the valley from Inspiration Point “Mine Mountain,” nicknamed after the Inspiration
Mine where silver ore was mined in the late 1920s. The mine sat 3,400 feet above the valley,
and the owners built an aerial tramway to move the thirty tons of ore over to the railroad
tracks. While it only operated for a couple of years, remnants of the tram are still visible as a
dark rectangle close to the top of the mountain. It is also an excellent place to spot mountain
goats sunning themselves on the rocks or grazing in the small patches of greenery.
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~ Then and Now ~

WP&YR – Hannan Shed
Photo by Tim Kinvig of Whitehorse
Snow Slide Shed (Demolished)
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Hannan Snow Shed –
Looking towards the south
Hannan Snow Shed –
Built to withstand the crushing
weight of heavy snow and
avalanches.
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This was the site of the Hannan Snow Shed which kept snow
slides off the tracks up until 1992 when it was demolished
because it was in very poor condition.

WP&YR – Hawkins Station
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Flag Stop
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WP&YR – Dead Horse Gulch
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Looking down into Dead Horse Gulch and the old White Pass Trail

The White Pass Trail is still visible on the far side of the gulch
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Dead Horse Gulch, is the name of an area that commemorates the deaths of over
3,000 horses that died working on the White Pass Trail during the gold rush. The
White Pass Trail had an infamous reputation as not being fit for man nor beast.
Commercial packers working on the White Pass Trail charged twelve to thirteen
cents a pound to haul these goods on the backs of mules, horses, and oxen. The
conditions along the White Pass Trail were horrendous–it was steep, rocky, and
slippery. The horses were sick, overloaded, and underfed. They broke their legs on
the rocks, got stuck in the bogs, and fell off the cliffs. It was so bad that people
began calling it the “Dead Horse Trail.” Jack London wrote about this trail. He said,
“The horses died like mosquitoes in the first frost and from Skagway to Bennett they
rotted in heaps. …Men shot them, worked them to death and when they were gone,
went back to the beach and bought more. …Their hearts turned to stone …and they
became beasts, the men on the Dead Horse Trail.”
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The “Dead Horse Trail” (1897)
The perilous journey north.
Detail from Hegg photo #334
Conditions on the White Pass trail
were dreadful. The route was narrow,
steep, slick and overcrowded. It
claimed nearly 3,000 animals.
Detail from Hegg photo #3101
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~ Then and Now ~

WP&YR – Gulch Station
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WP&YR – Bridge #18A (Old)
The Old Cantilever Bridge
670 ft. long Historical Cantilever Bridge
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Before the railroad could reach the Summit, the builders faced a monumental
challenge: a yawning chasm over 1,000 feet wide and hundreds of feet deep. Their
temporary solution was to build a grade along both sides of the canyon and install a
turntable to simply turn the engines around. After the railroad was completed, they
finally had enough money and time to find the solution: a steel cantilever bridge.
This bridge, also referred to as the Switchback Arch Bridge, is a marvel of
engineering. It was the highest bridge of its kind in North America when it was
built. Used from 1901 until it was given a well-deserved retirement in 1969, it is one
of the reasons that the White Pass Railroad was named an International Civil
Engineering Historic Landmark in 1994, and is one of the most photographed
scenes on our route.
As the train passes by, you can see that we wouldn’t want to be traveling across
this bridge today! In 1969, new tracks were laid in part of the old switchback grade,
and a new bridge with a very long tunnel (670’) was blasted out of solid rock.

Oblique Perspective From Southeast
Abutment Looking Southwest.
BH Photo #219515
BH Photo #222796
Photo taken by Jet Lowe for the Historic
American Engineering Record
Old WP&YR Bridge 18A
Old WP&YR Bridge 18A
100

Old WP&YR Bridge 18A Under Construction
Early day photo of Bridge 18A, with the covered
turntable in the center (later removed)
101

Baldwin #73 crossing the old
high steel bridge (18A) -
In the background is the old
wooden covered turntable.
BRIDGE 18A -
A southbound container train is
just passing over the bridge.
102

BRIDGE 18A, The last year -
The winter of 1969 was the last
winter that this bridge was used.
Soon after, all trains would be
running over the new steel bridge.
The old Bridge 18A today –
Once the new bridge and tunnel
were completed, the old bridge
was disconnected and left
standing
103

WP&YR – Bridge #18A (New)
A view of both the old and new bridges
104
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)
New steel bridge crossing the gulch

The New Bridge 18A
Train heading north,
about to enter the tunnel
Train heading south, just coming out of the tunnel
105

WP&YR – Tunnel #18A
Built in 1979, for the Anvil Mine ore car service.
670 ft. long tunnel
106
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

107
The old cantilever bridge was
replaced by a new steel bridge
further up the gulch, along with this
670-foot-long tunnel.

WP&YR – American Shed
Train with 3 engines (1 in front, 1 in the middle, & 1 in the rear)
entering the American Snow Shed.
1,042 ft. long Snow Drift Shed (Demolished)
108
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

109
The American Snow Shed at MP 19.1 was demolished in the late 1980s.

Bridge 19A - Close to the summit
110
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

WP&YR – White Pass Summit
White Pass Summit
&
Elevation : 2,888 ft. Above Sea Level
US (Alaska) and Canada (British Columbia) Border
111
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

At this point you are well above the treeline, have gained almost 3,000 feet in
elevation, and are in a sub-Alpine tundra zone. These short, twisted sub-Alpine fir
trees may be short, but some were around to witness the gold rush. Because of the
harsh weather conditions, they grow very little every year.
We are now very close to crossing the border into Canada. The international
border is marked obelisk that is flanked by flags of United States and Canada. Just
past the international border is a replica of the border station used by the Mounties
during the gold rush.
MOW: AK Division (Skagway) WP&YR Milepost 20.4 &
112

White Pass Summit
113
2,888 ft. above Sea Level

White Pass Summit -
This is a photo of the old White Pass
Summit facility. From right to left: US
Customs Office, US and British Flags, the
snow shed with the old original station
attached at the far side, the remains of the
old White Pass Summit Hotel, and the coal
bunker down passed the train. Behind the
snow fence and in front of the lake is the
Canadian Customs office.
White Pass Summit Section House
(US Side) -
This photo from Feb/Mar 1963 shows a
newer section house on the US side of the
White Pass station. In the background
there are the two flag poles for the US and
Canadian flags. Between the Section
House and the Station is the snow shed,
also called the boundary shed.
114

115
~ Then and Now ~

WP&YR – Canadian Snow Shed
South Portal (1978) -
Looking back from the platform of
the last coach.
North Portal (1982) -
Northbound train to Whitehorse is
just leaving the north portal.
WP&YR Milepost 21.0
1,064 ft. long Snow Drift Shed (Demolished)
116
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)
BC

WP&YR – Divide Station
WP&YR Milepost 21.4
Flag Stop
117
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Snow Fences
WP&YR Milepost 22-23
At this along the route, as we are well above the treeline, you will notice how the
landscape has changed. You may also notice sections of old wooden fences lining
the tracks. These were snow fences that were built to keep snow from drifting too
high along the tracks. The summit often has yearly snowfalls of twenty feet or
more, and winds that could whip the snow into seventy-foot drifts. In the days
when the railroad operated year-round, these conditions sometimes brought
trains to a standstill for days. Before 1960, when steam locomotion was used
exclusively on the White Pass, winter trains were guided by the railroad's huge,
1898 rotary snowplows. Shooting a plume of snow almost fifty feet high, it was a
magnificent sight! Today, the railroad only operates during the summer months,
from May to September, when over 400,000 visitors come to these exciting train
excursions every season.
Approx. one mile long of snow fences
118
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Gateway Station
119
Flag Stop
TOPO
Map
WP&YR Milepost 23.8
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – “Top of the World”
Photo Opportunity
WP&YR Milepost 24.2
WP&YR Alaska Division (Skagway)
At 2,940 ft. above sea level, this is the highest point along the entire route.
Stunted trees, glacial boulder fields and pothole lakes contrast with lush forests
on the coast only a few miles away. In winter the White Pass Summit country can
be a raging hell or a scene out of “Dr. Zhivago” with vistas of white peaks and
valleys. Excellent cross country skiing.
120
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

Bridge 24A -
Work train with flat car at bridge 24A,
September 2013.
Photo by Boerries Burkhardt
Bridge 24A -
Another shot of the work train at
bridge 24A, September 2013.
WP&YR Alaska Division (Skagway) WP&YR Milepost 24.?
121
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)
Bridge crossing small creek

WP&YR – Meadows Station
Flag Stop & Fuel Tank
122
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

123
Train stopped at the former Meadows station to pick up a group
of people who had snow shoed over from the highway.
MOW: AK Division (Skagway) WP&YR Milepost 25.4 BC

WP&YR – Red Line Transportation
WP&YR Milepost 25.4
124
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

Michael Heney, the man credited with building the White Pass and Yukon
Railroad, also owned and operated a fleet of wagons and sleighs that were used to
haul freight between the Summit and points north until the railroad was
completed to Lake Bennett in July 1899.
Lake Bennett was considered the head of navigation for the Yukon River, and
thousands of stampeders lived there in 1897 and 1898, building boats and waiting
for the ice to break up in May. Because it was used for such a short time, and
because it was often a winter road on hard-packed snow and ice, few remnants of
the old Red Line road still exist today.
WP&YR Milepost 25.4
MOW: AK Division (Skagway) 125 BC

Bridge crossing the Tutshi River
126
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Fraser Loop
Loop and Wye Track Location
The Fraser
Wye -
In this old
postcard photo
you can see a
portion of where
the old “wye”
track had been
laid before it was
removed and the
loop was built.
127
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

Map of Fraser Meadows (1900)
The 1st map of Fraser from the archives
dated Jan. 1900 showing a “wye” for
turning engines around. According to
later documents the “wye” was
removed sometimes in 1905.
Map of Fraser Meadows (1905)
A 2nd map shows the new Fraser “loop”
which was built from the old “wye” tracks
in June-July 1905. According to
documents a passing track was also built
but was removed later that same year.
128 BC

WP&YR – Fraser Station
Railroad Depot & Sidings - Scheduled Stop
WP&YR Milepost 27.7
129
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

Fraser Depot and Water tank 1950 -
This is what Fraser looked when WP&YR
still used steam engines. On the left is the
station or depot and on the right is the
water tank.
Fraser Station (2005) –
As it exists today
130 BC

Fraser Water Tank (2006) -
Here is what the Fraser Water Tank looks like today.
131 BC

Fraser, British Columbia, looking south from the highway. In the days of steam
locomotives, the 2-story water tower here filled up thirsty locomotives and rotary
snowplows. It is one of the few original railroad equipment buildings still surviving
from the gold rush era.
132 BC

WP&YR – Ptarmigan Point
Flag Stop
133
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Portage
During the gold rush days, there was a portage across the fast-rushing stream that
connected the middle lakes together. The original White Pass Trail then continued
northwest, partway up Turtle Mountain, high above our railroad grade. Railroad
employees knew it as an excellent spot to fish for grayling and lake trout, and built
weekend retreats between the rail and the lakeshore. In late summer, the ripening
blueberry bushes attract both humans and brown or black bears.
134
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Klondike Highway
Crossing the Klondike Highway (Route 2)
135
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Log Cabin Station
Log Cabin Station and Section
House (1953)
A train at Log Cabin (1974) -
A GE #95 with a sister engine have
arrived at the south switch of the
Log Cabin Station.
Flag Stop, Railroad Siding & Section House
WP&YR Milepost 33.0
136
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

During the Gold Rush, there was a sizable community here named Log Cabin. The
RCMP had a much larger station here than at the summit. The village was located
in the woods on the right-side of the railroad tracks. After 1898, there was also a
winter trail, the “Fantail,” that left from here and followed the frozen lakes
eastward to Atlin, British Columbia. There was a huge gold discovery there in
1898, one nugget was recorded as weighing 83 ounces. Gold is still mined in Atlin,
but on a much smaller scale.
137 BC

LOG CABIN Section House – Frame View
Copy of original historical White Pass & Yukon
Route Document B-12-d.
Provided by John Stutz
LOG CABIN Section House - Front
Yukon Route Document B-12-d.
138 BC

LOG CABIN Section House - 1st Floor
LOG CABIN Section House - 2nd Floor
139 BC

WP&YR – Vista Station
Flag Stop
Originally named Barry Station and included a Section House for workers.
It was named for Donald E. Barry (1944-2000), a previous White Pass conductor.
140
TOPO
Map
Originally: Barry Station
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Beaver Lake
Beaver lodges can be observed at the lake’s edge. Tracks begin high above the
lake and drop to lake side at the north end. Visible at Mile 39.0 is Lake
Lindeman. A tent city of 10,000 camped here during the gold rush, but the
rapids to Lake Bennett wrecked many hastily built boats.
Photo Opportunity
141
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Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Bennett Station
Railroad Depot & RR Yard - Scheduled Stop
WP&YR Milepost 40.6
142
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Map
BC
(CLICK)

 Bennett was once a city with a few thousand gold
seekers, waiting for the spring thaw so they could put
their boats into the water and paddle their way up
north to the Klondike.
 During the period know as the “White Pass Container
Route’s days,” Bennett was a welcome place to take a
break and enjoy a good meal as you traveled up or
down the line.
 Bennett was the end of the WP&YR Alaska Division
managed out of Skagway, and also the end of the
Canadian Division managed out of Whitehorse.
Bennett Station:
143 BC

Northbound Train #1 arrivse at
Bennett (1980) -
Photo by William Madden
Taking a break at Bennett (1962)
After a great lunch at Bennett Station,
passengers have time for some rest
before the train leaves.
WP&YR Milepost 40.6
144 BC

Bennett Station -
View of the buildings at Bennett
sometime during summer or fall
of 1969.
Photo by J.D. True, WP&YR
Collection
Bennett Station -
Overview of Bennett after the
1974 fire when the water tower
and sheds burned down.
145 BC

When travel was a passion
(1920s) -
Engines #66 and #69 were ready to
depart southbound to Skagway with
the Bennett Extra Train.
Bennett (1970) -
This photo was taken from the back
of a passenger car at track 1. In view
are tracks 2 and 3 on the lake side.
Track 3 is used for switching and
work equipment. Tracks 1 and 2 are
for north and southbound trains.
Boeries Burkhardt Collections
146 BC

Bennett prior to construction of the railroad station:
MOW: Canada Div. (Whitehorse) WP&YR Milepost 40.6
147 BC

Bennett, not long after construction of the railroad station:
WP&YR Milepost 40.6
MOW: Canada Div. (Whitehorse) 148 BC

Aerial View of Bennett Station (2006) –
Note the loop track (built in 1941) that runs
around the west side of the small lake.
WP&YR Milepost 40.6

WP&YR – Guard Rail Curve
WP&YR Milepost 43.5
 Trains typically slow down to 6 mph for this tight turn. Guard Rail Curve is the
sharpest curve on the entire railroad route. Along the bend, on the lake side, you
can see the metal framework of an old avalanche cannon. Up until 1982, this
cannon was used to trigger planned avalanches during the winter, and especially in
the spring, when warmer temperatures could cause precariously-balanced snow to
come swooping down.
 When the railroad was being built, Michael Heney and Chief Engineer Erastus
Hawkins knew that the rail grade between Bennett and Carcross would require
much blasting before a rail line could be laid. But they severely underestimated
how much blasting they would actually have to do, and sections of the route cost
$250,000 per mile—or over $5.5 million in today’s dollars! One blast dislodged
over 8,000 cubic yards of rock, and created a four-foot high tidal wave in the lake.
MOW: Canada Div. (Whitehorse)
Photo Opportunity
150
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Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Silver King Mine
WP&YR Milepost 45.0
The Montana Mountain area has an incredible wealth of minerals. Unlike Skagway’s
Coastal Mountain range, Montana Mountain was an active volcano 135 million
years ago, in fact it was active for 23 million years. A large fault running up through
the mountains canyon contains many gold and silver veins, and mining was active
here during the Klondike Gold Rush. At this point along the way, on the mountain
side of the tracks, are the remains of the power plant of the Silver King Mine, about
4,000 feet above our tracks. The mine itself was closed during World War I.
Flag Stop
151
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BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Pavey Station
Station: Pavey - 46.4 miles north of Skagway. Location: British Columbia,
Canada. Elevation: 2154 feet (657 m). The station was named after “Pavy,
London”, the telegraph address of Charles Colin MacRae
WP&YR Milepost 46.4
Flag Stop & Railroad Siding
152
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Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Scheffler Station
WP&YR Milepost 49.4
Graves, Looking North -
The train ahead is the X114 work
train, September 2013.
Bombardier Engine #114
at Graves –
Photo of a work train in
September 2013.
153
TOPO
Map
Originally: Graves Station
BC
(CLICK)

At this point along the way a siding was built in 1970 as part of track
improvements needed when the railroad contracted to carry heavy lead/zinc ore
from the Utah Yard just outside of Whitehorse to waiting ocean freighters in
Skagway. The ore came from Faro mine, about 150 miles north of Whitehorse.
When the mine closed in 1982, the railroad was unable to pay its bills and had to
close in October. It remained closed until May 1988, when it reopened only to carry
summer visitors. At this time, it still only operates from May through September.
Ever mindful of history, this siding was named after two men who built the
railroad, Michael J. Heney and Samuel Graves. Since there is already a station
twelve miles north of Skagway named after Heney, in 1989 this stop was renamed
after White Pass’s first president, Samuel Graves.
WP&YR Milepost 49.4

Caboose #911 at Graves -
The caboose is used by the work
crews for breaks and meals.
Graves, Looking South -
At Graves Station, looking
south towards Bennett,
September 2013.
WP&YR Milepost 49.4

WP&YR – Pennington
WP&YR Milepost 51.6
Flag Stop & Section House
156
TOPO
Map
BC
(CLICK)

157 WP&YR Milepost 51.6
Pennington Station -
The last remaining section
house on the WP&YR.
Photo by Boerries Burkhardt.
Aerial View of Pennington -
MOW: Canada Div. (Whitehorse) BC

Pennington Station, is named for Frederick Pennington, who joined with his
friend WB Close as the original investors in the White Pass Railroad.
In the olden days, crews cut huge blocks of ice from the lake here, and put them
on the train to Skagway where they were stored in sawdust-insulated icehouses.
Only one of those old icehouses still remains, and it has been moved to property
owned by the Park Service in Skagway (around 5th & Spring Streets).
Pennington station has been closed for many years, and even before was more of a
section house for railroad crew than a passenger transfer point. Today it is home to
the occasional moose or caribou, and hundreds of ground squirrels and mice.
Past Pennington Station, you can see the remains of an old log cabin. Both fox and
mink farming were popular in the Yukon before World War II, and there were many
in the Carcross area.
MOW: Canada Div. (Whitehorse) 158

WP&YR – Pit Station
159
Railroad Spur & Track Ballast Storage
TOPO
Map
WP&YR Milepost 55.5
MOW: Canada Div. (Whitehorse) BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Dundalk Station
WP&YR Milepost 56.3
Flag Stop
Dundalk flagstop is named after one of the original British investors in the White
Pass Railroad. During the days of active mining claims on Montana Mountain,
miners would sometimes come down to the rail line to ride the train to Carcross,
Whitehorse or Skagway. Today, White Pass Railroad is one of the few train lines to
still make flagstops.
160
TOPO
Map
Elevation: 2,181ft. Above Sea Level
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Little Cabin
It is unknown who lived in the little derelict cabin that can be seen on the side of
the tracks, or why they chose to live here. Railroad workers remember seeing a
bed and stove still there many years ago, and it may have simply been used as a
warm-up shack.
WP&YR Milepost 58.2
Photo Opportunity
161
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Map
BC
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Watson Station
WP&YR Milepost 59.6
Watson Siding (2006)
View towards the south (Bennett)
View towards the north (Carcross)
162
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Map
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The siding along the right-hand side of the tracks at this point is over 1,600 feet
long, and is the longest on the Bennett to Carcross rail line. You can also see that
most of the telephone lines in this area are still standing. They were installed by
the U.S. Army in World War II. Before the days of microwave towers, repeaters,
and hand-held radios, White Pass train crews had to periodically stop the train,
and hook up a line to one of those poles to communicate with the dispatch office.
Just north of here, across the lake, is the entrance to the West Arm of Lake
Bennett, flanked by Finger Mountain. This is an isolated area, accessible only by
water and largely unvisited by humans. On a clear day, you can see the entrance
guarded by beautiful, glacier-studded peaks.

WP&YR Milepost 59.6
Tank cars (#35, 30, 31 and 52)
and a flat car (#487) parked at
the siding.
Another view of the rail cars
parked at the siding.

Bridge crossing McDonald Creek
WP&YR Milepost 62.9
165
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Map
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WP&YR – McDonald Creek Station
The Big Thing Mine was first claimed by prospector James Murray, but quickly
optioned by Colonel Conrad. Eventually, fourteen claims comprised the Big Thing.
Hundreds of feet below the mine, the waters of McDonald Creek have been used to
generate electricity. A steam and hydraulic power plant were built in 1911 to
provide electricity for the mine and its tramway on Montana Mountain. In the
summer it was powered by a water wheel (170 hp), but in the winter it had to be
powered by a wood-fired boiler. The remains of the plant are visible in the grove of
trees on the lake side. Along the track is old boxcar #734.
WP&YR Milepost 62.9
Flag Stop
166
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Map
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167
Swing Bridge crossing the Nares River
TOPO
Map
WP&YR Milepost 67.4
(CLICK)

168
 The White Pass & Yukon Route swing bridge is located between Nares River and
Bennett Lake.
 In 1900 the Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging Company built this 125-meter
railway bridge for the WP&YR. The 46-meter midsection pivoted on a central axis,
allowing large boats to pass on either side.
 Commercial navigation dwindled after the railway began operating and the swing
span was opened only a few times before it was permanently closed. In 1969 pilings
were set under the bridge to increase its load tolerance.
 Today, the bridge is still in use, operated by White Pass & Yukon Route for leisure
train trips.
WP&YR Milepost 67.4

WP&YR – Carcross Station
WP&YR Milepost 67.5
Carcross Station, June 1980
Railroad Depot - Scheduled Stop
171
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Map
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Carcross, YT (1967) -
GE 90 Class engine stopped
in Carcross.
Photo by Terry Danks
Carcross, YT (1969)
The Southbound #2 Train is
passing Carcross Station.
Photo by Bernard Kern, Eric L.
Johnson Collection
WP&YR Milepost 67.5

Carcross Waterfront (1966) -
M/V TUTSHI -
This was the last steamboat in regular
service in the Yukon, and was finally
shutdown in 1955. It was hauled
ashore and put on display in 1972, but
was demolished by fire in 1990.
WP&YR Milepost 67.5

Carcross Historical Photo -
The date of this is unknown but
was probably taken sometime
between 1900 and 1920.
Carcross Historical Photo –
Looking towards Carcross from
across the Nares River at the
entrance to Lake Bennett.
WP&YR Milepost 67.5

During the gold rush, Carcross was know as Caribou Crossing because of the
yearly migration of a heard of woodland caribou, but because there was already a
settlement in British Columbia named Caribou, its name was changed to Carcross in
1906.
The bridge at Carcross is the historic spot where the golden spike was driven July
29, 1900, where the upper and lower portions of the newly constructed railroad was
joined and completed. On July 29, 2000, a huge celebration and re-enactment of
the driving of that last spike was held in Carcross, with people showing up from all
over the world.
The bridge that is crossed upon arriving in Carcross was originally a “swing
bridge”—a type of bridge designed to allow riverboats and lake sternwheel
steamships pass through this narrow section between Lake Bennett and Lake Nares.
 The first complete trip on the White Pass railroad took place on July 31, 1900—a
passenger train from Whitehorse to Skagway. The fierce White Pass was now
conquered, and the monumental task, once thought impossible, was now complete.
Much of the town of Carcross was incinerated by a fire in 1909. The railroad
depot dates back to 1910. Many of the buildings in Carcross are over a hundred
years old.
WP&YR Milepost 67.5
Carcross Station:
175

Carcross Station:
WP&YR Milepost 67.5

WP&YR – Carcross Yard
177
The Carcross Yard consists of a “wye”
track, sidings and various switches.
WP&YR Milepost 70.0
This is the end of the Active Track as
of 2022.
TOPO
Map
Carcross “Wye Track” & Sidings
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Landsdowne Station
WP&YR Milepost 74.9
Flag Stop
Named for Henry Charles Keith Petty Fitz-Maurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne
(1845-1927), Governor-General of Canada. Coutts (2003). Yukon Places and
Names.
178
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Map
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WP&YR – Lorne Station
WP&YR 1901, Rev. 1908
WP&YR Milepost 79.4
Flag Stop& Section House
179
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Bridge 82A
WP&YR Milepost 82.?
180
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)
Bridge crossing unknown creek

WP&YR – Wette Lea Station
Flag Stop
WP&YR Milepost 83.7
Named for Auguste Christoph Rudolph de Wette (1845-1912), banker and early
shareholder of the White Pass. Minter (1987). The White Pass., at page 175
(Auguste de Wette); Coutts (2003). Yukon Places and Names.
Elevation: 2,419ft. Above Sea Level
181
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Map
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WP&YR – DeWette Station
WP&YR Milepost 84.0
DE WETTE (2009)
A Milepost post without the number.
Flag Stop
182
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Map
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DE WETTE (2009)
Very little left of this station.
DE WETTE (2009) -
Some remains of the station along
the side of the track.
WP&YR Milepost 84.0

WP&YR – Minto Station
WP&YR 1901, Rev. 1908
WP&YR Milepost 81.6
Flag Stop & Station House
184
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Robinson Station
WP&YR Milepost 89.9
Roadhouse & Flag Stop
185
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

WP&YR Milepost 89.9
In the past, the Robinson
Ranch served as a Way
Station, a Railway Siding,
and a Flag Stop.

The Robinson Roadhouse, named after “Stikine Bill” Robinson. This complex
dates back to a 1906 mining rush in the Wheaton Valley.
WP&YR Milepost 89.9

188
WP&YR Milepost 94.?
Bridge over Cowley West Lake
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

189
Bridge over Cowley East Lake
TOPO
Map
WP&YR Milepost 94.?
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Cowley Station
Flag Stop, Railroad Siding, & Section House
Photo by Dennis O’Berry (1971)
WP&YR Milepost 95.1
190
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Map
(CLICK)

Cowley in the late 1940's
On the left is the old Cowely section
house. The water tank (dead ahead)
and the coal shed (on the right) were
for the steam engines. The north
switch position was relocated closer
to the station years later.
Cowley –
Remains of the old water tank.
WP&YR Milepost 95.1

COWLEY (1975)
The old station house was
boarded up in the 70s.
Photo by Dennis O'Berry
Cowley –
Old railroad tool house
WP&YR Milepost 95.1

Cowley -
Looking north towards
Whitehorse.
Cowley –
Track washout just north of
Cowley Station.
WP&YR Milepost 95.1

WP&YR – Dugdale Station
WP&YR Milepost 99.9
Named for James Dugdale (1842-1903), cotton manufacturer and early
shareholder of the White Pass. Minter (1987). The White Pass., at page 175
(James Dugdale).
Flag Stop
194
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

WP&YR – MacRea Station
US Military Camp near Whitehorse (1942)
WP&YR Milepost 104.0
US Military Camp at Whitehorse, YT
195
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Copper Belt Spur Line
Railroad spur at MacRea to the Pueblo Mine
196
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Map
(CLICK)

The Copper Belt Spur Line
 The Copper Belt Spur Line ran 18 kilometers from a junction from the main
White Pass & Yukon Route line at MacRae to the Pueblo Mine on the Fish Lake
Road. The first 11 kilometers were built to the Big Chief and Grafter mines in
1907/08. Work stopped for 16 months when the price of copper declined but the
line was completed to the Pueblo Mine in August 1910. Ore trains operated
periodically, depending on ore prices, until mid-1918.
 Ore from the early Whitehorse copper mines was transported to the main
WP&YR railway line on the Copper Belt Spur Line. The line ended at the Pueblo
Mine - a planned extension of 2.4 kilometers to the War Eagle Mine was never
built.
 By 1927 the roadbed was washed out in places and culverts and trestles were in
disrepair. Rails and bridge timbers were salvaged by the United States Army,
during the construction of the Alaska Highway, and the materials were used to
expand railway sidings at Cowley, MacRae, Wigan, Utah and Whitehorse. Copper
mining resumed in the late 1950s and a little more than 11 kilometres of the
railway roadbed was upgraded to a mining haul road. The Trans Canada Trail now
follows part of the original Copper Belt Spur Line.
WP&YR Canada Div. (Whitehorse) 197

WP&YR – Wigan Station
Flag Stop
Named for Edward A. Wigan (1868-1942), early shareholder of the White Pass.
Minter, Roy (1987). The White Pass: Gateway to the Klondike. University of
Alaska Press. ISBN 0-912006-26-9., at page 175 (Edward A. Wigan).
198
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

WP&YR – Utah Yard
Utah, loading Anvil Ore cars
(1970's)
A large crane was used at the Utah
Yard to load the lead and zinc ore into
the railroad cars.
Utah Yard (2003) -
You can still see the area where the
railroad cars were loaded.
Railroad Siding & Ore Loading Yard
199
TOPO
Map
(CLICK)

White Pass Kenworth Truck #48306
1974 photo of WP&YR Ore Truck hauling
ore from the Anvil mines to the Utah Yard
for loading onto the ore train to Skagway.
New Trucks Arrive (1969)
Lots of trucks needed for the Anvil
Mine Ore Service.

WP&YR – Wye Station
The old engine house at Whitehorse Wye (1943)
WP&YR Maintenance Facility – Whitehorse, YT
201
TOPO
Map
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Old WP&YR engine house and
military site (1943)
This view from the airport down to
Whitehorse shows the area around
the old WP&YR yard.
Close-up of the Engine House
This enlargement shows a class
190 engine and some coal
gondolas at the Whitehorse engine
house and coal track.

Whitehorse Yard in the 50s or 60s

WP&YR – Whitehorse Station
Railroad Depot – Whitehorse, YT
204
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Map
(CLICK)

Whitehorse Depot in 1944
The original depot had just been
expanded on the north end.
Whitehorse Depot in 1954
A number of improvements had
been made over the decade.

Baldwin #72 at Whitehorse –
The train waiting for departure from
the Whitehorse station, sometime in
the early 50s. The old storage
buildings and crane still can be seen
on the right.
Baldwin #73 at Whitehorse –
The engine waiting at the front of
the ramp track, sometimes in the
late 50's.

Whitehorse -
Waterfron during WWII.
Whitehorse (1966)
A train from Skagway
arriving at Whitehorse.
Eric L. Johnson Collection

The crane had just been removed from the Whitehorse waterfront (Date unknown)

Presentation by: Dave Henderson
White Pass and Yukon Route
“Along The Route”
209 Email – dhend@kpunet.net

White Pass & Yukon Route

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