A White Pass and Yukon Route train. (Flickr John 6536)
White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad is overhauling its railway service to keep up with the growing number of visitors to Skagway.
According to White Pass Strategic Planning Director Tyler Rose, the renovations include a turning loop and a pair of passing sidings between the summit and Skagway.
“We’ve created just under a mile long loop at the top, so we no longer have to stop and disconnect locomotives. We can just continue on that loop. In addition to that, with two passing tracks, one at roughly fourteen mile and one at roughly four mile, we’re able to run trains in a circuit. It’s no longer all four of those summit trains head up at the same time and all four come back down at the same time. They’ll be able to pass. And that continuous motion will allow us greater opportunity for more departures for passengers,” Rose said.
In addition, the company is refurbishing its train cars and locomotives.
Hamilton Manufacturing in Washington is currently sprucing up 10 cars with new paint. The company is also carrying out a rebuild of White Pass’s steam engine 73. The steamer will undergo testing this winter and will be shipped back to Skagway to enter service in June.
White Pass is also shopping for a brand new fleet of locomotives. Rose says that the current fleet doesn’t suit the future needs of the company.
“They’ve been well-maintained by our staff for quite some time, but we’re at a point where in order to meet the increased capacity and have greater durability we’re looking towards some different options for new locomotives,” Rose said. “We’re taking some time in this process to make sure that it doesn’t only meet our power needs, but also the aesthetic.”
Meanwhile, the railroad continues permitting to construct two floating platforms called mooring dolphins at the end of the Railroad Dock. The moorages will accommodate larger cruise ships. Rose anticipates that construction will begin in early February.
