Our membership voted at last Monday’s meeting and the winners for our January 2024 photo contest were Bill Farrell 1st Place and Cooper Smith 2nd, Place. Congratulations to you both and our next contest will run the full month of March!
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This a reminder that our chapter calendars will be at the Monday night meeting. They are 15.00 each until they run out if you pick them up. If you want them mailed then the price is $20.00 each. eMail Bill Farrell if you want one by mail! They are not calendars of dates, but chapter art work by our members.
Photo by the late Jerry Mart, submitted by Chris Dees. From “The Short Line” magazine, 1982.
From Gary Ostlund
The caption reads: “A steamship passenger’s introduction to the White Pass & Yukon was the view of the train from the ship as she stood on the wharf at Skagway, Alaska The loco seems eager to climb White Pass, portal of legendary Klondike.” This undated scene could be 40s/50s vintage, and is repeated to this day, albiet with Love Boat style liners, and mostly diesel locomotives. (Automobiles help dating old pictures, but none are close or clear enough to assist)
Nudging closer to the dock, this ship is undoubtedly one of the Canadian Pacific Princess liners out of Vancouver, B.C. The tourists will enjoy a scenic ride over the pass to Bennett, maybe on to Carcross or all the way to Whitehorse, Y.T., about 110 miles north.
The 36′ narrow gauge line was built at the height of the Klondike Gold Rush of 98, offering rail service beginning August 1, 1900. During World War II it supported the defense of Alaska and the continental U. S. hauling construction equipment for building the ALCAN Hiway, communications support, and volumes of petroleum. Eventually a pipeline was installed over the pass. The US Army took over operations at that time.
Post WW2 saw this line pioneer cargo containerization. The SS Clifford Rogers called regularly, with containers to be placed on flatcars. These were smaller than what we see double-stacked on today’s RRs. Ore was shipped out of the Y.T. in special containers for smelters in Canada and the U.S.
The line was closed in 1982. A highway had been built over the pass and into Skagway, mines had closed for a variety of reasons. After 6 years, public support and the cruise line industry made for favorable economics and the line is open to Bennett and Carcross, running several “boat” trains as traffic warrants.
Submitted by Gary Ostlund.
Credits: J. Norman Lowe collection, seen in RAILROAD Magazine, February 1973
Our goal is to put one of the Last L&N Steam Engines in the world back to work pulling excursion trains for our museum, as well as educate the public regarding the heritage of Kentucky’s Railroads and the people who built them. The L&N 152 needs both boiler and running gear work.
Please visit the Crew 152 Facebook page for the most up to date information and photos. Work continues on the drivers of Kentucky Railway Museum’s steam locomotive 152. You can see some great videos by That Steam Guy on the museum’s Facebook page. Check it out!