Steam & Excursion > Canadian Steam 2

For the second Canadian installment, we travel to the far north and the White Pass and Yukon RR. The line runs partly in the U.S. ending (or starting) in Skagway, Alaska. All photos taken on a June, 2007 Trains Unlimited Tours event.  First: Charter freight at Bennett Lake, Yukon Territories. The WP&Y service train is also stopped at the Station/Eating House.  Second: 2-8-2- No. 73 along a lake near Fraser. Third: This is what a photo line looks like whey you aren't in the photo line. This trip didn't run as advertised. On the third day,  Even though we had paid for all exclusive private charters, we were told we would be riding the regular passenger train but there would be "one or two" runpasts in route.....complete with five car loads of happy, mostly "daisy picker"  passengers. So one of the two tour guides, myself and one other tour participant decided to chase the train by road instead. We achieved way more than we would have if we had ridden the train.

Such was the TUT world with Chris Skow and his habit of embellishing (I'm being kind) the itinerary of his tours. Of course, most of us know the company went bankrupt, keeping many client's paid moneys for tours that never ran in the process.  That being said, running charters on the WP&Y had become increasingly difficult through the years. With army's of cruise ship passengers invading Skagway, the railway became more insistent on concentrating on their core business. Often, the promised steam locomotive was taken at the last minute to pull the service trains a short distance out of Skagway for the cruise ship passengers delight, even though most probably had no clue what the power was up front or could care less. In fact, now the line is owned by Carnival Cruise Lines....so it's doubtful that events like this can ever be repeated. 

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Each photo would make a great magazine centerspread.
Bob

That first image is IOTD material for sure.

No. 1, especially, is stunning.

I remember that trip and by improvising we actually got some great shots that the majority
of the other participants didn't.  There was another spot where the engine passed in front
of a waterfall that was really neat.  We were allowed to get off the train and get some very
unique shots of the diesel tourist trains approaching the tunnel with the high trestle.  That
won't happen again.

There was ANOTHER trip to Skagway where the promoter promised BOTH steam
steam engines would be used and never advised the participants that one of the engines
was being worked on and wouldn't be available.  No refunds were given.  Kind of like
paying for "a steak dinner and getting a cheeseburger."

# 1  is a very nice photo.

I am enjoying your series.

JBWX

Great photos! Been there myself, and loved it. Just for the record, the station of Bennett (photo 1) is actually in British Columbia.