White Pass & Yukon Mikados

The White Pass & Yukon Railroad was built during the Klondike gold rush days to provide rail service to the Yukon. By 1900, 110 miles of narrow-gauge track were built from the port at Skagway Alaska, over the spectacular White Pass, through British Columbia and on into Whitehorse in the Yukon.

Unlike many of its contemporaries, the WP&Y survived the 1930s depression, boomed during WW II building the Alaska Highway, added diesel power in the 1960s and pioneered multi-modal containerized shipping.

In 1982, the major mines in the Yukon were closed and as a result the WP&Y ceased operations. In 1988 the WP&Y was reopened from Skagway, AK to Bennett in British Columbia as a tourist railroad.

The WP&Y offers scenic train excursions to cruise ship passengers and independent travelers out of Skagway, Alaska, a restored gold rush town and headquarters of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Between June and August, the WP&Y offers special steam excursions, using Steam Engine No. 73, between Skagway and Lake Bennett, British Columbia. . For more information see the WP&Y Home Page. http://www.whitepassrailroad.com/

There are seven surviving WP&Y 2-8-2 “Mikado” type locomotives. They are numbers 70-73, 190, 192 and 195 located as shown in the following table.

Survivor Locations
Number	Gauge	Location	City & State	Status
70	36”	Dollywood	Pigeon Forge, TN	Operational
71	36”	Dollywood	Pigeon Forge, TN	Restoration
72	36”	Dollywood	Pigeon Forge, TN	Stored
73	36”	Engine House	Skagway, AK	Operational
190	36”	Tweetsie Railroad	Blowing Rock, NC	Operational
192	36”	Dollywood	Pigeon Forge, TN	Operational
195	36”	Trail of ’98 Museum	7th & Spring Sts. Skakway, AK	Display

WP&Y 2-8-2 Roster
Qty.	Road Numbers	Year Built	Builder	Notes
2	70 & 71	1938	Baldwin
2	72 & 73	1947	Baldwin
2	80 & 81	1920	ALCO	1
11	190-200	1943	Baldwin
7	250-256	1923	ALCO	2

Notes

Specifications
Road Numbers:	70-73	80-81	190-200	250-256
Wheel Arrangement:	2-8-2	2-8-2	2-8-2	2-8-2
Length:			62’-2”	62’-9 ½”
Drivers:	44” dia.	44” dia.	48” dia.	44” dia.
Weight on Drivers:	108,000 lbs.		80,000 lbs.	113,500 lbs.
Total Locomotive Weight:	145,000 lbs.		118,000 lbs.	156,000 lbs.
Locomotive & Tender Weight:	238,000 lbs.	224,000 lbs.	211,000 lbs.	254,500 lbs.
Grate Area:	35.0 sq. ft.		27.6 sq. ft.	30.17 sq. ft.
Cylinders (dia. x stroke):	(2) 17” x 22”	(2) 19” x 20”	(2) 16” x 24”	(2) 18” x 22”
Boiler Pressure:	215 psi	170 psi	185 psi	200 psi
Tractive Effort:	26,400 lbs.	23,700 lbs.	20,128 lbs.	27,540 lbs.
Tender Capacity:
Water:	4,000 gals.		5,000 gals.	5,000 gals.
Coal:	8 tons		9 tons	8 tons

White Pass & Yukon Mikados

Notes

Photos

References