White Pass & Yukon Route

The White Pass & Yukon Route railroad was designated an International Historic Landmark in 1995. This is an honor shared with other civil engineering marvels of the world such as the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.

The WP&YR has been declared the 17th engineering marvel of the world!

Construction began in 1898, and was completed in 1900 at a cost of $10 million.

The WP&YR climbs from sea level in Skagway, Alaska to almost 3,000 feet at the summit in just 20 miles, and features steep grades of almost 3.9%

The tight curves, (16 degrees), required narrow gauge; 3-feet apart rails.

Six new, National Railway Equipment Company, (Mount Vernon, Illinois), Diesel-Electric engines have just been added to the fleet: two painted the traditional green and yellow livery and four in the modified black and red.

There are 86 restored and replica passenger coaches . . . all named for lakes and rivers in Alaska, Yukon and British Columbia and are on average 44-years old. The oldest car, "Lake Emerald," was built in 1883.