Plowing Ahead

Plowing Ahead. White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad. , Imagine the raw power and deafening roar of a 129-ton rotary snowplow as its circular blades carved through deep snow drifts often as high as 12 feet. The Cooke Rotary Snowplow, designed: No. 1" by railroad crewmen, often performed that task., The White Pass, at 2,865 feet receives significant snowfall from late September until early June. Snowplow No. 1 built 1899 was well suited to serve the early needs of the White Pass and Yukon Route, even during the harshest winter conditions., The boiler of No. 1 was used solely to turn the 10-foot rotary blades of the plow. The snowplow itself was pushed forward by two locomotives coupled behind the plow. Together this dynamo was able to slice through nearly impenetrable snow drifts., More modest in character were the contributions of Caboose 909. The Caboose often served as an office and quarters for the train crew. From the cupola, the elevated section of the caboose, crewmen could better inspect the train., Since 1898, the WP and YR's skilled crews have used a variety of rolling stock and other machinery to keep the railroad open and operational. Skagway's history as a transport hub is closely linked to the WP and YR and its many years of service.