Update: Service has been restored.
SKAGWAY, AK – A major washout of the White Pass railbed at MilePost 37, located between Log Cabin and Bennett BC, has delayed the start of scheduled rail service to Carcross.
Passenger rail service between Fraser BC and Carcross Yukon, scheduled to start Friday May 22, will be suspended until further notice. Passengers booked for travel during the suspension period are being accommodated with a combination of rail and motorcoach service.
Gary C. Danielson, President of the White Pass says, “This is a very challenging situation, but we are confident that together with our partners, we will be able to adapt and still provide a memorable experience to our visitors.”
“As soon as we are able to restore the line, we will resume service. However, in the short term, we are exploring options to provide day trips from Carcross into Bennett.”
“The beauty and history of the Southern Lakes District is a unique experience that has been well received by the cruise lines and independent travelers. WP&YR’s historic eating house at Lake Bennett, and Parks Canada’s Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site are iconic elements of this experience. We’ll get through the challenge of this major washout and consider developing a new product in the interim”, Gary concluded.
The White Pass & Yukon Route narrow gauge railway was built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush and is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark – a designation shared with icons like the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. The WP&YR is Alaska’s most popular shore excursion and North America’s busiest tourist railroad, carrying 437,660 passengers in 2008.
White Pass & Yukon Route is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tri-White Corporation based in Toronto, Ontario. The Tri-White Corporation is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange as TWH.