Photographer's Note
Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow gauge railroad is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, a designation shared with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.
The WP&YR railway was considered an impossible task but it was literally blasted through coastal mountains in only 26 months.
The $10 million project was the product of British financing, American engineering and Canadian contracting. Tens of thousands of men and 450 tons of explosives overcame harsh and challenging climate and geography to create "the railway built of gold."
The WP&YR climbs almost 3000 feet in just 20 miles and features steep grades of up to 3.9%, cliff-hanging turns of 16 degrees, two tunnels and numerous bridges and trestles. The steel cantilever bridge was the tallest of its kind in the world when it was constructed in 1901.
The 110 mile WP&YR Railroad was completed with the driving of the golden spike on July 29, 1900 in Carcross Yukon connecting the deep water port of Skagway Alaska to Whitehorse Yukon and beyond to northwest Canada and interior Alaska.
White Pass & Yukon Route became a fully integrated transportation company operating docks, trains, stage coaches, sleighs, buses, paddlewheelers, trucks, ships, airplanes, hotels and pipelines. It provided the essential infrastructure servicing the freight and passenger requirements of Yukon's population and mining industry. WP&YR proved to be a successful transportation innovator and pioneered the inter-modal (ship-train-truck) movement of containers.
The WP&YR suspended operations in 1982 when Yukon's mining industry collapsed due to low mineral prices. The railway was reopened in 1988 as a seasonal tourism operation and served 37,000 passengers. Today, the WP&YR is Alaska's most popular shore excursion carrying over 450,000 passengers during the May to September tourism season operating on the first 67.5 miles (Skagway, Alaska to Carcross, Yukon) of the original 110 mile line.
Yes, this was one of the highlites of our Alaska Cruise - a ride on this infamous train. The day was bright but very cool as the train wound it's way up the mountains. I stood outside on a little platform between two cars almost the whole way to get at least some fairly good shots of this train - and was thoroughly chilled by the time we reached the destination (We rode a tour bus back down the mountain). Here we were passing through lower altitude areas but in my next post, you will see the same train traversing the deep snow at higher elevations.
Critiques | Translate
jonathan_hart
(21276) 2009-07-02 16:38
the curve is perfect, you captured this at the right moment, the framing is well balanced and the train make a very nice bonus thanks to it's colors
jc
danyy
(0) 2009-07-02 22:28
Bonjour Gerald,
toujours ces paysages enchanteurs, avec des blancs raffraichissants et bien exposιs. Beaucoup de profondeur et une touche colorιe moins naturelle apportιe par le train.
Amicalement.
Daniel.
bakes888
(18499) 2009-07-02 23:38
Hi Gerald. Wonderful scenery and beautifully captured. We visited Skagway in 2007 but for some reason never took the train, wish we had now of course. Good to see the train in shot. nice work and thanks for sharing.
Have a good weekend, Paul.
Nicou
(193806) 2009-07-03 0:33
Hello,
Merveilleuse vue, qui allie payasage et moyen de transport, ce train colorι qui s'enfonce dans ce merveilleux dιcoar, grandisoe captage.
Bravo et amitiι
Nicou
PixelTerror
(0) 2009-07-03 3:40
Hi Gerald
I'm always in for a train image, I like here how it traces the perspective into the frame
Have a nice day JY
Cretense
(68709) 2009-07-03 3:46
Hi Gerald!
The passing train adds some brilliant colours to the already beautiful landscape! Great composition and framing, excellent light managment! congratulations!
Hercules
jplebrun
(21208) 2009-07-03 4:34
Hi Gerald
superbe clichι de ce train qui passe en pleine montagne avec un dιcor ΰ couper le souffle, trθs belle prise de vue, bravo.
Amitiιs
Jean-Pierre
Dyerco
(10185) 2009-07-03 7:25
Well done Gerald.
I have been here twice now but both times it was too socked in to enjoy the views from the train ride. You have caught the train just right. Those bends provide us with excellent opportunities to photograph the train.
Phil
feather
(51130) 2009-07-03 9:05
Your POV to take this image sounds extremely dangerous! Nevertheless it was worth it to get this image, as the train is an excellent lead-in as well as being an eye-catcher in bright colours. Well done
Kath
Silvio1953
(205611) 2009-07-03 10:43
Ciao Gerald, splendid mountain landscape and wonderful train, great light and colors, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio
COSTANTINO
(104089) 2009-07-03 11:16
Hello
what a marvellous picture...
No words for this amazing view,the snowy mountains
in the background,the train with the red and greenyellow
colours,vivid tones of this composition
The best choise is the blue amazing colour of the sky
I like it..
have a nice and happy week end
regards
Costantino
dareco
(17136) 2009-07-03 14:05
I always enjoy watching the trains weave their way through the mountains. Also a great photo subject. Good composition and detail. TFS
vmf-214
(1648) 2009-07-03 22:17
Hi Gerald,
Beautiful scenery and a wonderful POV of the train going around bend, The color contrast is prefect and very nicely done on the sharpness. Great job Gerald.
Best regards
Jason.
xuaxo
(6854) 2009-07-04 6:47
Hi Gerald,
Very interesting colorful train, in an amazing landscape. Good composition.
Greetings,
Francisco
stevesaba
(8167) 2009-07-04 8:36
Hi Gerald!
Really great composition, and one that we don't see so much of. What an adventure. Nice addition to your gallery. Nice work! Regards,
Steve
Cricri
(176) 2009-07-04 14:01
Hi Gerald
Un paysage de contraste entre le froid et le chaud ainsi que les couleurs vive du train capturer au bon moment, trιs belle image
Have a nice week end
cricri
Waylim
(25436) 2009-07-05 22:02
Hi Gerald,
Beautiful composition, and I love the way the train lead us into the beautiful landscape, the snow mountain under such blue sky, so clear and sharpe. Such image make me dream of going to Alaska soon. Really great shot. I hope when I do get there, the weather is this nice. Thanks.
Way
jemaflor
(135344) 2009-07-06 11:55
Hi Gerald,
Beautiful landscape, well this colourful train well placed in your composition, good timing, nicce result.
pauloog
(11751) 2009-07-11 2:20
Hello Gerald,
A fine scene and a witness of the difficulites to get a train track through this scenery. An impressive view.
Regards,
Paul
gunbud
(34066) 2009-07-11 7:51
Hi Gerald,
Lovely remote scene with the colorful train hugging the mountainside as it chugs towards the distant snow capped peaks.
Strong clear colors and excellent sharpness to this far off scene.
Regards, Tom
InasiaJones
(31566) 2009-07-14 1:03
Hi Gerald,
Trains shots are often associated with european countries, where the network is so much more developped and most of the time passing through gorgeous landscapes.
But this scene doesn't have anything to envy to our cousins from the other side of the Atlantic; it's absolutely awesome. I really like the rugged surrounding and its warm tones that allow the train to stand out so nicely. I am also admiring the composition, with a strong diagonal that cross the frame from one side to the other.
Particularly interesting note!
Warm regards,
Andrι
Graal
(103040) 2009-07-22 0:17
Hi Gerald,
good shot and well composed image. Great mountains and Alaskan landscape. Fine caught moment with the train. I like it a lot. An interesting informations in note.
Gr., Aleksander
pablominto
(53746) 2009-07-27 6:29
Hello Gerald,
Great landscape, great colours, great lines!
The scene is in a fine balance, with the rails and colourful train as good lead-in...
The early spring atmosphere is well conveyed!
Greetings,
Pablo -
Photo Information
-
Copyright: Gerald Neufeld (gneufeld)
(15890)
- Genre: Τοποθεσίες
- Medium: Έγχρωμο
- Date Taken: 2009-05-11
- Categories: Φύση, Μετακίνηση
- Camera: Nikon D80 DSLR, Nikkor 18-200 VR, AF-S, Nikon Circular Polarizer II
- Έκδοση φωτογραφίας: Πρωτότυπη έκδοση
- Date Submitted: 2009-07-02 15:09
Discussions
- To feather: Dangerous... (3)
by gneufeld, last updated 2009-07-03 02:11 - To Dyerco: weather (1)
by gneufeld, last updated 2009-07-03 09:26