Mark's Passenger Fun on His Passenger Run

Great Fun on My Passenger Run

Story and Photos by Mark Shumelda

Thanks to Mark for sending along all of these wonderful pictures and the accompanying story line!

First of all, a beautiful shot of Marcel’s UP train resting at Glen Hammond (crew must be on break).
(Remember, you can enlarge the images by clicking on them and return to the default look of the page by clicking outside them.)

I wanted to point out this beautiful custom-made Drover’s Caboose, which I recently purchased online.  The body is the combine #216 from the original (made in Germany) release of the LGB White Pass & Yukon cars, but LGB did not produce a Drover’s Caboose in White Pass livery at the time.  So somebody mated the roof from another LGB Drover’s Caboose onto this combine and painted the colours to match.  Looks awesome!

Here is Mark’s train for the day, fully lashed-up and ready for its adventure up the “mountain passes” and valleys of the IPP&W. (at least in the imagination, as that is what the real White Pass & Yukon Route does!)  The loco is a PIKO mogul and the cars are all LGB, from three different vintages - made in Germany, made in China and (most recently) made in Hungary.

Having received clearance to leave Douglas Yard (Craig Leigh passenger terminal not yet being open for the season) Number 52 heads down the steep grade to Mt. St. Helens.  The real White Pass would be heading up the mountain past Skagway at this point, but never mind… :-)

Passing through Mt. St. Helens.

Gorgeous picture of the mine on the way to Ironwood.  The passengers aboard must be dutifully impressed!

Hopefully no coal falls on them!  (We’ve forgotten to take along some hopper cars just in case…)  Custom Drover’s Caboose looks lovely bringing up the rear.

On we go through an empty Ironwood.  Track all clear!

And at Spruce we have a lovely meet with Bernie’s train.  Bernie kindly agreed to park in the siding to let #52 steam through on the main.  One can see just in this shot how vastly the track work and capacity at Spruce have been improved thanks to the new renovations implemented by Fred and all who have worked diligently with him over the last few weeks.  Look how many cars Bernie is switching!  And there’s room to spare!

Here we are rounding a corner, showing off all that beautiful dark green and red White Pass livery.  Bernie is assembling a long consist in the background.

The #52 Mogul finally gets a chance to show its chops as it navigates the first grade upwards on the railroad so far - this is climbing the hill towards the Blockhouse, Lily and the FallenTree Mine on the way into Nelson Yard.

Having easily conquered the grade, we steam through the gorgeous trestle.  Now this really looks like the mighty mountain passes of the Yukon/Alaska border!

Having received clearance from the (ghost) yardmaster at Nelson, #52 arrives to find, sadly, the yard deserted and empty.  :-(  Not a soul in sight.  So as not to frighten the passengers aboard, we steam away from the eerie emptiness in the hopes of finding another train to befriend somewhere down the line...

Bellamy Junction of course affords us the opportunity to cut over to the RP&M railway, but we decide to stick with the IPP&W and continue on to Peter’s Pond.  Some of the passengers have heard rumours that the pond has sadly suffered a misfortune.  Let’s go investigate.



Gorgeous rear view of the passenger train as it makes its way through Mercer’s Siding.

The same view, but from the front!

And here we have arrived at Peter’s Pond.  Alas, the sad rumours are true and the pond is no more.  However, we have reason to be happy as we see another train off in the distance (those with keen eyes might spy Marcel in the background).  Let’s catch up to them!

The passengers are no longer lonely as they call out to the crew in Marcel’s gorgeous bay window caboose.  We finally see another train on the line!  Beautiful shot of the two trains on the opposite side of the mine, heading to two different parts of the IPP&W.

An opportunity for #52 to climb another hill as we ascend Watkins Siding and onwards to Bell of course.

Passing the industries at Bell.

We could have ended our journey now at Fir Grove, but what’s the fun in that?  (It was deserted anyways).  So the engineer decides to cut into the RP&M railway now in order to extend the run and extend the fun!  Down we go towards Pratt’s Bottom and the flag stop that is (usually) there, waiting with Playmobil figures.

Hello world!  #52 rounds the bend at Ferndale, and the passengers aboard are awestruck by the views of the “outside world”.

Beautiful picture of #52 emerging from the archway.

We passed Glen Hammond and rejoined the IPP&W.  The engineer is offering the passengers a gorgeous view of the (sadly) empty Nelson Yard and the entire railway.  From this high vantage point it really is like the White Pass & Yukon Route - one can see for miles out to the horizon in every direction.

We are well on our way for the return trip back home.  Here the train is crossing the beautiful “mountain” trestle, approaching from the other direction of course.

Just like the real mountain passes in Alaska!

The dense vegetation at Lily truly resembles the lush, thick mountain forests of the Yukon.  The passengers feel just like home!

Another chance to practice a “steep” climb up the incline towards Spruce.

On through Spruce and past Ironwood - we are almost back home!  Love that mine in the background (and no, there was no coal spilled on the passengers this time…)

Up the final grade to Douglas Yard (yes we did receive clearance from the “ghost” yardmaster).

White Pass & Yukon Route #52 has made is safely over hill and dale, out and back, and finally returned home!  That was so much fun!  All of the passengers say “we hope to run on the IPP&W again!"

Thanks, once again, Mark for your phenomenal images and joyful story line.  What a treat it was to read!
All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada