White Pass #81 and #70 On The Beach

In 1977 the fledgling organization Sumpter Valley Railroad Restoration Inc. (SVRR) embarked on a very ambitious project. They had already pushed the boundaries of what conventional thinking says railroad and logging history buffs might accomplish, by acquiring and restoring the WH Eccles Lbr. Co. Heisler, laying track and operating it in the Sumpter Valley. The next big over the top project then was to bring former SVRy mikados #19 and #20 back from Skagway, Ak. Both engines had been sold to the White Pass & Yukon by the SVRy in 1941 where they became #81 and #80 respectively. SVRR founding member Nils Christsensen traveled to Skagway to make manage their recovery and shipment. As it turned out, other narrow gauge equipment would also be shipped south by barge. Here was see WP&Y #81/ SVRy #19 and WP&Y #70 on the beach being prepared for loading on a barge. It is fitting that the two engines be photographed together as it has been passed down by word of mouth that SVRy master mechanic Floyd Carpenter was consulted in the design of the 70 class engines. The scan is from the SVRR Archive.




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/2021 02:02PM by J.B.Bane.