Re: Alaska Dispatch News: Skagway and its Alaska-Canada railroad at critical junction (WP&Y)

Things in Skaguay are not all Rosey, unfortunately. My friends who still work there as well as some residents, are telling me there's a bit of trouble in "River City."

Despite the large profits, as in many cases like WP&YR's (see also Grand Canyon Railway,) where local companies are now controlled by mega-corps, things are not as good as they seem.

In just the past couple of years, maintenance is not happening. I hear stories of scrambling just to find servicable engines for trains .... many are out bad-ordered. Track maintenance is also being put on the back burners, I hear. Morale is reported to be low.

I hate it when these huge Capitalist Conglomerates take over good outfits and proceed to bleed them. Once upon a time, we had regular summer steam on the G.C., too.

There is definitely a pollution problem in Skagway .... I am constanlty hearing about this person or that person there who has come down with cancer .... seems almost like an epidemic for a small town.

I guess we will see what happens.

Skip Luke
Switchman (ret): Grand Canyon Railway;
Engineer (ret): Georgetown Loop RR Inc., Sumpter Valley Ry., Monticello & Sangamon Valley;
Dispatcher(ret): Illinois Central, White Pass & Yukon, Burlington Northern Ry.
Mariner, Musician, Miner