Re: WP&Y - Rotary ON

ROW Explorer Wrote:
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> I went on a similar exploratory trip back in 1996
> with a goal of reaching the recently unearthed
> Rotary ON. I heard that it had been dug up around
> the time that the White Pass rotary was being
> restored. It was interesting but sad to see the
> various parts strewn around with sand and rock
> gumming up the works. At that time there was two
> rusty locomotive hulks out in the backyard. I saw
> a number of miscellaneous parts along the grade on
> my adventure.
>
> [attachment 46023 RotaryONSkagway_1996.jpg]

Yes, I saw ON from the train in 2011....still exposed, perhaps even more so. The weeds had grown up, so it was difficult to get a clean shot of it. During the rotary trip, someone from the RR indicated that they had dug up on to find parts to make patterns to support Rotary #1. What wasn't clear to me was what ON and Rotary #1 might have in common. Both were Alco Cooke products. I believe that ON was built about 8 or 10 years before #1. Rotary #1 looks nothing like the Rio Grande Plows today. Her wood-sided cab has been totally rebuilt with steel sheets and she looks like an armored vehicle. I guess the White Pass folks decided they weren't going to risk getting crushed by slides or falling rocks.

/Kevin Madore