White Pass & Yukon Route Begins Service

July 1, 1898 marked the start of regular operations on the White Pass & Yukon Route, a narrow-gauge line built to serve gold rush prospectors. Overcoming steep grades and harsh terrain with switchbacks and tunnels, the railway quickly became vital for freight and passengers. Founded by British investors, it connected coastal Alaska to interior Yukon. The line's survival into the modern era as a heritage and freight carrier demonstrates the lasting impact of gold-rush era infrastructure.