White Pass & Yukon Route first revenue train

July 21, 1898 marked the start of regular service on the White Pass & Yukon Route, a narrow-gauge marvel built to serve gold rush prospectors. Engineered by Michael J. Heney through rugged coastal mountains, the line featured steep grades and the famous Dead Horse Gulch. It connected Skagway, Alaska to the Yukon interior, transporting miners and supplies efficiently. The railroad's success demonstrated narrow-gauge viability in extreme terrain and later became a heritage line preserving steam operations for enthusiasts.