List of White Pass and Yukon Route locomotives and cars

White Pass steam locomotives

Locomotives with dark grey have been scrapped, while locomotives with light grey have been either put on display, or sold to other railroads.

White Pass gasoline-mechanical locomotives

Locomotives with dark grey have been scrapped, while locomotives with light grey have been either put on display, or sold to other railroads.

White Pass diesel-electric locomotives

Locomotives with dark grey have been scrapped, while locomotives with light grey have been either put on display, or sold to other railroads.

White Pass passenger cars

Cars with dark grey have been scrapped, while cars with light grey have been either put on display, or sold to other railroads.

Existing White Pass freight train cars

cars with light grey have been either put on display, or sold to other railroads.

Existing White Pass track cars

cars with light grey have been either put on display, or sold to other railroads.

Existing White Pass car bodies detached from trucks

Car bodies with light grey have been either put on display or sold.

Existing White Pass off-rail maintenance equipment

Equipment with light grey have been either put on display or sold.

Origins of White Pass passenger car names

Aishihik (##264, 380) was derived from a Southern Tutchone metaphor, which literally means below its tail, and figuratively refers to the shape of Aishihik Lake.

Alsek (#314) was derived from a Tlingit verb theme, which means a person habitually rests. It was the name of a village located on the original Upper Alsek River (now the Tatshenshini River), and near the subsequent Southern Tutchone village of Noogaayík (Nuqwa'ik).

Annie Lake (#360) was named for Annie Austin (1870–1950), widow of Charles "Dawson Charlie" Henderson (co-discoverer of gold in the Klondike).

Atlin (#218) was derived from a Tlingit phrase, which means large lake.

Bare Loon Lake (2nd 202) is the lake just to the west of Mile Post 37, in which 1970's Chilkoot Trail hikers skinny dipped and heard loons wail. Bare Loon Lake is un-officially named "Beaver Lake."

“Beaver Lake” (#388) is the un-official name for Bare Loon Lake, just to the west of Mile Post 37. There are at least 14 other “Beaver Lake”s in British Columbia.

Bennett Lake (#240) was named for James Gordon Bennett, Jr. (1841–1918), son of the founder of the New York Herald. Originally, one of at least four lakes which bore the Tlingit name kusawa (narrow lake).

Bernard Lake (2nd 209) is un-officially named "Fraser Lake." Bernard was J. Bernard "Ben" Moore (1865–1919), who helped establish the White Pass Trail.

Big Kalzas Lake (2nd 230) was named for Kalzas (fl. 1859), an Indian employee of the Hudson's Bay Co.

Big Salmon Lake (##276, 352) was renamed after the Big Salmon River about 1898; previously had been named "Island Lake." Big Salmon is the English name given to the river, whose Southern Tutchone name means water in which there is large chinook (king) salmon.

Black Lake (#216) is a lake on the White Pass Trail, between Klondike Highway Mile Posts 4 and 5, which is dark because it contains tannic acid and is not glacially fed.

Chilkat (2nd 205) appears to consist of the Tlingit words chíl (storehouse) and gaat (sockeye [red] salmon). The word, therefore, appears to mean sockeye salmon storehouse. However, “Chíl-gaat|Cache-salmon|” would consist only of two alienable nouns, which is not a common Tlingit compound. One theory is that Chilkat was shortened from a longer, grammatically more common, Tlingit phrase which included the word chíl. Another theory is that Chilkat was borrowed from an Eyak phrase meaning among caches.

Chilkoot (2nd 204) is a Tlingit phrase which means the flooded storehouse. It corresponds to the sentence chíl-li-koo-t, which means the storehouse is flooded (koot is the participle form of li-koot). The name refers to the legendary destruction of a village named X’āastayeekwáan (People Under the Waterfall). The village is said to have been located near the head of the lower Chilkoot River. Part of a cliff named Léik’wk’ (Little Red Snapper) broke off and fell into Chilkoot Lake. This created a large wave that flooded the river, the village, and the village storehouse(s). Afterwards, a new village was established, named Lkoot (It’s Flooded). Its residents became known as Chilkoot.

Choutla (#366) was derived from a Southern Tutchone idiom, which figuratively refers to the waterfalls that feed Choutla Lake. Literally, it means laughing water.

Copper River (#304) was named for abundant copper deposits along the upper river.

Cowley Lake (#234) was named for Isaac Cowley Lambert (1850–1909), chairman of the construction company which built the White Pass railroad.

Crag Lake (#362) was named for the crag overlooking the lake.

Crater Lake (3rd 201) is the lake just north of Chilkoot Pass, British Columbia, which looks like a crater.

Dease Lake (#280) was named for Peter Warren Dease (1788–1863), chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Co.

Dewey Lake (#220) most likely named for Adm. George Dewey (1837–1917), U.S. Navy.

Dezadeash (#254) was derived from a Tlingit phrase, which means a snare platform (for fishing).

Drury Lake (#336) was named for William S. Drury (1870–1953) of Taylor & Drury, Yukon merchants.

Emerald Lake (##244, 254) is a lake containing a marl bed, which reflects green light from the surrounding trees.

Fairweather (##278, 356) is a mountain, so named in 1778 by Capt. James Cook because he had experienced good weather when he saw it.

Fantail (2nd 203) is a dogsled hitch in which there is a separate tug line connecting each dog to the sled. The dogs are thereby fanned out in front of the sled. Also known as a fan hitch. Fantail Lake was a part of the Fantail Trail, the winter dogsled trail that extended between Log Cabin and Atlin, British Columbia.

Finlayson Lake (#340) was named for Duncan Finlayson (1796–1862), chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Co.

Fortymile River (#322) was so named because it joins the Yukon River 40 miles below (west-northwest of) Old Fort Reliance.

Fox Lake (#390) is the name of three different lakes in southern Yukon.

Frances Lake (#364) was named for Lady Frances Simpson (1812–1853), wife of Hudson's Bay Co. governor, George Simpson.

“Fraser Lake” (1st 200, #226) is the unofficial name for Bernard Lake. Mr. Fraser was Duncan C. Fraser (1845–1910), a Member of Parliament from Nova Scotia. A larger and more famous lake in British Columbia is officially named Fraser Lake.

Goat Lake (#386) is 1921 feet above (one mile east of) Bridge 9-A and supplies the water for Pitchfork Falls.

Samuel H. Graves (1852-1911) (#402) was the first president of White Pass. In 1885, Graves had become an associate of Close Brothers, the firm that later financed the White Pass.

Michael J. Heney (1864-1910) (#400) was the labor contractor who built the White Pass railroad.

Homan Lake (2nd 208) was named for Charles A. Homan (1848–1944), U.S. Army topographer who accompanied Lt. Schwatka along the Yukon River in 1883.

Hutshi (#358) was derived from a Tlingit phrase, which means last lake.

Jennings Lake (#374) was named for William T. Jennings (1846–1906), civil engineer who assessed various railroad and road routes to the Yukon.

Johns Lake (#332) was named for John (fl. 1907), a sled dog of Joseph Keele (Joseph, 1861–1923).

Kathleen Lake (#270) was named for a girl in the Scottish Highlands, left behind by William "Scotty" Hume (1868–1950), a North-West Mounted Police constable (Reg. #2259) stationed on the Dalton Trail in the late 1890s.

Klondike (#308) was derived from a Hän term, which means hammer river. Hammers had been used to erect barriers in the Klondike River, in order to catch Chinook (king) salmon. Literally, it may mean Chinook Salmon River. Hammer River may be a figurative meaning which evolved because of the way in which the salmon were caught.

Kluane (#258) was derived from a hybrid word, consisting of the Southern Tutchone word for whitefish, plus the Tlingit word for place.

Klukshu (##282, 348) was derived from a Tlingit phrase, which means end of the coho salmon.

Kusawa (#286) was derived from a Tlingit phrase, which means narrow lake. Because retreating glaciers often leave long and narrow lakes, there are at least four lakes which had borne this Tlingit name, including the present day Kusawa Lake.

LeBarge (#256) is a misspelling of the surname of Michael Laberge (1837–1909), a Yukon River explorer who never actually saw the lake named for him.

Lewes (#268) is a misspelling of the surname of Alfred B. Lewis (1866–1928), chief locating engineer of the White Pass railroad.

Liard (#316) is the French word for eastern cottonwood.

Lindeman Lake (#222) was named for Dr. Moritz K. A. Lindeman (1823–1908), secretary to the Bremen Geographical Society.

Mackenzie River (#310) was named for Sir Alexander Mackenzie (1764–1820), Arctic explorer.

Marsh Lake (#224) was named for Prof. Othniel C. Marsh (1831–1899), of Yale University. The Tagish name for Marsh Lake was Taagish-áai (lake that contains breakup water).

Mayo Lake (#236) was named for Alfred H. Mayo (1846–1923), a Yukon trader.

McClintock Lake (##288, 350) was named for Adm. Sir Francis L. McClintock (1819–1907), an Arctic explorer.

McConnell Lake (#372) was named for Charles McConnell (1871–1946), postmaster at Robinson station.

McNeil Lake (#342) possibly named for James H. McNeill (1871-1951), Yukon Superintendent of Public Roads and Buildings, 1917-1945.

McQuesten Lake (#338) was named for LeRoy N. "Jack" McQuesten (1836–1909), Yukon trader.

Morrow Lake (2nd 207) was named for William Richard Morrow (1915–1968), Yukon corrections director, who proposed that convicts maintain the Chilkoot Trail.

Muncho (#252) was derived from a Kaska term, which means big lake.

Munroe Lake (#344) was named for Alexander Munro (1857-1949), boundary survey axe man who broke his leg near this lake in 1901.

Nakina River (#382) was named for the Tlingit village of Naak'ina.áa, which means people situated upstream.

Nares Lake (2nd 206) was named for Adm. Sir George S. Nares (1831–1915), an Arctic explorer.

Nisutlin (#272) was a name used by the Tagish Indians. Nevertheless, its origin was neither Tagish nor Tlingit. Most likely, from a Southern Tutchone phrase, which means strong flow.

Peace River (#330) was so named because a territorial war between the Cree and Danezaa Indians was settled along this river in 1781.

Peel River (#326) was named for Sir Robert Peel (1788–1850), prime minister of Great Britain.

Pelly Lake (#346) was named for Sir John H. Pelly (1777–1852), governor of the Hudson's Bay Co.

Pelly River (#320) was named for Sir John H. Pelly (1777–1852), governor of the Hudson's Bay Co.

Porcupine River (#324) is a tributary on the west side of the Skagway River, near Klondike Highway Mile Post 6, and across the river from W.P.&Y.R. Mile Post 7.3.

“Portage Lake” (#267) is the un-official name for the lake at W.P.&Y.R. Mile Post 30.5, just north of Shallow Lake and just south of Maud Lake. Originally, Áak’w Sáani (Cute Little Lake in Tlingit). Then, un-officially “Shallow Lake,” until that name became the official name for the lake just to the south.

Primrose Lake (#274) was named for Supt. Philip C. H. Primrose (1864–1937), North-West Mounted Police (Reg. #O.56).

Racine Lake (#384) was named for Cariste Racine (1851-1926), owner of a sawmill on Tagish Lake, and owner of the White Pass Hotel in Whitehorse.

Red Line (#5) was a stage and boat line which operated between White Pass, British Columbia, and Carcross, Yukon, from 1898 to 1901.

Schwatka Lake (#266) was named for Lt. Frederick G. Schwatka (1849–1892), 3rd U.S. Cavalry, Yukon explorer. In 1876, Lt. Schwatka had led the initial cavalry charge at the Battle of Slim Buttes.

Skagway (#300) was derived from a Tlingit idiom which figuratively refers to rough seas in the Taiya Inlet, that are caused by strong north winds. Literally, skagway means beautiful woman. The reason for its figurative meaning is that Skagway is the nickname of Kanagu, the mythical woman who transformed herself into stone at Skagway bay and who (according to legend) causes the strong, channeled winds which blow toward Haines, Alaska. The rough seas caused by these winds are therefore referred to by the use of Kanagu’s nickname, which is Skagway. The Kanagu stone formation is likely to be Face Mountain, which is seen from Skagway bay.

Spirit Lake (#214) was named for the spirit of the Yukon, by U.S. Army troops during construction of the Alaska Highway in 1942.

Squanga (#376) was derived from the Tlingit name for lake whitefish.

Stewart River (#328) was named for James G. Stewart (1825–1881), who discovered this river in 1849.

Stikine (#306) was derived from a Tlingit idiom, which figuratively refers to whirlpools and eddies found in the Stikine River. Literally, it means river water biting itself.

Summit Lake (2nd 200, #262) is the lake just north of White Pass, British Columbia.

Surprise Lake (#370) so named in 1898 by prospectors Kenneth Maclaren and Frederick “Fritz” Miller. Previously, one of at least four lakes which bore the Tlingit name kusawa (narrow lake).

Tagish (#248) is a shortened version of Taagish Tóo’e’, which is the Tagish name for the Tagish River, and which translates to the water that appears when it is breaking up ["it" being spring ice]. The reason that the Tagish Indians adopted the shortened version to identify themselves is that, prior to 1898, they spent their winters along the Tagish River. The Tagish name for Tagish Lake was Tahk-o or Taku. The Tagish name for Marsh Lake was Taagish-áai (lake that contains breakup water).

Taiya (#302) was derived from a Tlingit verb, which means to pack.

Takhini (##284, 354) was derived from a Tlingit metaphor, which literally means broth, and figuratively refers to Takhini Hot Springs.

Taku (#318) is a contraction of a longer Tlingit phrase, which means a flooding of Canadian geese.

Tatshenshini (#312) was derived from a Tlingit phrase which means river with stinking chinook (king) salmon at its headwaters.

Teslin (#242) was derived from a Southern Tutchone phrase, which means flowing out.

“Thompson River” (#334) is the un-official name of the stream flowing from Summit Lake to Bernard Lake. The official name of this stream is Tutshi River. Received the name “Thompson River” by 1899. Most likely, named for Livingston Thompson (1851-1904), who was a surveyor and friend of William J. Rant, the British Columbia agent, magistrate, and assistant land commissioner for Bennett. Both had previously been British Army captains. In 1898, Thompson was the Secretary of the Bennett Lake & Klondyke Navigation Co. In that year, the B.L.&K.N. Co. operated a freighting service over the White Pass Trail – and along this river – using 200 horses. In 1899, these horses were sub-subcontracted to the W.P.&Y.R. to haul sleighs between White Pass and Bennett – again along this river. Because the river is in British Columbia, William J. Rant would have been instrumental in naming it. By 1899, Livingston Thompson was the only Thompson for whom Rant would have had reason to name the river.

Tutshi (#260) was derived from a Tlingit metaphor, which literally means lake containing charcoal, and figuratively means black lake.

Wasson Lake (#368) was named for Everett Wasson (1910–1961), first bush pilot in the Yukon.

Watson Lake (#238) was named for Francis "Frank" Watson (1883–1938), a Klondike stampeder.

Whiting River (#378) was named for U.S. Navy Surgeon Robert Whiting (1847–1897).

Yukon (#290), or Ųųg Han, is a contraction of the words in the Gwich'in phrase chųų gąįį han, which mean white water river and which refer to the visual effect of glacial silt in the Yukon River. The contraction omits the consonant "ch" and the vowels "ąįį." In 1843, the Holikachuks had told the Russians that their name for the river was Yukkhana and that this name meant big river. Although it served as the name of a big river, Yukkhana does not literally correspond to a Holikachuk phrase that means big river. The Holikachuks had borrowed the upriver language name and conflated its meaning with the meaning of Kuigpak, which is the Yup’ik name for the same river. Two years later, the Gwich’ins told the Hudson’s Bay Company that their name for the river was Yukon and that the name meant white water river. White water river in fact corresponds to Gwich’in words that can be shortened to form Yukon.