trains

White Pass Rail. Into the Yukon

/ brisbanefrannie / 3 Comments

An early start today. We have an 8 hr tour. It’s all so well organised with a message directing us to gather in the dining room.

We met up with Patty and Tom and a new couple from near Jarvis Bay in Australia.

We then had a tender take us from the boat to the shore with a short walk to our bus. The reason for the tender was there had been a rock slide last week quite near where the ship is anchored and they don’t want rocks falling on us. So it’s a bit of a performance to put us in tenders and drop us further along the dock.

Our chatty driver River is our guide today. He settled us in and explained the day. We are to bus up to Whitecross with a stop at Carcross for coffee and a look around the little shops and businesses. No jewellery shops.

The scenery as we left Skagway was beautiful though low cloud made it hard to see the mountains.

Carcross for coffee.

The driver continued his banter and we all relaxed into the trip and chatted to those around us. Patty and Tom were in front and we chatted away to them.

We left Cancross and continued on to our lunch stop which is in Canada – and included a village. They had two museums and a great display of wild animals which had been recreated through taxidermy. Quite frightening!

The museum dedicated to the Mounties was very good and the history of the gold mining in Dawsons Creek was fascinating. Towns grew up from nothing and thousands came seeking their fortunes. Most of course didn’t make much at all.

One of the huskie dogs here for a summer holiday.
The huskies are moved here for the summer for training.

The scenery is as spectacular as it is harsh.

Looks like a tropical paradise. The silt produces the beautiful blue.

The highlight of the day was returning to Skagway by train. The Whitecross railway. It descends 3,000 ft in 7 miles. Quite a ride! It took about 90 minutes.

But before that we spied a bear near the road as the bus was taking us to Fraser to get the train. he was strolling along…….

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The scenery was gorgeous. I was trying imagine building that railway back in 1897 taking nearly 3 years to complete.

Rounding a bend I saw the front of our train!

We arrived back in Skagway, population 400, and strolled the streets. We walked carefully as if you fall and break something there is no doctor in town! Just a vet.

The building and all the sidewalks are timber.

A rough timber clad building.
The Red Onion Saloon. A former brothel.
Now it’s a popular bar.
A real ‘outback’ type of town.

Back on board after a very cool walk back to get the tender.

Then it was orange party night on the ship.

I did my best to wear orange!

There was a party on the World Stage which we went to after our dinner at Morimoto. It’s one of the speciality restaurants onboard. It was so tasty. Asian fusion.

Lots of orange clad people dancing.

A late night as tomorrow is a sea day. So a sleep in.

Pichi Richi Train in Quorn

/ brisbanefrannie / 10 Comments

My last post for this trip is about another train journey. This time a step back in time.

In 1878, construction commenced on the Port Augusta and Government Gums Railway. The line was extended to Oodnadatta in 1891 and further to Alice Springs in 1929, establishing an important rail link to Central Australia.

The famous Ghan passenger train travelled this way from 1923 to 1956, and on the northern part of this route until 1980. Such a pity the Ghan doesn’t stop here now ut would be a great place to break the journey.

This historic train bring back the romance of train travel, as it was in its heyday a century ago. The name “Pichi Richi” came from the section of track between Port Augusta and Quorn, through the Pichi Richi Pass, which was first opened back in 1879.

During the war years this was a major junction for trains carrying troops. At one point 43 trains came through a day. The local women would feed the men in the local hall during a break in the trip. Quorn would have been a bustling town.

So the train is old. Today it is run entirely by volunteers. And what a variety of train enthusiasts offer their services to keep this historic train ride operating.

David, one such enthusiast met us at our assigned carriage to clip our ticket and welcome us aboard.

David looked the part – covered in train badges

We settled into our bench seats with other train buffs on this sellout Sunday morning short run through the Pichi Richi pass to Woolshed Flats.

David gave us a run down on the train and it’s history, speaking faster than the train was moving !

He told us that the carriage we were in named Warana was the one Mel Gibson sat in for the scene for the movie Gallipoli.

Many movies have used Quorn and this train in their scenes. Gallipoli, The Shiralee, The Water Diviner, Wolf Creek, Sundowners, The Tourist, to name just a few.

It’s such a popular attraction people stop their cars by the side of the road to watch & wave to those on board. Today with the marathon on with runners having started in Port Augusta it was extra busy.

We moved through the countryside through the pass and arrived at Woolshed Flat. Here you disembark and have morning tea while the engine is detached and moved around, in a move to then put it at the front of the train. Great to watch.

The engine moving to the front of the train for its return journey.

We spent half an hour chatting to other train buffs watching the engine manoeuvres. Our driver, an 82 year old man is assisted by his son and his 18 year old grandson who shovelled the coal. Trains run in the family.

David welcomed us back on board for the return journey. Our fellow passengers had bonded over the journey. There were four sisters away for a weekend who were joking, laughing and having a ball. A few caravaners on holidays and a family with two little children. The two year old boy was hooked. He loved this Thomas the Tank engine experience.

If you are in this area do yourself a favour and do a Pichi Richi train trip. At $61 it was a great experience and the money goes directly to its maintenance.