White Pass and Yukon Route - War Department 2-8-2 Locomotives

War Department 2-8-2 Locomotives

There are two persistent myths that show up in almost every book or article which mentions the role of the White Pass & Yukon Route in the building of the Alcan Highway during the Second World War. The myths concern the eleven new Class S118 2-8-2 MacArthur type locomotives that the U.S. Army brought to the WP&YR in 1943. Myth No. 1 is that they were converted from 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄₈ in) gauge to 3 ft (914 mm) gauge by the WP&YR shops in Skagway, Alaska. Myth No. 2 is that they were built for Iran and diverted to the WP&YR.

These locomotives, designated USA 190 to USA 200, were constructed by Baldwin Locomotive Works as 3 ft (914 mm) gauge and shipped fully assembled. No modification was needed. The MacArthur was designed by the American Locomotive Company for 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) ("cape" gauge) and the smaller gauges were cleverly accommodated with various widths spacers (rings) between the wheels and the truck side frames on same length axles. The spacers were 3 in (76.2 mm) wide in the case of 3 ft (914 mm) gauge and 33.5 mm (1.32 in) wide in the case of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄₈ in) gauge. In total, nearly 800 MacArthurs were produced by ALCO, Baldwin, and a few other manufacturers.

The reason USA 190–200 were never destined for "Iran" as is often mistakenly stated in books relating WP&YR history, is that Iran's government railway was, and is, 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄₂ in) (standard gauge). Also, because of scarce water and extensive tunnels, Iran was the first case where the Army primarily used diesel locomotives. USATC narrow gauge locomotives were never destined for Iran.

The first locomotives of the MacArthur design that Baldwin Locomotive Works built were USA 190–200 for the WP&YR, which makes them unique. This initial 1942 sales order to Baldwin for 60 MacArthur 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄₈ in) (meter gauge) locomotives was for India's extensive meter gauge railway system. The first eleven were diverted to the WP&YR as 3 ft (914 mm), the next 15 went to India as meter gauge, another 20 went to Queensland Rail as 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm), and the remaining 14 were meter gauge for India where the order was destined before the Alaskan and Australian diversions.