Klondike Mines Railway facts for kids
Klondike Mines Railway Passenger Service, September 30th 1909
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Klondike City |
| Locale | Dawson City to Sulphur Springs |
| Dates of operation | 1905–1913 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 3 ft (914 mm) |
| Length | 32 miles (51 km) |
The Klondike Mines Railway (KMRy) was a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railway in the Klondike region of Yukon, Canada. It was built to help move goods and people during the famous Klondike Gold Rush. Construction on the KMRy started in 1905. The railway stopped running in 1913.
History of the Klondike Railway
Moving Around in the Klondike Gold Rush
During the Klondike Gold Rush, moving supplies and people was very hard. The land was rugged and the weather was harsh. Miners needed a better way to get their equipment and gold around.
Building the Klondike Mines Railway (1904-1906)
A businessman named John H. Mackenzie saw a big problem. Miners needed an easier way to transport things. He thought a railway would be a great idea. He believed it would make a lot of money very quickly.
In 1898, Mackenzie and his partner H. Stratton asked the Canadian government for permission to build the railway. They also had help from Thomas O’Brien. After a lot of effort, the Klondike Mines Railway Company was officially allowed to start in July 1899. The plan for the railway was very specific. It even included rules for telegraph and telephone lines.
Building the railway didn't start right away. It took a few years until the spring of 1903. One reason for the delay was that the company needed to pay over one hundred land owners for their claims. But the main reason was that the railway builders didn't have enough money to start.
Running the Railway (1906-1910)
In November 1906, the Klondike Mines Railway was finally finished. It stretched about 32 miles (51 kilometers) from Dawson City to Sulfur Springs. This railway helped connect important mining areas.
Why the Railway Closed Down (1910-1913)
After the winter of 1910, the railway started to slow down. They reduced passenger trains from six times a week to only three. They also lost their contract to carry mail. By July 1911, trains ran only twice a week. A special motor car carried a few passengers and mail on Wednesdays. Freight trains, which carried goods, still ran more often.
The summer of 1911 was the railway's shortest season. They stopped service in September, after only five months. After this, they stopped all passenger service for the next year.
Even with fewer services, people didn't think the railway would close completely. In 1912, the general manager thought they would carry more coal and fuel for the gold dredges. These dredges were huge machines that dug for gold. The railway even bought a new engine, KMRy #4, hoping for more business. There were even talks about connecting the Klondike Mines Railway to another big railway, the White Pass and Yukon Route. The railway even hired more staff, with engineers, firemen, and brakemen working long hours.
By 1912, the most important customers for the KMRy were the gold dredging companies. These companies needed a lot of wood to power their steam plants. The railway brought this wood to them. The railway and the dredging companies depended on each other.
However, the railway actually helped cause its own end. By bringing in big machines, the railway made gold mining much more efficient. This meant fewer people were needed for mining. As mining became more mechanized, the population in the area dropped a lot. For example, the population went from over 27,000 in 1901 to about 8,500 in 1911. Gold production also dropped a lot by 1918. Because there were fewer people and less gold being found, the railway didn't have enough business to keep going. It closed down in October 1913.
What the Railway Carried
Even though it was called the "Klondike Mines Railway," it didn't carry much gold or other minerals. Its main job was to carry merchandise and lumber to and from the mines. By 1908, the railway mostly carried cord-wood. This wood was used to fuel the steam plants that melted the frozen ground before the dredges could dig for gold.
Railway Engines and Cars
The Klondike Mines Railway used four steam locomotives, two passenger cars, and many box and flat cars.
KMR No.1 Brooks Mogul, 2-6-0
This engine was built in 1881 by Brooks Locomotive Works. It was quite powerful. It first worked for the Kansas Central Railway, then the Alberta Railway and Coal Company. In 1900, it was used by the White Pass and Yukon Route. The KMRy bought it in 1902. This engine was one of the oldest working locomotives in Canada. It burned wood for fuel and was the main engine for construction until KMR No. 2 arrived.
KMR No.2 Baldwin Consolidation, 2-8-0
Built in 1885 by Baldwin Locomotive Works, this engine was also very strong. It first worked for the Columbia and Puget Sound Railroad. Then it was sold to the White Pass and Yukon Route. In 1905, it became KMR No. 2. This coal-burning engine was the most used locomotive for the Klondike Mines Railway. It helped build the railway and carried most of its goods for eight years.
KMR No.3 Baldwin Consolidation, Vauclain Compound, 2-8-0
This engine was built in 1899 by Baldwin Locomotive Works. It's special because it's the only "compound engine" left in Canada. It was originally built for the White Pass and Yukon Route. The Klondike Mines Railway bought it in 1906. It didn't get much use until 1910, when it started hauling cord-wood to the mines. This locomotive used a special type of engine called a Vauclain Compound Engine.
KMR No. 4 Baldwin Prairie, 2-6-2
Built in 1912, this engine was unique because it was made specifically for the Klondike Mines Railway. It only worked for two seasons on the KMRy. In 1942, the White Pass and Yukon Route bought it. This engine is the only one of the four not owned by the Dawson City Museum. It was later used on theme park railways. In 2015, it moved to the Georgetown Loop in Colorado. It was nicknamed 'Klondike Kate' and has been used on special railway days.
Buda No. 14 Section Motor Car
This was a small, open car with seats for about six people. It had a 10-horsepower gas engine. It was likely bought in 1906. Today, the remains of this motor car are at the Dawson City Museum, next to KMRy engines #1 to #3.
