Alaskan Rail Reflections

Dateline: 09/26/00

Stirring lust for adventure and spawning ferocious rivalry, the Klondike Gold Rush produced some miraculous treasures gained the hard way. Throughout Alaska, landmarks tell of the miners who made their way deep into the Yukon Territory looking for shimmering gold.

Marking the route once traveled by foot and pack animal, the White Pass and Yukon Railroad now winds along the first leg of the mountainous trek through Alaska toward the gold fields. Pleasurably, it was at sea level in Skagway, Alaska that my husband and I boarded one of this historic railway's parlor cars on a recent vacation.

From our quaint car, we relived a portion of the journey made more than 100 years ago by thousands of hopeful miners.

Passing a cemetery filled with gold rush legends, scenic mountain vistas and waterfalls flowing with glacier water, we steadily climbed the steep tracks to White Pass Summit at 2,865 feet. Those possessed with gold fever long ago continued their journey from this point to Lake Bennett where the 550-mile navigation through a series of lakes ultimately led them to the Yukon River and a hidden cache of gold nearby.

Construction of this particular railroad began on May 28, 1898. By Feb. 20, 1899 the tracks to White Pass Summit were in place. Workers continued to labor in treacherous conditions to complete the route to Lake Bennett on July 6,1899.

By this time, railroads already crisscrossed the rest of the country providing travel at a more rapid pace than by stagecoach or on horseback. Wealthy railroad patrons of the day even fitted elaborate Pullman cars with personal luxuries such as wood burning fireplaces, Venetian mirrors and whirlpool baths, according to a Discover Mid-America online article by Sharon Fangohr Hodle.

From little boys dreaming of engineering powerful steam trains to the passengers enamored by swank dining cars, a plethora of railroad memorabilia filtered from railroad employees and travelers out to the general public. Of course, the savers of these items probably didn't realize collectors would seek them so eagerly in the 21st century.

If an item depicts a railroad logo, specific train or even came out of a vintage rail yard, it's more than likely going to be considered collectible. This ranges from 1950s calendars to antique lanterns and everything in between. Even paper goods like advertisements, timetables and brochures produced by enterprising transportation companies catch the attention of rail fans.

A favorite with collectors, The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad developed a mascot of sorts with Chessie, an adorable gray striped kitten captured in a dozing posture. The clever logo revolved around the company's sleeper cars where passengers could "sleep like a kitten." Most items in good to mint condition featuring Chessie or one of her family members hold some value these days.

Another advantage to amassing railroad collectibles comes with the wide price range of goods available.

Budget conscious collectors can easily pick up paper goods featuring railroad names and pictures for less than $20 per piece. Rail spikes used now as paperweights and other similarly plentiful items can also be found reasonably in antique shops and at flea markets.

Larger or more unusual items from railroad offices and yards of yesteryear can be found fairly frequently, but easily cost hundreds per item. Those decorating a home with a railroad motif often indulge in these purchases without much hesitation if they feature a favorite logo.

Even model railroads and toy trains remain popular after many years of collectors clamoring for whole sets along with pieces here and there. Although transportation enthusiasts generally focus on the real thing, there continues to be some overlap between miniature and big track collecting.

From dining car china to locomotive postcards, collectors today fervently seek all these pieces of the past. With so many U.S. hometowns being built around the thriving railroads of the late 19th century, it's likely many folks still have rail memorabilia lurking in a quiet corner of their homes waiting to be discovered by an eager collector.

Photo by Bob Wiggins

Additional resources:

Read about the birth of Chessie, the advertising cat linked to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad.

Learn about a time when dining in style came with a moving view.

Railroad watches continue to be popular collectibles, find out more about them with a Collecting Channel article.

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