Controlled Violence! White Pass Master Mechanic Dave Sorrell watches the controlled explosion of snow and ice from the relative safety of the pilothouse, as Rotary #1 attacks the "Canadian Concrete" at White Pass Station. Although the White Pass & Yukon Route usually does their spring line clearing with Caterpillar Bulldozers, they still maintain an operable rotary plow, and once in a great while, they decide to give it a work-out. In 2011, the railroad decided to run the rotary for crew training purposes, because many of the folks who had expertise with this equipment were either retired, or would shortly be retiring. It was a very expensive operation, but also a very successful one. The crew ran Old Number 1 for 4 straight days, in some very deep snow, and the 110 year-old plow performed like a champ.
I am occasionally asked why the White Pass still maintains the rotary, when the bulldozers are so much less expensive. There are a couple of reasons. First and foremost, the railroad recognizes that this machine is an important part of their heritage. Back when the WP&YR was a year-round freight-hauler, rotary plows were an essential part of keeping the line open. The second reason is much more practical. With ridership exceeding a quarter million people per year, they keep Number 1 operational because....THEY CAN!
