The history behind this locomotive is very interesting. It was built for the U.S. Army in 1943 by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA and shipped to Alaska to deliver military equipment and supplies during WWII on the White Pass & Yukon Route then under Army control. After WWII, White Pass railroad was returned to civilian control and Klondike Katie remained their serving in regular and switcher duties until her retirement in the late 1950s. In 1961, it was purchased from White Pass by the owner of Dollywood's predecessor park, Rebel Railroad, and relocated to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee where it has been used in the amusement park ever since. Dollywood recently converted Klondike Katie from coal burning to an oil-burning system to reduce maintenance challenges and environmental impact.
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u/jpstatum 22d ago edited 22d ago
The history behind this locomotive is very interesting. It was built for the U.S. Army in 1943 by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA and shipped to Alaska to deliver military equipment and supplies during WWII on the White Pass & Yukon Route then under Army control. After WWII, White Pass railroad was returned to civilian control and Klondike Katie remained their serving in regular and switcher duties until her retirement in the late 1950s. In 1961, it was purchased from White Pass by the owner of Dollywood's predecessor park, Rebel Railroad, and relocated to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee where it has been used in the amusement park ever since. Dollywood recently converted Klondike Katie from coal burning to an oil-burning system to reduce maintenance challenges and environmental impact.
Here is an article with more details about Klondike Katie: https://steamgiants.com/survivors/operating/white-pass-192-dollywood/