White Pass and Yukon Route 192
Preserved S118 class 2-8-2 steam locomotive
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White Pass and Yukon Route 192 is a narrow-gauge S118 class 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) in 1943 for the United States Army Transportation Corps (USATC) and later the White Pass and Yukon Route (WPY). It is preserved and operated by the Dollywood Express (DE) at the Dollywood amusement theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
| White Pass and Yukon Route 192 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No. 192 hauling a Dollywood Express train over Owens Farm Crossing, March 11, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| References:[1][2][3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History
No. 192 was built in February 1943 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) for the United States Army Transportation Corps (USATC), which used it to transport workers, troops, and materials to build the 1,520-mile ALCAN Highway during World War II.[1][3][4][5] In 1946, it was sold to the White Pass and Yukon Route (WPY) where it was reassigned with WPY lettering; during the early 1950s, No. 192 was converted to burn oil instead of coal along with several other S118 class engines.[6][3]
No. 192 would serve the WPY for eleven years hauling freight and passenger trains until it was retired from revenue service in 1957; it was placed in storage on a side track with several other S118 locomotives for four years awaiting to be scrapped.[3][1][4][2][7]
In 1961, it was purchased by master mechanic Frank Coffey to operate tourist trains at Grover Robbins Jr.'s second theme park, the Rebel Railroad (now Dollywood) in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.[a] The engine would be converted back to coal during its restoration.[6]
The park officially opened to the public in July 1961 and No. 192 made its first run over the Rebel Railroad trackage; since then, the engine (now called Klondike Katie), continues to haul excursion trains around the 5-mile track at the theme park, alongside former WPY No. 70.[b]
On February 24, 2026, Dollywood officials announced that they would convert Nos. 192 and 70 back to burn oil instead of coal.[14][6] This will enable them to run more in unfavorable conditions and to reduce maintenance and pollution, enabling them to run in less favorable weather.[14][15]
Surviving sister engines
- No. 190 is currently operating at the Tweetsie Railroad near Blowing Rock, North Carolina.[16]
- No. 195 is currently on static display near the Skagway Museum in Skagway, Alaska.[2]