Breaking clouds at "Guard Rail"
After a mostly gloomy, rainy day, the clouds over Lake Bennett begin to break in the later afternoon, revealing just a few spots of sunshine on the nearby mountains. Here, the White Pass & Yukon's sole, remaining steam locomotive works south through the tightest curve on the entire line, that being the 24-degree curve known as "Guard Rail Curve" at Milepost 43.6. The curve is so named because in the early years of the railroad, guard rail was installed here to minimize the effect of any derailments that might occur. The guard rail was removed in the 1970s, but today the railroad observes a mandatory 6 mph speed limit through here.
This image was captured during a September 2025 photo shoot on Alaska's White Pass & Yukon Route, organized by Lerro Photography.
Breaking clouds at "Guard Rail"
After a mostly gloomy, rainy day, the clouds over Lake Bennett begin to break in the later afternoon, revealing just a few spots of sunshine on the nearby mountains. Here, the White Pass & Yukon's sole, remaining steam locomotive works south through the tightest curve on the entire line, that being the 24-degree curve known as "Guard Rail Curve" at Milepost 43.6. The curve is so named because in the early years of the railroad, guard rail was installed here to minimize the effect of any derailments that might occur. The guard rail was removed in the 1970s, but today the railroad observes a mandatory 6 mph speed limit through here.
This image was captured during a September 2025 photo shoot on Alaska's White Pass & Yukon Route, organized by Lerro Photography.