1940s CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY PROMOTIONAL FILM „THE TRAIL OF ’98” TRIANGLE ROUTE 60004

Presented by Canadian National Railways, this short film takes viewers on a segment of the Triangle Route (Prince Rupert, Jasper, and Vancouver) known as the “Trail of ‘98” by following a scenic passenger train from Skagway, Alaska up through British Columbia and the Yukon to Whitehorse and Dawson City. The film opens with the Canadian National steamship Prince George sailing near Skagway. Passengers walk off the ship and footage shows the town of Skagway. A locomotive blows its horn and then begins its journey from Skagway to Whitehorse via White Pass (01:43). Footage from the train shows mountains and the Skagway River cutting through the valley on the trip up White Pass. Viewers see small waterfalls, Bridal Veil Falls, Dead Horse Gulch, and the impressive vista from Inspiration Point, which looks back out at Skagway and the sound (03:35). The train passes through a tunnel and over a bridge as it climbs the pass. Passengers stand out on the observation platform between cars and enjoy the views of rocky outcroppings and snow-capped peaks. The train crosses a large bridge that stands over 200 feet above the river (05”34). The film shows the remains of the original “Trail of ‘98” (06:09). The train refuels at the top of White Pass. A Canadian flag and an American flag mark the border between the two countries (06:33). The train skirts Summit Lake at White Pass and continues on into British Columbia. Viewers see a high plateau littered with boulders from glacial movement, Beaver Lake (06:53), and Lake Bennett. Passengers stop and eat lunch at Lake Bennett, and some visitors meet with a Royal Canadian Mounted Police. An old church overlooks the lake. The train moves along the scenic shore of Lake Bennett. It soon crosses into Yukon Territory and arrives at Carcross, Yukon (08:22). A steamer sits at a dock, waiting to take passengers down the West Taku Arm. There is a good shot of the town from the water. Viewers see the first engine used on the railway (which sits in front of the Caribou Hotel), Native Americans selling crafts, and sled dogs wagging their tails. The train passes through rugged alpine countryside on its way to Whitehorse. The film then shows Whitehorse from a short distance away (09:35). A car drives along the ALCAN highway. A 3-story log cabin is being built; viewers also see an old church and what is supposedly the original log cabin of Sam McGee (10:23). Visitors look in the windows of shops on Whitehorse’s Main Street. Old paddleboats sit on the shore as a reminder of the town’s past (11:07). The Yukon River moves through Miles Canyon (11:26), and the film shows Whitehorse Rapids, a paddle wheeler on the Yukon River, and Dawson City (12:20). In Dawson City, viewers see Main Street, an old bank, the Royal Alexandria Hotel and the Nugget Dance Hall. The film shows the modern buildings with their neon signs lit up at night, then concludes with the last glimpse of a sunset.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com