White Pass & Yukon No. 190

The White Pass and Yukon Railroad #190 is the one of 11 190 Class 2-8-2 Mikado's built for the White Pass and Yukon Railroad. She currently works at Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
==History==
190 is a USATC S118 Class 2-8-2 Mikado, built in February 1943 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA, for the US Army. Whether intended for service there, or diverted from somewhere else is unknown, but 190 and her sisters would be shipped out to Alaska, and worked on the White Pass & Yukon Railroad, helping deliver tools and supplies to build the ALCAN military highway. The S118's were not particularly well suited to the mountainous terrain of the White Pass, due to their boilers being higher, but the White Pass was ultimately desperate for locomotives at the time. 
Following the war, the engine, alongside 2 of her sisters, 192, and 196, were sold to the White Pass for regular service, in order to compensate for White Pass engines that had been retired during the war. Evidence suggests that 190 was not initially intended to be sold, due to the White Pass's decision to have 2 more 70 class engines built, but the locomotive would ultimately be acquired by the White Pass for $10,000 in order to fill the gap in until engines 72 and 73 arrived. Engines 191, 193, and 197 would eventually be shipped back to Seattle for scrapping by 1951. 195 would end up becoming a static display in Skagway, while 198-200 were sold to the Casa Grande-Sausal Railway in Peru. 
During the 1950's, the locomotive would be converted to oil firing, which facilitated the fitting of a large oil bunker to the tender. 190 would serve as a main road engine until 1957, eventually being retired by 1959. An exact date, or year, for that matter, is unknown. The following year, in 1960, 190 would be acquired by Grover C. Robbins Jr., who intended to use the locomotive for his Tweetsie Railroad theme park, to supplement East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad #12. Robbins would later go on to buy sister 192 for his at his second theme park, Rebel Railroad, which would eventually become Dollywood. Upon arriving at Tweetsie, the locomotive would be reconverted back to coal firing, and the height of the smokestack, steam dome, and cab extended in order to more closely match the 12. To reflect it's heritage, 190 would be given the nickname the "Yukon Queen." She would make her debut during the 1960 season, and has remained in service at Tweetsie Railroad since. 
== Trivia==
*During World War II, the locomotives were sent to Alaska for use on the White Pass and Yukon.
*There is a common misconception regarding 190 and her sisters, which states that these locomotives were originally built to meter gauge and originally destined for Iran. This however, is not true. The locomotives were always destined for Alaska. This is further disproved by the fact than Iran has no Narrow Gauge rails. Also, due to the lack of water and the intensive tunnels, Iran would prove impossible for steam operations there.
*At some point while the locomotive was still in Alaska, it received the tender off an Ex-Sumpter Valley locomotive, believed to have been originally paired with their locomotive #18. It likely came up with Sumpter Valley 19 and Sumpter Valley 20 when they were shipped to Alaska during the war, and becoming the WP&YR's No. 81 and 80 respectively.
*In the 60's 190 had a pneumatically operated bell.
* No. 190 is The Tweetsie Railroad's second favorite steam locomotive.
*Both #190, and No. 12 are both coal-fired narrow-gauge engines were put into operating condition by veteran engineer Frank Coffey, who trained new generations in the on-site steam locomotive repair shop.
* When the locomotive debuted at Tweetsie Railroad for their 1960 season, It was originally painted black. The locomotive would be repainted green to match the #12 the following year, in 1961.
*The engine used to have a wood-burning smokestack. This was removed in the mid-1970's.
*When the Locomotive first arrived at Tweetsie, The locomotive's smokestack, Cab, Sandbox, and Steam Dome were increased by 9 inches in order to more closely resemble the 12.
*Every year on the month of October No. 190 dresses up as the Ghost Train and has been operating for the "Ghost Train" event since October 1, 1990.
*In 2018, to celebrate 190's 75th birthday and for the Heritage Weekend event, the old Yukon Queen was decked out with a silver smokebox and lettering resembling that of which she wore when she first started service at the park.
*#190 celebrated her 80th birthday in 2023. For that year's "Heritage Weekend" event, Tweetsie backdated her to her late 1960's - early 1970's appearance. The changes included: - The original number plate from the White Pass & Yukon - The Tweetsie banner on the smokebox - The diamond stack (the one on her is a temporary one they built for this Heritage Weekend - Paint touch ups on the exposed wheels (driving wheels and lead truck), front of the cylinders, and the builders plate.
==Gallery==
*Gallery
==External links==
* Tweetsie Railroad's Official Website
Category:2-8-2 steam locomotives
Category:Eight-coupled locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Baldwin locomotives
Category:2-8-2 locomotives
Category:White Pass & Yukon locomotives
Category:Built in 1943
Category:Narrow-gauge steam locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge locomotives
Category:Tweetsie Railroad
Category:3 foot gauge
Category:Locomotives
Category:American locomotives
Category:American steam locomotives
Category:United States Transportation Corps
Category:Amusement Park Steam Locomotives
Category:Preserved steam locomotives
Category:Excursion locomotives
Category:USATC S118 Class
Category:USATC