RT&S (Railway Track & Structures) Magazine has a 20-minute interview out about constructing the new loop at the top of the pass. Its a good description of what it took to build the new track.

https://www.rtands.com/passenger/rail-g ... ign=14794#

Interesting interview. Alaskans are resourceful. They needed a narrow gauge welded rail train so they made one.

WP&Y has had a loop on the Canadian side just past Fraser BC but you had to enter Canada to use it.

The half-day Summit Excursion out of Skagway to the Pass had to use a run-around on the US side causing a lot of congestion when there were multiple trains.

With this new loop, the Summit Excursion simply goes around the loop and returns without leaving the US and the passengers see the other side of the RR on the way down.

Phil Mulligan

The biggest benefit is not having to make people get up and switch sides for the valley view, and the average run around time prior to the loop was 20 minutes, which included the brake test and clearing the other two trains. Now we can dive into the loop at 15 MPH and are heading south on the main in about 5-7 minutes, depending on the how closely the other trains were able to follow you.

I too listened to that podcast yesterday (even though Bill Wilson drives me crazy with his speaking and interview style...) and found it to be fascinating. The work environment and terrain certainly made this a challenging project.

Looking at the video: https://vimeo.com/376431483
And at online maps: https://goo.gl/maps/f452GoAQ4awPx83R8
It appears that this new loop is actually across the border in Canada. I can't find it on the map yet, but it appears that there is construction equipment there where the loop would start.

Here's a good construction magazine article too:
https://www.equipmentjournal.com/constr ... -railroad/

The loop at Fraser is just south of the Canadian entrance facility and is about six miles north of the actual border. This loop is short and holds only one (maybe two) trains.

The new one just north of the boarder is much longer and can hold a whole fleet of trains in the clear when multiple ships are at Skagway.