Category: Northwest Railway Museum

By Dan Peters

As everybody by now knows, 2023 is being celebrated as the 150th Anniversary of the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The first of the “Northern Transcontinentals”, they held their “Completion Ceremony” on Sept. 8, 1883 at Gold Creek, MT.

There was no “Gold Spike” like there was at the completion of the Union Pacific / Central Pacific line in 1869. Instead, they used the same exact iron spike that had been driven at the start of construction. The “Last Spike” was driven in place by Henry C. Davis, who had driven in the “First Spike” in Minnesota in 1870. Other dignitaries were NP President Henry Villard, Chairman Of The Board Frederick Billings, and former President Of The United States Ulysses S. Grant.

2023 also marks the 30th anniversary of the Fourth Division Hi-Railers module group. We don’t have a “Golden Track Pin” to celebrate. But we do have an anniversary celebration, and you can participate.

The Hi-Railers have reserved seating on the Steam Train pulled by Northern Pacific steam engine 924. The trip will take place Saturday June 17, 2023, at 10:00 am.

Northern Pacific 924 was built by Rogers Locomotive Works in 1899. It worked in Minnesota for many years, and later worked in Seattle and Tacoma. It was later sold to the Inland Empire Paper Co. Retired in 1969, it was on static display exposed to the weather until 2014. A major rebuilding project involving thousands of volunteer hours and plenty of money, fully restored this engine in 2020. At the same time, it was converted to run on wood fuel instead of dirty, messy coal. There are dozens of steam engines preserved in Washington, but as of now this is the last one that still operates.

Spokane Portland & Seattle coach 213 was built by Barney & Smith in 1912. ( As I’m told, the same year as The Titanic. ) Of wood construction, there is no air conditioning other than “opening the window”. We have reserved seating on this coach, which runs right behind the steam engine, which should provide plenty of opportunity for audio recording.

The Northwest Railway Museum Steam Train only runs half-a-dozen times a year. We’ve scheduled our summer get-together for Fathers Day Weekend. And because of the Northern Pacific anniversary, we’re inviting our Fourth Division fellows to participate, too.

If you want to join our group train ride, you will need to buy a ticket at the Museum web site. Membership passes are not honored, since Steam Train rides are considered a “special event” and not a “regular train”.

To get a ticket to ride this special train ride :

• go to web site https://www.trainmuseum.org
• click on “Programs”
• click on “Steam Train Ride”
• click on “Buy Tickets for North Bend Depot”
• right arrow to “June 2023”
• select “June 17”
• select “10:30 am”
• complete your purchase

Your email confirmation is your ticket. Print it out, or save it to your phone to show to the ticket agent.

Our trip will begin and end at the Railway History Museum Campus. NOT at the North Bend Depot.

Northwest Railway Museum
9320 Stone Quarry Road
Snoqualmie, WA 98065

On Highway 202, go east from the Snoqualmie Depot about 1 mile. East of Meadowbrook Way, near the Junior High School, turn south on Stone Quarry Road ( the sign is small ) about 1/3 mile to the museum parking lot. We will board at the yard outside the museum building before the first “public” departure. Boarding time ( from the Employee Timetable only ) is 10:00. Don’t be late.

There should be plenty of photo opportunities before train time, as the steam engine switches the passenger cars into the train consist, starting at 8:30. Our train ride will complete around 11:30 or 11:45, followed by additional time to view the exhibits inside the museum building, a group picnic at the picnic grove, and viewing of train run-by’s that afternoon.

Hope to see you then.
Dan

By Ed Ives

A visit was paid to the railroad as there had been a call for help with the Lionel layout there. The layout has been moved from the south side of the building to the north side and in the process the wiring was unsympathetically cut. This needs to be repaired as the museum would like for the layout to be operational for the Thomas event in July. I need to recruit 4D members for the task of repairing and running the layout during the event.

As to the museum’s long term plans for this layout, it seems that it is destined to be mobile at least within the building. To avoid the current difficulties, electrical disconnects would be desired under the layout. The life of the layout is expected to be only (in their words) 5 to 10 years (sound permanent to me).

The Railway has started construction of the roundhouse where several 12″ to the foot pieces of equipment will be on display. In the floor above there is a plan for a large HO (I believe) layout representing the local historic scene. When complete the Lionel layout will be decommissioned but the existing N gauge layout will be retained, or that is the current expectation.

Please if you have some spare time, do volunteer to assist in the repair of the layout (wiring and scenery) as well as operating it during the Thomas event. All volunteers must register as such on the railway website. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Questions? Call Ed Ives 425-391-3313 or email Gresley7@gmail.com

Ed

By Dan Peters

“This is a big deal”.

The Northern Pacific steam engine number 924 is operating next weekend the 6th and 7th of November 2021.
https://trainmuseum.org/
This will be the engine’s first time operating since the boiler certification was fully approved, and pulling a passenger train.
This is an excellent opportunity for steam rail-fanning.

The train leaves North Bend station Saturday and Sunday at 10:30, 12:30, and 2:30.
Station stops in Snoqualmie depart at 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00. Trains usually arrive 10 minutes before departure.
Switching the passenger train will be at the “Train Shed” museum on Stone Quarry Road, between 8:30 and 10:00am. ( There’s free parking there, too. ) If it’s as cold out as it was yesterday morning, when you could see your breath all morning, the steam and exhaust pictures should be dramatic.

The best places I’ve found for action shots would be along-side Hwy 202 between Snoqualmie and the traffic circle ( near the Hwy 18 intersection ), or at the highway crossing on W North Bend Way, east of the Casino. The truss bridge over the river ought to be good, too, but I haven’t scoped out a location there. It would be best to snap the westbound train, so smoke is going the “correct” way ( not backing up ). Of course, audio recording would work either direction.

If you have in mind to ride the train, get your tickets soon. ( You can purchase tickets directly on-line at the museum web site. See link above. Bring your vaccination card, or a copy. ) Regular diesel trains have sold out for the past several weekends, and they expect the steam train will sell out quickly. Seating in the open-door baggage compartment of the combine car is popular – unfortunately, it is at the rear of the consist.

Unfortunately, cab rides are pretty much out of the question. Last time the steam engine ran in August, the cab was packed with a 3-person steam engine crew PLUS a 3-person diesel crew “in training” to run the steam engine. It looked almost like one of those little clown cars in the circus. Or the Keystone Cops on their way to “the scene of the crime”.

If you’re there on Saturday, stop by the Snoqualmie Depot and say Hi. I’ll be the guy doing his George Carlin “Mister Conductor” imitation.
“And remember this is Mr. Conductor talking, I know what I’m talking about!”
( Probably the only time. )

Dan

By Dan Peters

There are still a few of us around, who remember when “locomotive” was synonymous with “steam engine”. Big, noisy, smelly, labor-intensive, and almost alive. A machine with all the working parts on the outside, where you can see and hear them.

We used to be able to see working steam engines in our part of the country. But one by one, they’ve fallen by the wayside. The logging demonstration at the Tacoma zoo – gone. The Royal Hudson passenger excursion to Whistler – gone. The Lake Whatcom line – replaced by a short little speeder ride. The Mt Rainier Scenic excursion line in Elbe – still closed and up for sale ( while their current owner the Durango & Silverton tries to avert bankruptcy ). The Tolt River Railroad ( 2 ft narrow gauge ) at Remlinger Farms – gone. The steam engine at the Chehalis and Centralia Railroad – gone.

All is not lost. There is one last steam engine still running in our area. Starting in 2014, the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie restored Northern Pacific steam engine number 924 to operation. At the same time, they converted it to run on wood instead of coal, so it could continue running while compliant with current environmental regulations.

https://trainmuseum.blogspot.com/2020/07/924-testing.html

Even when we’re not in the middle of an epidemic crisis, this piece of living history only operates 3 times a year : on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Snoqualmie Railroad Days.

Snoqualmie Railroad Days, the 140-year-old town’s historic and cultural festival, will be moved from the third weekend in August to the fourth weekend this year, as life starts to return to normal. What does that mean? The number 924 will be in operation this coming weekend! That’s right. Steam engine 924 will be running on August 28th and 29th, 2021.

This is your chance to see a real steam engine running under its own power. It will not be powering the passenger excursion trains ( which are still diesel powered ). But, it will be providing “steam demonstration runs” ( as in, photo run-by’s ) all weekend. Parking is free.

You may have one or more steam locomotives on your layout. Maybe a vintage Lionel tinplate model. Maybe a rare brass import. Maybe a modern model with DCC and a state-of-the-art sound system. Now is your chance to renew the inspiration you had when you got that steam model in the first place.

Tell ’em George Stephenson sent you.

By Russ Segner

Mike Donnelly has been a volunteer at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie for many years now. The Museum has acquired an O scale layout from the former Bellingham Railway Museum.

They are looking for “experts” to reconnect the track and accessory wiring, and to refresh the scenery. There is a little bit of trouble-shooting on the lower level, which has reportedly never been fully reliable.

The entire layout is Lionel 027. The Northwest Railway Museum will provide any materials needed.

Anyone interested should contact volunteer coordinator Emily at emily@TrainMuseum.org

Russ