Dan Peters
Just a reminder to you, that the annual meeting of the Hi-Railers will take place on Saturday June 17th, 2023. For this special event, all NMRA members are also invited, to participate in the Special Event Steam Train Ride to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Northern Pacific. Northern Pacific steam engine 924 only runs three to five weekends a year, and we have scheduled our event to take part in this rare treat.
The Northern Pacific calls itself the second transcontinental railroad, and the first Northern transcontinental. It started service to Tacoma in 1873 using borrowed tracks through Oregon, but it didn’t complete its own main line until 1883.
Steam engine Northern Pacific 924 was built in 1899, for work on the waterfront yard in Duluth MN. It later moved to the Puget Sound area, where it worked the yards around Tacoma and Seattle until 1923. Sold to Inland Empire Paper Co, it continued working until retired in 1960. After rusting away in a park, it was completely restored from 2015 to 2021 by Northwest Railway Museum, where it now serves as “The Pride Of The Fleet.”
Our special excursion has some special rules, so that we can enjoy the sights and sounds of a Steam Engine in action, while the Northwest Railway Museum does not offer “reserved seating” on their trains.
We will depart from the station at the Railway History Center (RHC) yard on Stone Quarry Road at 10:00 a.m. This station is not on the public timetable, only the employee timetable; but it will permit us to take our seats in SP&S coach 213 right behind the steam engine, before the public boards at North Bend. There is no ticket agent at the RHC station, so it is imperative that you buy your ticket in advance at the trainmuseum.org web site. ( Refer to the “Grab Iron” post of April 18th.) Print out your ticket in advance or save it to your phone, the train conductor will “punch your ticket” when you board.
There is parking in the lot adjacent to the yard tracks. Overflow parking is on the shoulder on the north side of Stone Quarry Road – the shoulder is narrow, so take care not to obstruct traffic – or in front of the landscaping business to the west of the yard – they’re closed on Saturday, but still don’t block their driveways.
Remember from the 19th Century, when “the trains run on time?” Don’t be late. There’s plenty to see before departure. The engine crew starts firing up the steam engine at 6:30 a.m., and starts switching the passenger train around 9:00. Remember “Safety First” — keep off the tracks, keep your eyes open, and watch your kids. Our train ride will conclude around 11:35, followed by our picnic in the picnic grove, extended tours of the Train Shed Museum building, a short business meeting, train watching, and photography of steam run-bys until 5:00 p.m. There is no food service nearby the museum, so bring your lunch. As usual on railroad property, Rule G is in effect.
A final word to anybody who feels the urge to run, build, or work on “real” trains. The museum is always looking for volunteers, both on the train crew and the Restoration Workshop. Contact Emily B, the volunteer coordinator, for information or to sign up at Emily@TrainMuseum.org or 425-888-3030x7203