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.