Railway Museum rescued
March 21, 2009
By Michael Rowe
Thanks to grants and donations, train season to open on time
The Northwest Railway Museum’s train season will start on time this year, despite damage to its tracks caused by the January floods.
The Snoqualmie Valley Railroad season is set to begin April 4 with full train service from the depot in North Bend to the Snoqualmie Falls, a 75-minute trip.
Most of the repair work was completed by March 12, but some additional repairs to electric gates in North Bend and Snoqualmie were continuing, said Richard Anderson, executive director of the Railway Museum.
The museum received a $50,000 grant of emergency funds from 4Culture, King County’s arts, heritage, and preservation agency. About two-dozen individuals contributed money to the museum’s repair efforts, Anderson said.
A ballast operator sweeps stones from the railroad ties on March 11 as part of the Northwest Railway Museum’s flood repair.
The total amount of the repair work has not been calculated yet, but would likely be around $75,000, Anderson said. He thinks that the museum may hold a fundraising dinner sometime in April to help cover the costs of the cleanup.
Anderson is also seeing if the federal government might help pay for some of the repair costs. The museum director said that he was still responding to requests for information from different government agencies.
Each Saturday and Sunday until October the museum offers the train rides on the restored locomotive. The cost of a train ride is $10 for adults, $7 for children, $9 for seniors, and children under two get to ride for free.
This year’s train season will feature several new offerings, including: an Easter Train Ride on April 11 and 12, and a revamped Snoqualmie Railroad Days on August 22. The museum’s other popular family programs are also returning such as Mother’s Ride Free, Father’s Ride Free, Grandparents’ Grand Excursion, the Halloween Train, Santa Train, and a Day Out With Thomas. The Northwest Railway Museum will be the only organization in the state hosting the Day Out with Thomas event, which is scheduled for July 11-12, and July 17-19, with trains boarding from the Snoqualmie Depot.
Tickets can be purchased from the Snoqualmie Depot’s train office and via TicketWeb beginning April 20. Tickets for museum members went on sale March 16.
Visitors to the museum can experience the excitement of a working railroad, while learning about the important role that railroads played in shaping the character of the Pacific Northwest. The museum features a unique collection of rare trains and railway artifacts. The depot and museum are open to the public 10 a.m. – 5p.m. daily.
Reach reporter Michael Bayless Rowe at mrowe@snovalleystar.com or 392-6434, ext. 248.
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