Northwest Railway Museum Blog

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89233722223795764342012-01-31T13:07:23.021-08:00Northwest Railway Museum BlogInsider news and views from the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, Washington.Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.comBlogger1561100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-51964065807187418702012-01-31T08:25:00.000-08:002012-01-31T13:07:23.148-08:00Looking back at 2011

2012 has started out with heavy weather including heavy rain, over 9 inches of snow and an ice storm. So as we complete our latest storm recovery, it is appealing to recollect some of the achievements for 2011. In February 2011, rehabilitation of chapel car 5 Messengerof Peace began in earnest. A crew of three worked full time on the car and completed all the car body structural repairs. By

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-12762721790261275922011-12-18T23:23:00.000-08:002011-12-19T20:43:40.660-08:00Another successful Santa Train event

Zoe (Santa's oldest elf) and Ms. Claus joined Santa in greeting children and preparing the list of who is naughty and nice. Santa Train is the Northwest Railway Museum's premier event; it has been a Northwest tradition for 43 years. Visitors travel on a 2 hour excursion on a century-old train from North Bend to Snoqualmie, visit with Santa and enjoy refreshments

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-24309631403293606502011-12-11T16:28:00.000-08:002011-12-12T15:30:17.877-08:00Recollections of a Santa

The Patron Saint of Children has been a frequent visitor to the Northwest Railway Museum ever since seasonal programming began in 1969. He is an integral part of Santa Train and has brought joy to generations of children. Santa Train is in its 43rd season and will serve more than 11,000 visitors during eight days of sold-out operation. The event is an important opportunity to attract a

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-81644765110051934472011-11-07T18:45:00.000-08:002011-11-07T19:48:36.841-08:00Pew with a view: seats for the chapel car

Chapel car 5 Messenger of Peace was built with a full complement of pews. Unfortunately changes in use and 113 years of history resulted in the loss of all the originals. But the Messenger of Peace had four “siblings” - they were other chapel cars built to the same plan by the Barney and Smith Car Company. And as fate would have it, a pew from Herald of Hope was donated to the American Baptist

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-70290070884863192892011-10-24T21:21:00.001-07:002011-10-24T22:10:49.493-07:00Chapel car milestone

Chapel car 5 Messenger of Peace has been undergoing rehabilitation for over 9 months. A full time crew of carpenters and other preservation specialists has been reversing the effects of 112 years of deterioration and decay. Considering the car is just 78 feet long, the scope is massive. Frame repairs, new or repaired exterior cladding, new windows, repaired interior paneling and new trucks are

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-55943018988152778712011-10-12T08:17:00.000-07:002011-10-13T00:48:52.839-07:001,000 likes and climbing

Milestones. Sometimes we celebrate them with great fanfare. Sometimes with quiet delight. For the Museum, both kinds of milestones happened one day recently.THE FANFARE Train whistles. Trumpets. Remarks by People with Titles. The Northwest Railway Museum celebrated the Grand Opening of the Train Shed September 17 with a happy crowd of members, donors, volunteers and other supporters. It’s a

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-21323428990773072092011-09-23T12:00:00.000-07:002011-09-23T21:16:55.002-07:00Day of Caring at NRM

Every year in September, United Way organizes Day of Caring where thousands of volunteers all take the day off from work and volunteer in their community. United Way asks non-profit organizations to sponsor projects and then group leaders - mostly from companies - sign up for projects and organize volunteers to work on those projects. This year, on September 16, 2011, the Northwest Railway Museum

Hiawathahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191061472540253512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-29988668767655849212011-09-21T15:05:00.000-07:002011-09-21T20:25:32.090-07:00Train Shed grand opening

September 17, 2011 was a momentous occasion for the 54-year-old Northwest Railway Museum. That occasion was the grand opening of the Train Shed exhibit and collection storage building, a project 54 years in the making. 137 invited guests joined together to hear live music, inspirational speeches, and to see the rehabilitated White River Lumber Company locomotive 1 and caboose 001 roll into the

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-53392837225602214902011-08-26T21:19:00.000-07:002011-08-27T04:16:54.707-07:00Railroad Days revisit

Snoqualmie Railroad Days has been part of Snoqualmie for 73 years; the Northwest Railway Museum has managed the event for the last three years. Railroad Days celebrates Snoqualmie's history as a railroad and logging town, but also as home to the Snoqualmie Nation of Native Americans/First Nations people. Railroad Days 2011 was a tremendously successful event with an estimated 10,000 participants

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-37481280421043649272011-08-15T17:29:00.000-07:002011-08-15T21:27:11.515-07:00Weyerhaeuser Timber Company locomotive 1

The White River Branch was a Weyerhaeuser operation near Enumclaw in east King County, Washington. They had a logging railroad that stretched to the outer reaches of Mount Rainier National Park, and a spur line that connected with the Northern Pacific Railway and Milwaukee Road. In 1951 "a great yellow beast" (as described in the company’s newsletter) arrived to replace a steam locomotive and

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-22311802835355336562011-07-27T15:21:00.000-07:002011-07-27T15:55:26.863-07:00I've been working on the railroad as an engineer

“The engineer is in charge of and responsible for the locomotive as well as the mechanical operation of the train, train speed, and all train handling.” In other words, the engineer controls the locomotive. Historically people apprenticed for the position of engineer by being the fireman.A steam locomotive fireman spent most of his time maintaining pressure in the boiler -- shoveling coal into

Hiawathahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191061472540253512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-67181715025884080012011-07-19T21:44:00.000-07:002011-07-20T07:52:41.238-07:00Day Out With Thomas 2011

The very useful engine completed his annual visit to the Northwest Railway Museum on July 17, 2011 and by all accounts it was a successful and happy time for thousands of children. Live music, motor car rides, historical artifacts, and model trains were just a few of the many things to see and do at Day Out With Thomas 2011 in Snoqualmie, Washington. This event marked the tenth annual visit

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-47876699957747872162011-07-15T21:31:00.000-07:002011-07-25T20:57:19.958-07:00Reconstructing a railroad crossing

Crossings are the interface between a railroad and a roadway or trail. The Northwest Railway Museum has 23 crossings; 13 of those are public crossings of local streets, arterials, or major thoroughfares including a State highway. All of these crossings require ongoing maintenance; the majority of the wear and tear is caused by truck and automobile traffic. To meet the needs of today's

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-19509034256252889122011-07-04T18:32:00.000-07:002011-07-04T19:21:36.965-07:00Congratulations 4Culture!

4Culture’s funding source has been extended into the foreseeable future with the Washington State Legislature’s passage of ESSB 5834. Governor Gregoire has signed the bill into law and it takes effect on August 24, 2011. Passage of the bill was the result of a seven year bipartisan effort by King County, the arts & heritage community, and thousands of cultural patrons. It was passed in the

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-50527386777267494482011-06-30T20:31:00.001-07:002011-07-02T15:27:02.236-07:00Thomas arrives!

The Museum's annual visit from Thomas the Tank Engine® is upon us!Today, Thursday, June 30, 2011, Thomas arrived in North Bend, WA. He traveled on a special truck from an event in Oregon and was unloaded in downtown North Bend by a team of the Museum's running trades volunteers. Bob L., Jeanette M., Jim H., Shawn M., Vern S., Dan C., Ken L., and Chuck S. all contributed to a successful move.Check

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-39546972641881980292011-06-27T08:19:00.000-07:002011-07-25T20:58:42.162-07:00Monitoring the environment

Museum collections are expected to last for a really long time. To preserve objects in a collection for a really long time, museums attempt to control the environmental factors that affect preservation. Too much light, humidity, heat and improper handling all contribute to deterioration. So with a conditioned building and good collections management practices, the likelihood of an object

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-17764320493342786312011-06-15T06:20:00.000-07:002011-06-15T07:33:26.177-07:00GiveBIG to make giving history June 23

How would you like to be part of what promises to be the biggest community-wide, charitable giving day in King County history?GiveBIG is an online giving challenge benefiting King County nonprofit organizations. Any donation you make to the Northwest Railway Museum through The Seattle Foundation's online Giving Center between 7:00 AM and midnight, Thursday, June 23, will be stretched further,

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-4507120696254347962011-05-16T22:33:00.000-07:002011-06-20T21:20:09.915-07:00Chapel car windows

Chapel car 5 rehabilitation continues in the Conservation and Restoration Center and with a recent delay in the arrival of heavy timbers work shifted to another important element: windows.Windows are among the most distinctive features of a 19th Century railroad car. There was an almost unimaginably wide array of different window designs from the simple and functional to the elaborate. For a

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-51136641649599818552011-05-05T20:02:00.000-07:002011-05-06T07:54:06.396-07:00Destination heritage

King County has a rich heritage. Agriculture, maritime and industry themes along with its people shaped the County into what it is today. A new website entitled Destination Heritage highlights some of the preserved buildings and heritage resources located within the County, and includes descriptions and informational links. There are print versions in each category; click on each name to download

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-54428538944080943262011-04-28T21:05:00.000-07:002011-04-29T04:20:27.021-07:00Wellington Remembered receives accolades

The Northwest Railway Museum has received an award for its Wellington Remembered exhibit. The Association of King County Historical Organizations (“AKCHO”) has recognized Wellington Remembered with its 2011 Exhibit Award. The Exhibit Award is presented annually to an organization for an outstanding permanent, traveling, outreach, or temporary display or exhibit of any size that uses historical

Hiawathahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191061472540253512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-30376332953135508012011-03-31T06:24:00.000-07:002011-03-31T07:18:30.319-07:00Rehabilitating track at Snoqualmie Falls

The world's first underground power generating station is located at Snoqualmie Falls. It was opened in 1898 by Charles Baker, who just a few years earlier was a civil engineer for the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway. Fast forward to 2010. Puget Sound Energy owns the Snoqualmie Generating station and began a major reconstruction of the 112 year old plant. Scope of work includes new

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-69843611504169775802011-03-21T10:56:00.000-07:002011-03-21T22:44:18.877-07:00Preservation field school

The Northwest Railway Museum recently hosted an historic structure field school. Maintenance and repair of historic structures is a course regularly offered by the Army Corp of Engineers and outlines the unique characteristics of historic structures and the technical knowledge, skills, and procedures used to care for historic properties owned by the Federal Government. The course also addresses

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-78925665173955729842011-03-11T17:11:00.000-08:002011-03-11T20:25:37.287-08:00Working on the Railroad success

Many charities run benefits that are designed to just make money. Others run events that inform, educate and entertain, but also support the institution. Working on the Railroad 2011 was the latter.The Northwest Railway Museum hosted its second annual benefit dinner on Friday, March 4, 2011 at the Salish Lodge and Spa in Snoqualmie. A total of 90 people were on hand for an evening themed around

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-69237748014546685472011-03-10T16:34:00.000-08:002011-03-10T17:30:34.669-08:00Research and the process of education

Education at the Northwest Railway Museum has many levels. It is interpretation – whether a small or large exhibit or even a sign found around the site. It is education programs like Pre-School Train and School Train. It is educational tours of the Depot or the CRC. It is also the train rides which begin again in April. Education has many levels, all of which require background knowledge of the

Hiawathahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191061472540253512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-77090609569072827872011-02-24T14:52:00.000-08:002011-02-24T15:52:01.364-08:00Annual Banquet & Volunteer Recognition

This year the Annual Banquet and Volunteer Recognition was held on Saturday February 19th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Issaquah. Acting Board President Dennis S. addressed the crowd before we enjoyed a lovely plated lunch, followed by brownies donated by George’s Bakery of North Bend. Participants enjoyed a slide show of Museum activities and programs in 2010, as well as a gift raffle. After lunch

Hiawathahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191061472540253512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-18362156963558473872011-02-22T14:47:00.000-08:002011-02-22T15:44:44.107-08:00"The scenes of the last few days haunt me"

I don’t know about you, but I grew up thinking history was all dates, wars and Important Names. But the word story is in there for a reason.In college, my American Westward Movement professor radically transformed my tinder-dry concept of history. He sat back, put his feet on his desk and filled the hour with stories. The voices of nameless, lonely women going crazy on the Great Plains where the

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-55911921308394570692011-02-16T05:38:00.000-08:002011-02-16T06:42:51.312-08:00Chapel car rehab begins

The chapel car 5 Messenger of Peace’s rehabilitation has begun in earnest. The Museum has been fundraising for this long-planned project for over three years. On January 31, 2011 a crew consisting of a project manager, lead restoration woodworker and restoration woodworker began working fulltime. Clark M., Kevin P., and Meghan G. work on the chapel car 5 days a week. Already, progress is apparent

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-23919563622211438912010-12-20T21:47:00.000-08:002010-12-20T23:07:49.275-08:00Old project, new project

Fall 2010 was an eventful season inside the Museum’s Conservation and Restoration Center. The center of attention has been a first generation diesel-electric locomotive with ties to the local forest industry and the results are spectacular! Funded with a grant from the National Railroad Historical Society, private donors and a Boeing Company matching grant, the project is wrapping up this

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-32411145349405175122010-12-15T20:22:00.000-08:002010-12-15T22:46:36.162-08:00Rock photographer Jini Dellaccio does photo shoot at the Museum

It’s not often that rock photographers show up on the other side of the camera. But breaking with tradition is nothing new for Jini Dellaccio.A pioneering rock photographer in the Pacific Northwest in the 1960s, Jini Dellaccio and her remarkable life and work are the subject of an upcoming documentary, now in the final stages of production, by Karen J. Whitehead, Producer/Director, Five Star

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-84223700899833954772010-11-30T02:20:00.000-08:002010-11-30T03:35:54.485-08:00Old green, new green: Part II

This is a continuation of yesterday’s post, which outlined the Train Shed building’s sustainable and environmentally-friendly features. Today we take a stroll around the outside of the exhibit building.Part II The site's railroad ties are made of Douglas-fir. Indoor ties are untreated. The Museum chose copper naphthenate-treated ties for outdoor use. Preferable to waterborne treatments for its

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-19346805775047339242010-11-29T01:10:00.000-08:002010-11-29T01:58:12.090-08:00Old green, new green: the best of three centuries

PART I In one sense, forestry was the Northwest’s “green” industry of the last two centuries. The Train Shed will convey part of that story while simultaneously embodying today’s green industries, such as energy efficiency, local and recycled materials, and stormwater management.Climate control is highly important to a museum collection. But the Train Shed is not air conditioned. To regulate

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-29625239251052724742010-11-21T20:02:00.000-08:002010-11-22T16:14:56.226-08:00Thanks Continental Mills!

Santa Train® 2010 is sold out but preparations continue for the 11,000 guests that will be visiting North Bend, Snoqualmie and the Northwest Railway Museum over the next 4 weekends. Dozens of volunteers are decorating the Snoqualmie Depot, preparing thousands of gifts, and getting the historic kitchen car ready for use.One of the most important “ingredients” for a successful event is cookie dough

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-56047114804080825482010-11-07T21:59:00.000-08:002010-11-08T07:52:47.206-08:00X101 caboose caper

At the Train Shed dedication on October 2, 2010, the daughter of the late Jack Hoover of Belt, Montana announced the donation of his caboose to the Northwest Railway Museum. Christina Blackwell selected the Northwest Railway Museum to receive her father's caboose "so it can be housed inside the new Train Shed exhibit building and be accessible to the public." Initially, the caboose will be used

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-54548101321466178622010-10-28T23:03:00.000-07:002010-10-29T07:13:51.147-07:00Congressional candidates visit

This month the Northwest Railway Museum was honored to receive visits from both Congressional candidates. Early in October candidate Suzan DelBene toured the Conservation and Restoration Center. Then on October 28 Congressman Dave Reichert toured the Museum.Reichert was in town to tour downtown Snoqualmie’s infrastructure reconstruction. That project is replacing sidewalks, burying overhead

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-68064220320521682292010-10-15T01:34:00.000-07:002010-10-16T21:11:11.018-07:00Train Shed: where past and future intertwine

“Some of you might have thought we were going to pound in the golden spike,” said Museum Director Richard Anderson at the Train Shed Dedication October 2, “but that’s not the case.”He went on to outline how in 1900 the Great Northern Railway had recently acquired controlling interest in the Northern Pacific Railway and was on the verge of insolvency. At that time, the sale of 900,000 acres of

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-43543217995481429362010-09-28T19:44:00.000-07:002010-09-29T21:11:30.093-07:00Weyerhaeuser Timber locomotive 1 rehabilitation

Weyerhaeuser is perhaps the best-known forest products company in the Northwest and has a long and colorful association with railroads. It was formed in 1900 shortly after Fredrick Weyerhaeuser purchased nearly 1 million acres of forestland from the Great Northern Railway’s James J. Hill (athough technically Northern Pacific Railway land). By 1903, Weyerhaeuser had over 1.5 million acres of land

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-37279320899370988832010-09-17T22:01:00.000-07:002010-09-17T22:20:36.847-07:00Hot riveting

Traditional methods and materials are essential to good collections care at a railway museum. So over the last nine months, Volunteers and full time staff at the Northwest Railway Museum have been learning to hot rivet. Hot riveting was (is) used to attach two or more metal parts and was widely used in car and locomotive construction prior to the widespread introduction of electric welding. It is

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-18228639974851429312010-09-14T10:34:00.000-07:002010-09-14T10:49:04.873-07:00Dining by rail

The shelf labeled “Dining on the Train” is always a big draw for browsers at the Northwest Railway Museum's Depot Bookstore in Snoqualmie, WA. With a couple of recent additions, the selection has broadened, ranging from serious biography to cookbooks, and from the East Coast to the West.The biography is the newly published Appetite for America: How Visionary Businessman Fred Harvey Built a

Hiawathahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03191061472540253512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-57577317337574855592010-08-05T21:11:00.000-07:002010-08-05T22:21:18.252-07:00Train Shed substantial completion

A vision dating from the Museum’s incorporation in 1957 has been realized: construction of an indoor exhibit hall. The building has achieved substantial completion and the contractor is working to complete a short punch list of corrections. The completed structure is one of the most significant railway museum facilities west of the Mississippi River and the only facility of its type in the

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-42812252850885955382010-06-16T07:49:00.000-07:002010-06-16T16:14:12.767-07:00Partners in Preservation funds chapel car

Chapel car 5 Messenger of Peace has been awarded funding by the Partners In Preservation (“PiP”). PiP is an initiative of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Express Foundation, and this was the fifth year of the competition. The $50,000 grant has been made to support rehabilitation of car 5’s deteriorated structure, windows, assist in replacement of the special railcar

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-65588615713004906242010-06-14T18:27:00.000-07:002010-06-14T19:17:41.436-07:00Museum hosts Evening Magazine

The Northwest Railway Museum made a beautiful setting for television's King 5 Evening Magazine. The filming occurred on Monday, June 14 with host Meeghan Black. It featured the Snoqualmie Depot and the Museum's interpretive railway during introductory segments. The program is scheduled to air at 7 PM on Tuesday, June 15, 2010.Ms. Black has visited the museum prior to today's assignment and took

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-12829384167038850522010-06-11T11:21:00.000-07:002010-06-11T11:40:22.934-07:00Improving educational interpretation

The Northwest Railway Museum’s mission places a heavy emphasis on the role railroads played in the development and settlement of the Northwest. This story is interesting with a well-written narrative, but it is much more compelling with tangible evidence such as buildings, rolling stock and locomotives. So the large objects in the Museum’s collection are becoming more relevant to many visitors

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-7474207586302326222010-05-28T16:39:00.000-07:002010-05-28T17:32:38.052-07:00Guess Who's Back in Town

No, not Blue’s Clues or the Smurfs, but you’re getting warmer. He is big and blue.That’s right. Thomas the Tank Engine, the No. 1, the cheeky little fellow with a heart of gold and a propensity for trouble is making his way to Snoqualmie. Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt will be welcoming 16,000 children and their adults to the Northwest Railway Museum this summer during Day Out With Thomas, The

Harvey Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627021450018119375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-7631021942317810762010-05-09T06:27:00.000-07:002010-05-09T07:24:01.363-07:00Landslide!

The Northwest Railway Museum has a train load of experience managing natural disaster recovery operations. The Museum has successfully recovered from major floods, moderate earthquakes, hurricane-force wind storms, and even landslides.The Museum applied its experience again this week with a minor landslide at Snoqualmie Falls. Late on Monday, 3 May 2010, about 150 cubic yards of mud and rock and

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-68857516696099794852010-05-07T20:15:00.000-07:002010-05-07T21:11:16.515-07:00Depot restrooms dedicated

It’s official: the brand new Snoqualmie Depot public restrooms have been dedicated. A successful potty party held on May 1st culminated in dignitaries cutting a ribbon of toilet paper to officially open the restrooms. Participating were (left to right) Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson, Museum President Susan Hankins, King County Council Member Kathy Lambert, Snoqualmie Councilmember Bob Jeans, and

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-11628538930689757682010-05-02T21:05:00.000-07:002010-05-03T18:16:28.017-07:00Project open houses at two King Street stations

With just 10 voting days left in the Partners In Preservation Seattle Initiative funding competition, the region’s two King Street Stations held a joint open house to highlight their projects. Seattle’s King Street Station (owned by the City of Seattle and managed by the Seattle Department of Transportation or "SDOT") highlighted the staircase that extends from the King Street entrance to Jackson

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-58463522747416690442010-04-27T18:14:00.000-07:002010-04-27T18:29:43.132-07:00Chapel car's travels

{Please remember to vote for the chapel car 5 Messenger of Peace today and every day until May 12 at http://www.PartnersInPreservation.org/}Chapel car 5 Messenger of Peace traveled the country for 50 years. Beginning in 1898 with its dedication at Rochester, New York, car 5 brought hope, enlightenment, and religion to hundreds of communities. Some visits were short and others were longer but by

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-18219088770983718602010-04-22T19:26:00.000-07:002010-04-22T19:44:02.698-07:00More on the Messenger of Peace

Chapel Car 5 Messenger of Peace is competing for funding in the Partners In Preservation Seattle/Puget Sound initiative. At stake for the chapel car is up to $100,000 in funding and your votes will help decide if it gets funded! Vote today and every day until May 12 at http://www.PartnersInPreservation.org/The chapel car is a pretty exciting project. Win or lose, it is getting a lot of

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-79504079412439035102010-04-15T11:00:00.000-07:002010-04-15T12:32:46.484-07:00Vote to fund the chapel car!

A vote a day can help keep decay away! Between now and May 12, a public vote is helping determine the outcome of Partners in Preservation Seattle Initiative. 25 historic properties in the Puget Sound Region are competing for a share of $1 million. Chapel car 5 Messenger of Peace is one of the properties and, if it is selected for an award from Partners in Preservation, the Museum will have enough

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-85892566670141543042010-04-05T21:17:00.000-07:002010-04-30T18:05:33.137-07:00Now serving...

Historically, when you needed to go somewhere, you headed to the train station. Now, when you just gotta go, we’ve got you covered too: new restrooms are open in the Snoqualmie Depot. A three month and nearly $160,000 investment has resulted in awesome new restrooms for downtown Snoqualmie. This innovative strategic partnership is a first in as far as Spike has been able to discover: the Museum

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-57554440842969737602010-03-31T21:00:00.000-07:002010-03-31T21:06:48.183-07:00Train Shed milestone

Train Shed construction has been continuing despite delays in the arrival of building materials – such as American-made steel. Nevertheless, the new Train Shed exhibit building has completed 50% of the roof with the entire south side of the building now fully under cover. It is a modest but important victory in the construction of this major new structure to preserve the collection and provide

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-8349556758414082172010-03-30T05:00:00.000-07:002010-03-30T19:50:18.925-07:00Improving curb appeal

Building a successful museum also means helping build a successful community which, like building a museum, takes great patience. So our congratulations to the City of Snoqualmie for their courage of conviction: nine years of effort has secured enough funding to begin the first phase of historic downtown Snoqualmie’s infrastructure revitalization. New storm sewers, underground power, new

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-84455506677961455662010-03-27T04:15:00.000-07:002010-03-27T05:13:12.543-07:00Coach 218 progresses towards completion

Coach 218 has been an occasional focus of the Northwest Railway Museum Blog, and this post represents another update. It also represents our first-ever video post (a panorama shot of coach 218), so let us know what you think.Work began in earnest in 2007 and has been progressing at a steady rate. To recap the history, the coach was built in 1912 by the Barney and Smith Car Company of Dayton, Ohio

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-61054169498083770512010-03-19T13:10:00.000-07:002010-03-19T16:22:34.505-07:00Another reason we're on the map

That’s right. We’ve made the list.Feliks Banel’s list of Seattle’s Least Endangered Historic Spots, that is. Composed of such Seattle icons as the Paramount Theatre, Space Needle and Sorrento Hotel, the list features fifteen historic places, all worthy of a visit.It’s nice to see that we are in good company. We're proud to be on a list with the Wing Luke Asian Museum and the Northwest African

Harvey Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627021450018119375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-21755052130795784862010-03-11T16:22:00.000-08:002010-03-11T16:50:28.974-08:00Coming soon . . . new depot restrooms!

The Snoqualmie Depot restroom renovation project is progressing nicely. The project was outlined in a January post here and since then the old restrooms have been removed, the new walls and floor installed along with electrical and plumbing rough-in. This week, tile installation is underway. There are so many improvements the public will hardly recognize the place!The new design incorporates an

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-46992412253017297212010-03-08T21:13:00.000-08:002010-03-09T15:48:35.053-08:00Working on the Railroad success

The Museum hosted its first Working on the Railroad benefit dinner at the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. Attended by 137 people, the March 5th event was an unqualified success. Great food, entertainment, and an insightful historical talk filled the evening. It was a fitting way to remember the Wellington Disaster and a great way to support a new museum exhibit building.Co-hosts Bob Jeans and Cindy Walker

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-13666649636022241032010-03-01T20:32:00.000-08:002010-03-01T20:53:50.076-08:00Wellington Remembered

Today - March 1, 2010 - is the anniversary of a northwest tragedy: the Wellington Disaster. On March 1, 1910, at about 1:15 AM, an avalanche over ½ mile in length began high above the town of Wellington. The town itself was spared, but two snow-bound trains just west of the depot were swept into the valley below. At least 96 people perished, most of them railroad workers.Several great authors

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-74293214098788360412010-02-24T18:43:00.000-08:002010-02-25T11:56:19.584-08:00Wellington Disaster too dramatic for fiction

The story behind the storytelling is unexpected. Gary Krist didn’t start out to write a narrative nonfiction book about the Wellington Disaster. For one thing, he wrote novels and short stories. For another, he had never heard of the Wellington Disaster.In an interview with Failure Magazine, Krist explains that a total fluke inspired him to write The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-29088358374114339252010-02-22T21:59:00.001-08:002010-02-22T22:32:43.436-08:00Scouts improve wetland buffer

Boy Scouts from Troop 677 working under the direction of future Eagle Scout Alec B. have improved a wetland buffer. This sensitive area is located west of the new Train Shed exhibit building. The project was required as part of the approval conditions for the Train Shed and is designed to mitigate the ladder track's buffer encroachment. The scope of work turned out to be just right for an Eagle

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-19915083705910865932010-02-21T20:51:00.000-08:002010-02-24T04:33:53.858-08:00Rehabilitation of NP 28417

The Museum has completed another boxcar rehabilitation. Work included repair or replacement of deteriorated wood siding, relocating end tack boards to their original location, restoring tack boards to the doors, replacing the wood running boards on the roof, and general cleaning and painting. Original lettering configuration was applied with paint masks. A crew led by Richard W. conducted the

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-11740924172213540202010-02-12T20:39:00.000-08:002010-02-12T21:40:06.758-08:00Turning the floods and fires of 2009 into good things

Last year began with a major flood. It was countered by a flood of support. Halfway through the year, an arsonist set fire to the Snoqualmie Depot. That was countered by fire in the bellies of countless community members, volunteers and visitors who value the experience and education the Museum offers. We ended the year way ahead. Despite the flood our regular train season began on time,

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-68980402073309718962010-02-08T12:39:00.000-08:002010-02-08T21:35:09.763-08:00IMLS Director visits Museum

Saturday, February 6, 2010 was an early morning for the board and staff of the Northwest Railway Museum. Dr. Anne Radice, Director of the Institute for Museum and Library Services (“IMLS”) in Washington, DC, was in Seattle and was able to schedule a visit to the Northwest Railway Museum at 7:30 AM.IMLS is an agency of the Federal government supporting libraries and museums across the United

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-8714070945157647822010-01-29T21:06:00.000-08:002010-02-04T09:14:14.334-08:00Wellington, WA

March 1, 1910 was a disastrous day in King County. Two occupied trains - a mail train and a passenger train - yarded at Wellington, Washington, near Stevens Pass, waiting for the tracks ahead to be cleared of snow, were swept away in the worst avalanche in American history. 96 people were killed with countless others injured; most were railroad employees but many passengers were victims too.

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-35855805732141083442010-01-28T21:29:00.000-08:002010-01-28T21:33:53.867-08:00New restrooms for the Depot

The Northwest Railway Museum’s Snoqualmie Depot receives about 90,000 visitors per year. Most arrive as families and many have young children. In those families, most decisions about family outings are made by mothers. Not surprisingly, most mothers rate clean, safe and accessible restrooms as essential to a successful and repeatable family outing. The existing depot restrooms were

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-29515013018176229782010-01-13T14:54:00.000-08:002010-01-18T20:02:08.640-08:00Delegates and Students from Our Sister City Make Themselves at Home

Are you familiar with Sister Cities International, a program that originated with the Eisenhower administration? “It is a non-profit citizen diplomacy network which seeks stronger economic and cultural ties at the municipal level between the US and international communities.” The citizens of Snoqualmie, together with the people of Gangjin, South Korea, have formed a lasting bond, which is being

Harvey Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627021450018119375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-31982465405958196012010-01-09T20:00:00.000-08:002010-01-09T20:25:50.694-08:00A new city hall for Snoqualmie

A healthy and prosperous community has many dimensions, and according to A healthy community: a strategy for giving report released by the Seattle Foundation in June 2009, arts and culture are a vital part of it. But a healthy community is also more than a museum, and includes substantial investment by many stakeholders including private property owners and government. So the Northwest Railway

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-65802935013201115242009-12-27T21:14:00.001-08:002009-12-27T21:18:28.823-08:00Siding for coach 218

Rehabilitation of the coach 218 has been underway for two years now. This comprehensive project is addressing nearly every aspect of this 1912-built coach to prepare it for its return to passenger service.The Barney and Smith Car Company applied everything they knew about coach building to the 218; it was one of the last wooden coaches built for service on an American railroad. This allowed it to

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-4972895767388876342009-12-23T11:36:00.000-08:002009-12-23T12:10:57.992-08:00Steel erection begins!

The Train Shed is now beginning to take shape. On Tuesday, December 22, 2009 subcontractor CHG Building Systems began erecting steel columns for the Train Shed. CHG is not a newcomer to the Museum – they were also involved in construction of the Museum’s Conservation and Restoration Center in 2005 and performed work on that project to a high standard. For this repeat performance, CHG is using a

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-77960078635162263092009-12-19T14:09:00.000-08:002009-12-19T14:34:50.751-08:00This Santa drives a train

“On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!” may have a better ring than “On, Weyerhaeuser Timber #6! On, Coach NP X-46 and Caboose NP 1203!” But train, not sleigh, was the transportation of choice for Brian Norvell, Santa Train’s very first Santa.The year was 1969. During warmer months, the Puget Sound Railway Historical Association offered steam train rides for a dollar. Brian’s mother Hazel

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-84879078536501690802009-12-09T21:38:00.000-08:002009-12-10T17:04:37.545-08:00Save America’s Treasures

Chapel Car 5 Messenger of Peace has been awarded a prestigious Save America’s Treasures grant. On 9 December 2009 the Institute of Museum and Library Services – in collaboration with the President’s Council on Arts and Heritage, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Park Service – announced selection of the chapel car project from a pool

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-15217166452874902952009-12-01T20:22:00.001-08:002009-12-03T17:19:30.539-08:00Train Shed steel

The Train Shed construction is continuing to proceed but some of the most impressive work takes place in a manufacturing facility. Take the steel columns and girders as an example, part of the Varco-Pruden brand building designed for the Museum. They are being fabricated at Wick Constructor's subconcontractor BlueScope Buildings NA, Arlington, Washington facility, about 90 minutes north of the

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-75740758484254342142009-11-27T15:03:00.000-08:002009-11-27T17:52:57.307-08:00Hidden Talents

Walking by the bay window at the Northwest Railway Museum, I spied some activity inside at the desk. Clarence, our telegrapher of many years, has taken up a new hobby. As I look closely, peering through the antique glass, it seems Clarence is putting the finishing touches on a Christmas model railroad display.The tracks are covered with snow and Isaac’s Hardware awaits holiday shoppers at the end

Harvey Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627021450018119375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-79068465829655946282009-11-26T12:55:00.000-08:002009-11-26T13:13:12.366-08:00Giving Thanks in 2009

15 things the Northwest Railway Museum is thankful for (in no particular order):1. Sprinkler systems! (The Snoqualmie Depot was spared from major fire damage by sprinkler heads located on the structure’s exterior.)2. Successful flood recovery. (On January 8 the Museum experienced the most significant flood event in its history and recovered in time to operate trains in April as scheduled.)3.

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-48191392119932855172009-11-24T16:40:00.000-08:002009-11-24T19:27:00.931-08:00World's Greatest Hobby on Tour

Model train show season has begun and the Northwest Railway Museum was present at one of the best train shows around this past weekend: The World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour, originating in Illinois.Thousands of families and train lovers gathered in the Showplex at the Puyallup Fairgrounds for a train palooza, featuring model train layouts by local groups, retailers and manufacturers, and heritage

Harvey Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627021450018119375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-91438567115300631862009-11-18T20:46:00.000-08:002009-11-19T10:12:20.019-08:00Good conductor, bad conductor

Weyerhaeuser Timber Company White River Branch #1 is a diesel-electric locomotive built in 1951 during the transition from steam to diesel. It is an important object in the Museum’s collection for the era in which it was built, because it represents local King County history (Enumclaw area), because of its connection with the forest industry, because of its builder (Fairbanks Morse) and because

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-91008334408825265722009-11-11T14:55:00.000-08:002009-11-11T15:19:53.689-08:00Happy Birthday, Washington State

Why be modest? We’ll take credit for Washington State’s 120th birthday. Washington became the 42nd state when President Benjamin Harrison signed a proclamation on November 11, 1889. It’s not coincidental that D. H. Gilman was signing Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway Company stock certificates (shown here) in 1888, or that investors were planning the town of Snoqualmie in 1889, or that

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-460967170173631582009-11-09T19:47:00.000-08:002009-11-09T20:07:33.920-08:00More on regulation

Ballast regulation that is.Progress on rehabilitation of the Museum’s Kershaw ballast regulator was featured in an August post and the project is nearing completion. By November 6, Rich W. completed rewiring. He installed new switches, wires, a new battery, and a battery isolation switch. Additional work was performed by Brandon C.Rich also applied all new flood lights, a new fan for the cab, and

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-33173236924881752722009-10-29T16:17:00.000-07:002009-10-29T16:35:16.956-07:00Movie Night Nov 4 offers train scenes, suspense & fun

In less than a week, a one-of-a-kind theatre, a movie full of action and suspense, and a lively museum team up to offer you a casual evening out with family or friends. And the best part is . . . Actually, there are a lot of “best parts” to next Wednesday’s movie night fundraiser for the Northwest Railway Museum. For some it will be the great footage of Idaho’s Camas Prairie Railroad

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-82755519033667818522009-10-24T02:04:00.000-07:002009-10-24T20:18:11.156-07:00Family attends Santa Train 37 years in a row

Dick and Charlsia Schall were enjoying a Sunday drive with their three children when they stumbled upon Santa Train and decided to hop aboard. That was 1972, and they haven’t missed a year since.As they waited to board, Dick remembers watching a flagpole. When a pennant matching the color of their tickets was raised, it was their time to ride. A steam locomotive pulled the train from Route 202

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-8807992101793808162009-10-21T19:03:00.000-07:002009-10-21T19:29:21.564-07:00Hoboes allowed on Halloween Train

If you’re looking for something creepy and frightening this Halloween . . . you won’t find it at Halloween Train.Nothing here to spook the wee ones that love train rides so much. The Northwest Railway Museum offers three days of delight-filled, history-rich autumn fun for all ages: old-fashioned cider press demos, a train ride of course, a craft to make and keep, a model train display, and

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-52549096918805834082009-10-20T20:34:00.000-07:002009-10-20T21:31:10.359-07:00Need spikes? Zap it!

Back in the 1970s, a forward-thinking company called RMC-Portec (track machine division now part of Harsco) came up with a machine design that holds a railroad tie in place under the rails and spikes it. Mind you an operator (or two or three) is required to manipulate a joy stick and some push buttons, it is nevertheless an effective and fast machine that takes most of the heavy labor out of the

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-84625630445057986762009-09-23T20:37:00.000-07:002009-09-23T21:03:29.272-07:00Paint the depot red!

Not quite as attention-getting as “paint the town red,” but still a true statement. Painters from RC Painting began work on the Snoqualmie Depot on September 14 on all the areas below the gutters. While this work was not originally planned for this year, it nicely complements the painting performed above the gutter line last summer, also by RC Painting crews.Unfortunately, the 30 June 2009 arson

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-45615972168928532772009-09-19T15:59:00.000-07:002009-09-20T19:11:41.722-07:00The Spirit of Cooperation

Two Snoqualmie Valley Museums are sharing a new exhibit, “North Bend’s Own Train,” which depicts the fascinating but untold story of the role the rail line played in the growth and development of North Bend and the Upper Snoqualmie Valley. The display contains the history, historical photos, diagrams and first-hand accounts of how the railroad brought prosperity to the Valley.Although Snoqualmie

Harvey Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627021450018119375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-6019601740717441312009-09-13T21:34:00.000-07:002009-09-13T21:40:17.625-07:00Train Shed construction progress

Construction has now been underway for over two months and site work is nearing completion. A photo essay that chronicles construction progress is being produced on the Museum’s WASteam site. In that essay you can see that trees and other vegetation have been removed, the site has been graded, a piling system has been installed, and approximately 1/3 of the plinths have been completed. In a few

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-27975153651468831062009-09-12T14:42:00.000-07:002009-09-12T15:10:44.494-07:00Phoebe says and Phoebe knows

Now Phoebe mayBy night or dayEnjoy FacebookUpon the way.From far or nearShe finds it hereAnd thinks that youShould hold it dear.Phoebe saysAnd Phoebe knowsOur Facebook pageHas great photos.So check it out.Without a doubtYou’ll have some funAnd learn aboutMuseum news,Things that amuse,Events, train rides...What’s there to lose?Our Facebook pageis all the rage.It’s how we keepup with this

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-89659523765619746512009-09-04T10:01:00.000-07:002009-09-04T10:05:33.909-07:00Managing a Collection

This week the Northwest Railway Museum gave a locomotive to another King County Museum, the Black Diamond Historical Society. For history museums, few things generate more controversy that deaccessioning (removing) things from the collection. So was this an act of treason, charity, or simply a case making appropriate choices in managing a collection?In the eyes of many museum professionals, a

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-55921137709362235622009-09-02T07:58:00.000-07:002009-09-12T15:32:16.890-07:00The sights we saw along Railroad Avenue!

Snoqualmie Railroad Days was so much fun this year, we can’t wait to give you a sneak preview of Railroad Days 2010.August 2009 was the first time the Northwest Railway Museum hosted Snoqualmie’s annual festival. Thanks to all who helped! The Field of Fun transformed the Snoqualmie Depot grounds, where hundreds of children bounced themselves silly in inflatables, raced bananas in North Bend

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-13904043686315092502009-08-19T21:40:00.000-07:002009-08-20T14:18:59.371-07:00What makes Railroad Days different

Seventy years after its launch as a fundraiser for Snoqualmie's volunteer fire department, Railroad Days - now a free annual festival - is under new management. And who better to take it on than a railroad? Early this year, with the City of Snoqualmie’s wholehearted approval, the Northwest Railway Museum adopted the community festival. Come check out the results this Saturday, August 22! You’ll

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-77990279203035987222009-08-07T16:00:00.000-07:002009-08-08T03:32:44.755-07:00Train Shed official ground breaking

The site was cleared and graded, equipment was mobilized, the temperature was a comfortable 72 degrees, and then the sun came out making it a perfect Northwest evening. So on the eve of the beginning of the foundation construction (specifically, of the driving of 76 augercast piles) supporters gathered for a brief ceremony. Standing in what will be the main entrance of the new Train Shed, shovel

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-62250738761358987722009-08-04T21:30:00.000-07:002009-08-05T07:12:33.829-07:00Regulating track ballast

It's not a form of government control but an essential component in good railway track. Track ballast is part of the track structure. It provides supports to the ties from below and holds the ties and rail in place by resisting the moving - or dynamic - forces caused by a passing train. In a curve, the train tries to push the curve outwards. On tangent track, any rocking and rolling of the cars

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-40268366931030948062009-07-29T23:48:00.000-07:002009-07-30T00:14:39.847-07:00Five time-tested ways to keep your cool

1) Enjoy the breeze and the view from Coach 272 when you ride the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad. 2) Stroll the Centennial Trail past the Museum’s rail yard, and continue a half mile to Snoqualmie Falls to catch some spray. 3) Board the train in Snoqualmie, and cool off with a cone or a shake at Scott’s Dairy Freeze in North Bend before completing your journey. Or board in North Bend, and take

Phoebe Snowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17515533295834122871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-78250821996680270412009-07-23T20:45:00.000-07:002009-07-23T21:18:12.408-07:00Train Shed construction begins!

It did not begin with any ceremony, pomp, or circumstance. Instead, it began with a chain saw. The technological marvel called the railroad made the Northwest's forest industry viable by providing economical transportation of raw logs to the mill and processed lumber to market. So it seems appropriate that a small, carefully planned logging operation would be required to build the Train Shed.

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-86690056354255755652009-07-13T20:13:00.000-07:002009-07-14T16:20:01.140-07:00Thomas the Tank Engine thrills thousands

Day Out With Thomas has been a successful event at the Northwest Railway Museum for eight seasons. This past weekend was the first of two for this year's event and by all accounts it was a roaring success.Of course Thomas the Tank Engine was the star. He pulled trains for three days - July 10 - 12 - and posed for photos with children of all ages. But the event is so much more than a visit with

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-7743513882286020842009-07-07T19:36:00.000-07:002009-07-07T21:26:51.227-07:00Thomas the Tank Engine arrives in Snoqualmie

This is a true story but the narrative has been adapted to suit the occasion!Thomas the Tank EngineTM arrived in North Bend early in July 7, 2009. Unfortunately, the Fat Controller made a mistake and loaded Thomas on the lorry facing the wrong direction! Thomas insisted that he be turned around and everyone at the Northwest Railway Museum agreed. Some clever work from Steve P. and Earl W. (with

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-8810665555707382042009-07-01T22:29:00.000-07:002009-07-01T22:44:46.641-07:00Scouts improve safety and security

Troup 466 of the Boy Scouts of America. Quite a remarkable troop actually. In the last several years they have turned out more than a dozen Eagle Scouts. In fact so many Eagle Scouts that it is easy to forget that becoming an Eagle Scout is a remarkable achievement, and is not common place.So the remarkable Alex C. planned his obligatory Eagle Scout project last spring. He offered to

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-69257885779332097772009-06-30T16:37:00.000-07:002009-06-30T16:56:29.398-07:00Vandalism of the worst kind

The Snoqualmie Depot is a local icon, a centerpiece for the City of Snoqualmie and the Northwest Railway Museum, and as a 120 year-old National-Register structure it is a powerful symbol of our cultural heritage. The depot is often cited as the second most recognizable image of Snoqualmie, the first being Snoqualmie Falls. Restored between 1979 - 1983 to its appearance in 1900, the Snoqualmie

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-10284911100338639202009-06-29T13:58:00.000-07:002009-06-29T17:39:01.611-07:00North Bend block party

The City of North Bend is turning 100 this year! In preparation for a grand celebration in August, the City hosted a block party for local residents, and the Northwest Railway Museum was there. Hundreds of people turned out to watch Twede's burger-eating contest, George's Bakery's children’s giant donut-eating contest, a race through Encompass’s inflatable obstacle course, listen to music and of

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-6671389146464081892009-06-25T14:38:00.000-07:002009-06-25T14:46:20.098-07:00Connecting with collections

The Northwest Railway Museum has been selected as a recipient for a Connecting With Collections Bookshelf. This collection includes essential text books, charts, and other collections resources assembled by some of the foremost museum experts in the country. The Connecting With Collections Bookshelf will be used to help ensure the Museum’s collection of railway transportation artifacts receives

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-21805091748918788862009-06-15T16:52:00.000-07:002009-06-15T16:54:12.582-07:00Remembrance

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of representing the Museum at the Tanner Jeans Memorial Bike Rodeo. Held yearly on Snoqualmie Ridge, the rodeo’s main purpose is to educate young children and their parents on bike safety. The event is held in honor and memory of Tanner Jeans, who was killed in a freak bicycle accident when he was 7 years old.The warm summer air was charged with excitement and

Harvey Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627021450018119375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8923372222379576434.post-69235904446951984592009-06-13T19:18:00.000-07:002009-06-13T21:48:22.499-07:00Steampunks!

There were "Steampunks" aplenty at the Snoqualmie Depot today! The trip was arranged by Steamrats, an association of Steampunks living in and around Seattle. They planned this delightful outing to ride the train, see the falls, and all the assorted steam engines and logging contraptions in and around the Northwest Railway Museum. Naturally, most made time for high tea, but all remained vigilant

Spikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16504396621504127375noreply@blogger.com2