Northwest Railway Museum

A recent news item on one of our wiz-bang TV stations reported that bad storm damage this winter could affect the re-opening of the Northwest Railway Museum at Snoqualmie Falls Washington. Scroll down page to dramatic flood pictures.


The original name for this organization was The Puget Sound Railway Historical Association. Operating The Puget Sound & Snoqualmie Valley Railroad, the association was incorporated in the State of Washington in 1957, “To preserve the spirit of Pacific Northwest railroading as it had been.” Shown here is a copy of the membership application. Cost for me was $10.00 per year when I joined in 1960.

Original tracks at Snoqualmie were the abandoned (1946) grade of the Northern Pacific coke oven and log re-load spur. The original plan was to have 5 miles of track run from Snoqualmie to Welbon Station at Icy Lake near Preston, Washington. The last mile was to be equipped with an overhead trolley for electric trains. (Perhaps a Milwaukee Road Box Cab?)

We had monthly meetings in an old NP business car parked on a siding next to Northwestern Glass on East Marginal Way in Seattle. The meetings included discussions of the progress out at Snoqualmie followed by a slide show or home movies and refreshments. It was there I met a fellow, Elwin Purington, with whom I spent many hours chasing trains in Seattle Area.

The Association in 1961 or ’62, published an eight-page illustrated roster of their equipment, including three tank engines: 0-4-0T Minnesota & Ontario Paper Company Davenport, an 2-6-0T Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Limited, Baldwin #17, built in 1886, and Port of Olympia #2, a 2-6-2T. 

September 4, 1960. Union Bay, Vancouver Island British Columbia. This disheveled crew is members from the Puget Sound Railway Historical Association, posing on Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Limited #14, Baldwin, 1898.

We were dispatched to Union Bay, Vancouver Island, to prepare this locomotive, and a coal car and CC(D)L #17, a 2-6-0T, for shipment to Snoqualmie Falls for the museum. Routing from the Island via Canadian Pacific car barge service to Port Mann, CP to GN in Delta, GN to Duwamish Interchange, NP to Snoqualmie.

While the adults partied all night, the two youngsters – me at far left, and my buddy next to me, were given orders to light off #14 in the morning, so she could be used during our chores. Notice I said "orders" ... but not "instructions."

Big mistake! What did we know about lighting a coal burning steam locomotive boiler?

Railroad Stuff: Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Limited #14, 4-6-0, Baldwin Locomotive Works 1884.