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About the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad

The Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad runs on former Milwaukee Road tracks in the shadow of the volcanic mountain. Visitors board trains at the depot in the small town of Elbe, Washington for the seven mile trip to Mineral, where the railroad has a large yard and shop.

Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad is a not-for-profit operation run largely by volunteers. Its collection of geared logging type locomotives from each of the major builders: Climax, Heisler, Shay, and Willamette is well known and respected. In fact, the railroad’s Willamette is the only operational example in the world. These locomotives were built for steep  grades and tight curves typically found in the forest industries.

In addition, Mount Rainier Scenic has several conventional rod-style steam  locomotives and a couple of diesels in operation. There are an even greater number of heritage steam and diesel locomotives in the collection but not currently operational. 

The normal operation is over a curvy line between the small mountain hamlet of Elbe and the even smaller town of Mineral, however occasionally special trains run all the way to Tacoma. The line used by Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad are actually part of the extensive rail network owned by the City of Tacoma. The city operates commuter services as well as freight traffic serving the region’s port and manufacturing industries. The museum has long-term arrangements with Tacoma Rail for using their portion of the line. 

Our Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad experience

We visited this working railroad museum twice in June, 2011, just days apart. Our first visit came on a sunny day which happened to coincide with a charter for some German railfans who had arranged for two steam locomotives and a string of empty log cars to operate with several photo runbys. A few days later we were there for the 2011 National Railway Historical Society convention, which included rare mileage on a portion of the Tacoma Hill line and some changeable Washington State summer weather. On both days we were welcomed to safely look around the yard and shop facilities at Mineral.

The log car train was interesting in many ways. West Fork Logging Heisler #91 brought the empty cars and a caboose to Elbe, and then switched the train so the caboose would be on the rear as it returned to Elbe. Meanwhile, Hillcrest Lumber Climax #10 traveled light from Mineral. At Elbe, #10 took charge and headed to Mineral. Right after leaving, an unknown problem developed with one of the log cars, so #91 hooked on to the rear and pulled  the train back to Elbe, followed by #10. The issue was quickly resolved and the train was on its way again.

Six days later, the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad hosted the NRHS convention trip. My wife, Jan, was now with me to cover this event. As the train arrived from Eatonville rained poured down on us and it rained periodically the rest of the day. 

The star attraction for the NHRS trip was newly restored Rainier #2, built by Willamette. While not much for speed, the engine put on a fine performance. There was ample time to look around the shops and yard at Mineral. The Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad volunteers also moved some of the other equipment around, which was a nice bonus.

Visit Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad

If you visit Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad, the line between Elbe and Mineral has limited accessibility. At Elbe, a small yard near the depot competes with the nearby highway and logging trucks. It has a large parking area shared by the railroad, the historic Little White Church, and nearby businesses. After leaving Elbe there are spots along a short stretch of State Route 706/National Park Highway to pull off to watch the trains. Further along, the tracks go away from all road access until veering south to cross the highway near park Junction Road. After this point the line is largely going through private land until it reaches Mineral.

There is plenty here to see and do. The Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad is professionally run and offers a variety of experiences for rail enthusiasts and the general public. It's easily accessible from the Seattle-Tacoma area. The Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad website has a great deal of information about the equipment, area attractions, and even current weather conditions and forecasts.

Go! You will love this place!

Our visit to Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad is now a 45 minute chapter on Steam in the Mountains - Volume 1 DVD from Yard Goat Images. Previews and additional information about Steam in the Mountains Volume 1 & 2 can be found here. 

Thanks, Steve Mitchell, Yard Goat Images

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