Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad expanding with Port of Tacoma economic development investment

When the train arrives in Elbe, it'slike stepping back in time.

The Polson 70 steam locomotive on the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroadis a century old.

Passengers boarda vintage Pullman carfor theround-trip ride to Mineral, a former logging camp and mining town.

The trip through the forest brings views of the Nisqually River and Mt. Rainier.

"It'sexciting. It was on my sister in law's bucket list," said passenger Bethany Gray.

"We'retrain nuts,and this is one of our favorites," said Hannah Wardman, whose family was among the first to ride the railroad in2023when it re-opened after a closure that began during the pandemic.

In 2020, the out-of-state company that owned the railroad shut it down.

Agroup of former employees and local businesses formed a non-profit called Western Forest Industries Museumto revive the railroad.

They started with a Railcycleprogram,where visitors can pedal the tracks.

When train trips resumed in September2023, they immediatelysold out.

"We were running three trains a day and we said, 'Okay people are excited it's back, when is it going to slow down?' Andit really hasn't,"said executive director Bethan Maher. "It's really exciting to see the energy and support."

That support includes the Port of Tacoma.

In May 2024,commissioners approved a $50,000 economic development investment so train rides can expand five and a half miles,from Elbe to New Reliance.

Eventually, the railroad hopes to run trains as far as Eatonville.

"Our goal is almost to decentralize the railroad,so we have departures at different places along the way," Maher said.

The Port's contribution pays for removing worn out railroad ties and replacing them with new ones.

"We called our tie supplier the next day and said, 'We need a thousand ties delivered.'They thought we had a typo, and wanted a few hundred, and we said, 'No we need a thousand, we're putting them all in,'"Maher said.

The new extension should be ready in 2025.

Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad is also planning to reopen themuseum in Mineral and rebuild a mothballed steam engine, Porter Number 5, so eventually, two trains can run at once.

"We'regoing to have an optionfor an extended trip that features a 1920's speakeasy parlor car and regular coaches and concession car and a shorter trip for families with young kids," Maher said.

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