Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad
Elbe, Pierce County, Washington. Family Halloween Train; October 2026.
Details
- Where
- 54124 Mountain Hwy E, Elbe, WA 54124. Directions
- When
- Mineral departure 6:00pm, return 8:30pm.
- Getting there
- Parking is available at the depot in Elbe. Coming into Elbe, turn right after our sign, cross the railroad tracks, and park behind them.
- Fees
- Adult $40, Youth (Ages 2-17) $20, Under 2 Free.
- Access
- Polson No. 70 now runs on recycled motor oil.
- Walk-in or reserve
- We do recommend advanced reservations; when space is available, we do accept walk-up passengers.
- Phone
- 253-900-RAIL (7245)
- Website
- mtrainierrailroad.com
- Managed by
- nonprofit organization (Western Forest Industries Museum).
- Established
- 1980.
The Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad has run along a historic track near the base of Mount Rainier for many years; the steam engine is venturing north of its regular route for the first time in decades.
Notable Events
- 1867In 1867, surveys for the Northern Pacific Railroad indicated native activity in the area surrounding Elbe, now home to the railway depot; the Nisqually village Lah-al-thu stood at Elbe. wfim.org
- 1890sThe Tacoma Eastern Railway began construction from Tacoma south into the heavily forested area towards Mt. Rainier in the 1890s. wfim.org
- 1955The shop in Mineral was originally built by St. Regis Paper Company, during its transition from dumping logs into Mineral Lake to dry sorting operations; St. Regis contracted with the Milwaukee Road to construct the rail connection off the mainline. american-rails.com
- 1960The Western Forest Industries Museum came into existence in 1960 as it started to build Camp Six at Pt. Defiance State Park in Tacoma, WA. foresthistory.org
- 1978Murray Pacific Corporation, founded by Tom Murray, reclaimed logging rights from St. Regis Paper Company; the settlement included the acquisition of associated land holdings, including the shop property. american-rails.com
- 1980The Milwaukee Road closed its railroad operations in 1980. Weyerhaeuser acquired the line and allowed local logging-mogul Tom Murray Jr, to use it, to preserve the historic railroad equipment Tom had started to acquire. wfim.org
- 1981Weyerhaeuser Company purchased the Tacoma & Eastern Branch from the financially strapped Milwaukee Railroad. The WFIM was able to secure trackage rights between Elbe and Mineral and the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad was born. foresthistory.org
- 2016In 2016, American Heritage Railways, operator of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad purchased Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad and renamed it Mt. Rainier Railroad & Logging Museum. wfim.org
- 2020Due to operational difficulties with the parent company and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, AHR made the decision to shut down operations at the Mt. Rainier Railroad & Logging Museum. visitrainier.com
- 2022Western Forest Industries Museum, a local nonprofit organization assumed ownership of Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad in August of 2022, after its closure by its former for profit operator, American Heritage Railway. mtrainierrailroad.com
- 2023Trains were once again operating, and the railroad began introducing new offerings such as RailCycle excursions, pedal-powered rail vehicles. american-rails.com
- 2025In April 2025, a devastating fire destroyed a large wooden trestle on a recently acquired section of track, dealing a major blow to expansion plans and requiring costly rebuilding efforts. american-rails.com
- 2026The Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad announced the acquisition of the dedicated maintenance and repair facility in Mineral; after subsequent ownership by Sierra Pacific Industries and Abston Logging, the property returned to stewardship aligned with its historical roots. american-rails.com
People
- Bethan Maher, Executive Director of the Western Forest Industries Museum.
- David Baublits, Eatonville Mayor who spearheaded the rebirth of Western Forest Industries Museum (2022).
- Tom Murray Jr, local logging-mogul allowed by Weyerhaeuser to use the line to preserve the historic railroad equipment he had started to acquire.