The third of the three-day Southern Appalachia Railway Museum-sponsored photo charters organized by Dr. Barton (Bart) Jennings was yet another first for me as I had not been to the Mount Rainier Scenic Railway before. So it was doubly meaningful and I could not have had a better introduction to this venue.
An early morning and a drive from Lynnwood to Tacoma started my day. Everyone gathered at Freighthouse Square and I was on the second of three buses for the fifty-eight mile drive to Morton on this cool and showery Thursday.
The ticket and information for today's trip. Upon arrival, we set up a photo line for the first runby of the day.
Mount Rainier Scenic Heisler 91 performing a runby.
The rear of the train crossing the east fork of the Tilton River on a 9 degree curve.
We stopped for a runby at MP 58.4, the Tilton River trestle.
Tacoma Municipal Belt Line coach 40010 (ex. TMBL 4001, exx. AMTK 7003, exxx. AMTK 7411, exxxx. PC 1580, nee PRR 1580), coach 40020 (ex. TMBL 4002, exx. AMTK 7004, exxx. AMTK 7404, exxxx. PC 1573, nee PRR 1573) and coach 40030 (ex. TMBL 4003, exx. AMTK 7000, exxxx. PC 1569, nee PRR 1569) at the Tilton River trestle.
Steaming through the forest through Divide.
The weather improved and I spent most of the journey in open car 541 and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the steam engine working between Divide and Mineral.
The loop track that regular Mount Rainier Scenic trains use on their Elbe to Mineral runs.
The track to the Mount Rainier Scenic Railway shops. We continued on until we reached the bridge at Nisqually River.
Mount Rainier Scenic Heisler 91 leading a runby across the Nisqually River bidge with Scotch Broom in full bloom. Our next stop was at Elbe to take on water.
Mount Rainier Scenic Heisler 91 (ex. Clyde Shurman 102, exx. display/storage on Veronia, South Park and Sunset, exxx. Kinzua Pine Mills 102, nee Whitney Engineering Co 102). Built 1929.
Silver Creek Logging Company steam engine advertising the Mount Rainier Scenic Railway. Silver Creek Logging was started by Tom Murray, founder of the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad.
MRSR 541 "Clopen" closed-open car (ex. British Columbia Railway "Brandywine Falls", exx. Canadian Pacific parlour car 6601, nee Canadian Pacific coach 2290 1958). Built 1950 and acquired by BCOL in 1973. Sold to MRSR in 1995.
TMBL 88-seat coach 40010 (ex. TMBL 4001, exx. AMTK 7603, exxx. AMTK 7411, exxxx. PC 1580, nee PRR 1580). Built 1952.
At Elbe was Mount Rainier Scenic coach 901 "Elbe" (ex. Oregon, Pacific and Eastern, nee Southern Pacific).
MRSR NW2 481 (ex. Louis Dreyfus 481 1990, exx. Cargill 103 1982, exxx. Pacific Transportation Services 103 1982, exxxx. BN 481, exxxxx. GN 1713, nee GN 5336). This would follow us up to Eatonville. I then walked up the road a little to take some more photographs.
Unidentified cars of the Mount Rainier Railroad Dining Company, which is not affiliated with Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad.
Cabooses of the Hobo Inn at Elbe, not affiliated with the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad.
A baggage car of unknown hertiage, not affiliated with the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad.
Mount Rainier Railroad Dining Company boxcar 440 at Elbe.
MRSX 481 dining car "Lewis".
MRSX 322 "Thurston" (ex. American Freedom Train Preamble Express 203, exx. Lancaster and Chester 203 "The Motivator", nee Reading commuter coach 1327). Part of the Mount Rainier Dining Company consist. With that, I returned to where the action was and joined in the photo line.
A runby at Elbe before leaving for the rest of the trip, which would be the first revenue run on the railway's complete route from Morton to Tacoma.
TMBL 85-seat coach 40020 (ex. TMBL 4002, exx. AMTK 7004, exxx. AMTK 7404, exxxx. PC 1573, nee PRR 1573) during the runby at Elbe. With that, everyone re-boarded and I spent the rest of the journey in the open car, getting to know Bart and Sarah and enjoying conversations with them and Chris.
Our train approached a small trestle bridge between Elbe and MP 36.
Approaching the concrete bridge at MP 36 which had low clearances, hence the Tacoma Rail officials on the other end.
Views looking down on the Marshal River as seen from the concrete bridge at MP 36.
Looking toward the rear of the train as it crosses the concrete bridge at MP 36. We then stopped at Eatonville for steam engine servicing.
MRSR 541 "Clopen" closed-open car (ex. British Columbia Railway "Brandywine Falls", exx. Canadian Pacific parlour car 6601, nee Canadian Pacific coach 2290 1958). Built 1950 and acquired by BCOL in 1973. Sold to MRSR in 1995.
Tacoma Municipal Belt Line coach 40030 (ex. TMBL 4003, exx. AMTK 7000, exxxx. PC 1569, nee PRR 1569) at Eatonville.
Mount Rainier Scenic Heisler 91 during the servicing stop.
The front of Mount Rainier Scenic Heisler 91.
Underway once more, taking a curve.
Chris Parker, Bob Riskie, Chris Guenzler and Jim Nowell enjoying their rare mileage trip.
The last stop of the day was at Frederickson to add Tacoma Rail SD45 3001 to the train for the gradd down to Tacoma. Here, we met NW2 481 which had followed us from Elbe to add a coach to the consist.
Tacoma Rail SD45 3001 (ex. NREX 6564, exx. C&NW 6564, exxx. CR 6237, nee PC 6237) on the point of our train to assist with the two percent grade heading into Tacoma.
Our steam train negotiates the steep hill.
A rather dark shot of our train going under the highway overpass nearing Tacoma.
The CTC signal heading into Tacoma for the end of the steam excursion.
Freighthouse Square and Sounder train as seen from the Mount Rainier Scenic excursion train.
Tacoma Rail SD45 3001 (ex. NREX 6564, exx. C&NW 6564, exxx. CR 6237, nee PC 6237) at Tacoma at the end of the trip.
Mount Rainier Scenic Heisler 91 (ex. Clyde Shurman 102, exx. display/storage on Veronia, South Park and Sunset, exxx. Kinzua Pine Mills 102, nee Whitney Engineering Co 102) at Tacoma.
One last view of the two engines at Tacoma. What a trip it had been! I thanked Bart and Sarah for an absolutely tremendous experience and all the work that it took to put these trips together then drove back to Lynnwood a very happy railfan.
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