Donations

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Spark curiosity, imagination, and understanding of how the railroad shaped Washington State and the Pacific Northwest by donating today.

Your donation to the Northwest Railway Museum ensures this region’s stories are artifacts are preserved for everyone. Human stories and artifacts build understanding and knowledge for our futures. Donations ensure that the Museum’s education and outreach programs are accessible to all, and that large and small historic collections are preserved, maintained, and registered for generations ahead.

Examples of the impact of your donation:

$50
Build understanding in one of our pre-kindergarten story time groups, hosted at the Northwest Railway Museum.

$100
Registration of a small historic artifact.

$250
Registration of a large historic artifact.

$500
Host a community group or elementary classroom at the Northwest Railway Museum campus.

$1,000
Empower a community groups or elementary classrooms appreciation of Pacific Northwest History through a narrative train ride with stops at the North Bend and Snoqualmie Depots, Education exhibit hall, and overlook of Snoqualmie Falls.

$2,500
Helps produce one new podcast to share with public, school, and community groups.

Other
Northwest Railway Museum is dedicated to preserving the past and showcasing these artifacts and stories to youth and adults. Join us by making your donation today.
Richard Anderson has been the Museum’s long-standing Executive Director, instrumental in building the campus and procuring large and small artifacts that tell the stories of how the railway changed everything in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest. Operating as a nationally significant museum and heritage railway, the Northwest Railway Museum offers public experiences, captivating exhibits, and educational programs that explore the railways' impactful and challenging history in shaping the Pacific Northwest, actively engaging the community and inspiring future generations to preserve this transformative heritage.

Human stories and artifacts build understanding and knowledge for our futures. These stories and images spark individuals' curiosity, imagination, and knowledge of life in the late 1800s, as well as the work and sacrifices made by people and communities. The railway made it possible to move people and goods, which built our communities today.

There are thousands of stories to be shared, and technology offers the opportunity to tell these stories virtually. The Richard R. Anderson Education Fund will allow the public to share these stories through two programming efforts:
Building an educational series geared to Washington 4th-grade students, complementing the Washington state curriculum, where all students learn about Pacific Northwest History
Building and operating a podcast series to establish a weekly series with a local media outlet, featuring 60-90 second stories about an exhibit/artifact and how that artifact shaped the lives of individuals.

This Education Fund will be part of the Museum’s annual operating budget, with the Board of Directors overseeing the percentage of dollars allocated each year. The program will be an ongoing operating initiative, and fundraising will involve inviting individuals and private foundations to support it.
Roundhouse, Turntable, and Exhibits (Artist Rendering by J. Craig Thorpe)
This new indoor/outdoor exhibition and interactive learning space will transform how we showcase railway artifacts and share the stories of the people who were impacted by the railway. The Roundhouse Exhibit Gallery will be a two-story, approximately 40,000-square-foot building. The facility will feature exhibit spaces, classrooms, open areas, and a 5,000-square-foot model railway of the Pacific Northwest on the second floor. Outside will be the turntable, with tracks leading to the Roundhouse featuring significant iconic and PNW-specific artifacts. This is a $60 million project being managed through a capital campaign, Tracks to the Future. To learn how you can be part of this, please send an email to campaign@TrainMuseum.org.

You can follow the construction updates by signing up for the Museum's e-newsletter, following our social media, or checking the Museum blog.
Puget Sound Electric Railway interurban car 523 operated between Seattle and Tacoma from 1908 until 1928. It was powered with electricity from Snoqualmie Falls and the Georgetown Steam Plant, and helped make it possible to settle many rural communities including Kent, Auburn, and Fife.
When the restoration and rehabilitation of 523 is complete, it will operate between Snoqualmie Falls and the Railway History Campus powered with modern batteries. The 523 is a King County and City of Snoqualmie Landmark. When not in use, it will be a featured exhibit in the Museum's Roundhouse Gallery.
The estimated restoration cost is $1 million, of which $600,000 has been raised to date. We anticipate it will take 15,000 donated volunteer hours to restore this landmark.
Donated by Adam Auxier, CEO of RailExCo, this Talgo Car is the sole surviving Series VI Bistro Car that arrived at the Northwest Railway Museum in February 2023. Restoration of this Bistro Car is on hold until it can be restored and out of the weather elements. It will be part of the Roundhouse Gallery collection.

Talgo Series VI pendular trains were designed by highly regarded Mexican American designer, César Vergara, and built specifically for the Pacific Northwest corridor trains known as Amtrak Cascades. They served between Eugene, Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia for 20 years, transporting more than 14 million passengers and creating a positive rail travel experience. This car is exceptionally significant due to César Vergara's beautiful design work and its contributions to the perception of passenger rail travel. The car's significance has made it eligible to be considered for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

The estimated restoration cost is $50,000 with 5000 skilled volunteer hours. Just over $3,500 has been raised by generous supporters to cover transportation in returning this car to the Pacific Northwest where the Northwest Railway Museum is now its home.
To learn more, please visit: https://trainmuseum.org/index.php/amtrak-cascades-talgo-series-vi-trains
The Great Northern Locomotive 1246 has returned home to Puget Sound! The Northwest Railway Museum is the owner of this iconic steam locomotive and is currently under restoration. The estimated cost of transportation and restoration exceeds $1.5 million. Over $100,000 has been raised to date for this impressive artifact. It is estimated over 10,000 volunteer hours will be put into this restoration project.

Great Northern Locomotive 1246 was built in 1908 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and operated by the Great Northern Railway until 1953. It is a class F-8 steam locomotive, which has a wheel arrangement of 2-8-0. The 1246 pulled freight trains throughout its career and served primarily in Western Washington. In the 1950s the Great Northern scrapped all its F8 locomotives except for two: this engine and, locomotive 1147 which was donated to the City of Wenatchee and remains on display there. Locomotive 1246 was retired in 1953 and donated to the City of Seattle for display at the Woodland Park Zoo.

From July 1953 until June 1980, this locomotive sat at the South Entrance of Woodland Park Zoo entertaining generations of children. For many, the locomotive was as entertaining as the elephants and bears. By the late 1970s, Woodland Park Zoo evolved from an amusement park with animals into a conservation organization. This classic iron horse was no longer responsive to their mission and a plan was hatched to rehome it elsewhere in Seattle. Both the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) and the Northwest Railway Museum were interested in acquiring, but, due to budget constraints, unable to proceed. The locomotive was auctioned off and sold to a private collector in southern Oregon where it was disassembled and stored.

The private collector passed away in 2021 and his collection of 14 steam locomotives and other rail equipment was acquired by the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad at Tillamook, Oregon. The Northwest Railway Museum and the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad are both 501(c)3 tax-exempt organizations and agreed to exchange locomotives to reflect their respective missions and collections policies for community benefit. This locomotive will be a featured exhibit in the Roundhouse Gallery.
The 125 was the first ALCO diesel on the Northern Pacific Railway and among the first of any types of diesel in Seattle. It arrived at the Northwest Railway Museum in 2021, where it is currently being restored to its appearance in February 1940. The cost of restoring Locomotive 125 is estimated to be $150,000, of which $14,000 has been raised. In addition, over 1070 skilled volunteer hours have gone into the restoration of this locomotive. This locomotive will be a featured exhibit in the Roundhouse Gallery and will operate on special occasions.

Historically, this locomotive was the second diesel-electric locomotive to be used on the Northern Pacific Railway. It first operated in Seattle, switching the docks along the waterfront where it served as their locomotive 125. In 1949, the NP sold the locomotive to the Walla Walla Valley Railway, where it was renumbered 770. It replaced an electric locomotive just as that interurban line shut down its electric overhead. It spent several periods in the late 1950s building trains at King Street Station when it was leased back to the Northern Pacific and subleased to King Street Station. By 1971 the locomotive was sold to leasing company Relco and by the early 1980s was assigned to Continental Grain in Longview. The Port of Longview later purchased the locomotive. In the early 2000s, the Port of Longview retired its locomotive 770, and the Northwest Railway Museum bought it.
Pullman Sleeper Car -

The Pullman Company operated an extensive network of sleeping cars. For an extra fee, long distance train passengers could sleep in a bed and be assisted by a Pullman Porter.

Most Pullman Porters were African American, and despite discrimination and difficult working conditions became one of the first groups of African Americans to enter the middle class.

The Museum is restoring an early 1950s Pullman sleeping car that served on the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway leg of the Empire Builder train, which ran along the Columbia River and as far as Chicago. This artifact will be used to help tell the story of the Pullman Porter, what their working conditions were like, and what their contributions to the rail industry were. The cost of restoring this Sleeper Car is estimated to be $500,000. Over 15,000 skilled volunteer hours are expected to go into the restoration of this artifact. This coach will be a featured exhibit in the Roundhouse Gallery.
The Parlor Car was built in 1901 as Parlor Car 1049 by Pullman for the Northern Pacific Railway. It operated on first class trains until 1939, and for many years after it was a cottage on Whidbey Island. It often operated between Seattle and Spokane, and is notable for its high level of originality. Restoration work is underway now: The missing queen posts and truss rods to support the main car body have been fabricated and installed. Support was also used to purchase replacement trucks (wheels) and couplers so this car will be able to operate on the Museum's railway for special limited events. The wood vestibules on both ends of the car need replacement and work to rebuild them has been ongoing and making steady progress.
Restoration cost is just under $800,000, of which $540,000 has been raised to date. Already, over 7400 skilled volunteer hours have been donated to this artifact, with another 8000 volunteer hours anticipated.
The Snoqualmie Depot is the Northwest Railway Museum’s centerpiece and is the most iconic structures in East King County, built in 1890 and listed on the National Register. Contributions will be accepted in support of continuing work on the Snoqualmie Depot. Last year, contributions supported the replacement of the decorative shingle roof and period-appropriate gutters. This year, work efforts will replace the wood platform and restore the dormer windows. Committed funders for this year's effort include 4Culture ($8,000), Daughters of the American Revolution ($10,000), and individuals just like you!

The Depot welcomes nearly 200,000 visitors each year to the City of Snoqualmie and is the station stop for the Museum’s railway. The Depot houses exhibits illustrating its traditional role in the development of the modern City of Snoqualmie, and the Museum’s gift shop is located in one of the waiting rooms. On weekends, visitors can still buy train tickets from the same ticket window that first opened in July 1890.