Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad's line from Elbe, WA to Mineral, WA (about 50 miles South of Seattle) has been out of service for over four years due to massive floods washing out the approachs to the Nisqually River bridge. This was the same flooding that did extensive damage to Mt Rainier National park, wiping out roads and campgrounds, some of which will never be repaired.

The bridge repairs were finally completed, and Saturday 4/3 was the first passenger run over the new bridge.

Photo of the repaired bridge, a new span was added on each end of the existing structure, which held up during the flood. We usually just said "The bridge washed out" since it was a quick and easy way to convey the info. Actually, the bridge itself held up fine, but trees and brush jammed under it, formed somewhat of a dam and the resulting high water washed out the approaches.

SWEET! Happy to see this, Bob! Did they build bridge sections where the approaches were? Looks like a new bridge section at each end now, but I haven’t seen the bridge in a while and might be mistaken. Man, I’m SO looking forward to boarding a train at Elbe again!

When was this photo taken? 1930?

Ahhh, the view from the engineer's side of a Shay, for my money, there's nothing like it.

Congratulations on completing the new sections to the bridge. I am always impressed by the resolve tourist railroad operators exhibit when confronted with with these kinds of adversities.

S.O.

Thank you! We really enjoy the fact that we run logging locomotive "in their natural habitat", and much of the line looks like that.



Actually, sorry, but there's no Shay in that photo. ;) Easy mistake to make though, and one I'm sure I'll be explaining an awful lot these days.

So, anyone know what kind of locomotive that actually is?

Steam?

Bet it's a Willamette. Did I spell it right?

Well, that certainly didn't take long! You are correct, and you do get extra credit for spelling it correctly.



What's a Willamette? It's a "Pacific Coast Shay" built by Willamette Iron and Steel in Portland, OR, BEFORE Lima came out with the Pacific Coast Models, after Lima's patents on the Shay expired. It's not a true Shay, since it's not built by Lima. We sometimes use the term "Shay style", since the differences are minor.
In fact the design is so close to a Shay that Lima sued Willamette and lost.

What are the differences? Here's a good answer:
http://www.gearedsteam.com/willamette/different.htm

33 were made, I think there are 6 survivors, and currently just one is operational.

Lots more info on the restoration here:
http://www.mrsr.info/willamette/blog/

Here is the oldest surviving Willie, and the only coal burner built.

Congratulations on bringing the line back into operation. I had the pleasure to ride the Mount Rainer Scenic in 2001 as part of a lone driving tour of the northwest and Canadian Rockies. Sprung for a cab ride in the Prairie. It was fun but the view wasn't great from the cab so I don't recall much about the bridge, but since I rode out of Elbe I assume I did cross it. I didn't realize the park took such a blow. I camped at Ohanapecosh Campground. Glad to see it did not see a lot of damage at it was beautiful.

Bob:

So now you can retrieve the stuff in the Elbe yard as well as go clear to Tacoma - yes?

Saw the Williamette last fall - beautiful.

Scott

Thank you...

Well, you didn't ride in a Prairie, as we have never had one operational. We do have Rayonier #45 in our roster, but she's never run on our line.

Could have been one of two locos. Porter 2-8-2 #5 (Yes, a Porter 2-8-2, kind of a rare bird) or Alco 2-8-2T #17. You mention poor visibility, so I'm guessing the #17.

You may or may not have gone over the bridge. At various times in we have operated on route from Elbe toward Eatonville rather than to Mineral Lake. I don't recall the dates of that off hand. So it is possible you missed the bridge. I think you would have recalled it, as there's also a long timber trestle next to it, and it's pretty noticable.

We were fortunate to not having anything stored at Elbe. (the former Dinner Train cars stored there are owned by the resteraunt, not MRSR. It's a totally separate operation, and despite what the "Dinner Train Guide" in Trains would leave you to believe, it hasn't run in years.)

There are additional problems on the line tha prevent us from going to Tacoma right now, but none are as large as the bridge was. Unfortunately our line to Morton also has washouts once again, so we can't go there at the moment either, nor are repairs planned for the forseeable future.

This "Mountain Railroad" stuff is hard work....