A Ride on the Mt Rainier Scenic Railroad in WA

Back in the fall of 2006, flooding took place in the areas surrounding Mt. Rainier, some of which took out a few options for this scenic and historic railroad. Though the historic depot still exists in Elbe, damage around the Nisqually River Bridge required a change in their departure and arrival points. However, this past weekend, we found the efforts they have made to compensate for some of the changes in their route make this trip well worth the price of the ticket.

There were three of us, two adults and a child, on our trip to Mineral, WA. The journey took us down some beautiful highways winding through the foothills surrounding Mt. Rainier. Between the trees we could catch glimpses of that gorgeous volcano, glistening white in a July summer sun. Huge evergreens dwarfed us on either side, opening to several lookout areas.

We passed through several small picturesque towns along the way, including Elbe, where the original depot is located. The instructions to reach the new depot site were good, though we compensated the ones found on their web site with those we looked up on MapQuest. Once we reached Mineral, WA there are small signs for the railroad pointing us in the right direction. We were a little disconcerted by the seemingly barren dirt road leading to the depot hidden in the distance, but the ancient railroad parts along the sides of the road and the obviously working restoration center reassured us.

The ticket booth was a closed tiny little wooden shack next to a wooden stair set obviously used to board the train, another moment of alarm. Yet, within a few minutes of arrival and that of about ten other cars, the ticket master showed up, opened the shack and instantly transformed it into a cute little ticket booth along with postcards and brochures. I was rather impressed with the transformation.

Once aboard the train, we definitely got our money's worth. The journey took us over several creeks, ran alongside the Nasqually River, gave lovely views of the foothills, taking us over the long wooden trestle bridge and then back again. We were pulled, or pushed, as they changed locations of the engine mid-trip, by a vintage steam engine, circa 1929.

Our choice of seating was in the CLOPEN car (closed and open); the viewing area is very large and there are no panes of glass to obstruct camera shots, yet the closed cover allowed for some shade. There were two other seating choices, including a completely open car available. All of these are determined by the guests. There was no assigned seating and we were free to roam the cars. One of the cars was set up with a bathroom, a guest shop and a concession stand.

The staff was superb. I already mentioned the magical transforming ticket master. In addition to her, there was the friendly conductor who punched our tickets on the train, and a second conductor answering all our questions about the scenery, the train we were riding and railroads in general. Finally, there was the engineer who patiently allowed every child who wished to, climb up into the engine and blow the whistle at the end of the ride.

And the sound of that whistle was another treat we received on this trip. Loud, exciting and even a trifle mournful, the whistle echoed off the surrounding foothills as we passed small towns and crossings. All the while, the steam engine was chugging along reminding me of "The Little Engine that Could" as we climbed up the steep inclines.

These trains are restored by volunteers, staffed by volunteers and enjoyed by all who wish a lovely scenic ride on historic tracks through the Mt. Rainier foothills. Though we took the 10:30 trip on a Saturday morning, they have several different times and offer special events throughout the year. I rate this excursion as a 4, only because of the initial confusion we had upon our arrival. Once we got past that, the trip was a solid 5.