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Jim and I got up at the Tacoma Dome Motel then drove over to the Best Western for breakfast with Bob and Chris. After breakfast, Jim dropped me off at Freighthouse Square while he parked the car in one of the two large parking structures.
A Sounder Train was in the station.
This train had the Homerun Service unit on it. Jim and I waited out in front of Freighthouse Square talking with Bart and Sarah plus Bart’s parents who were making the trip with us today. Chris and Bob showed up a few minutes later and at 7:34 AM we all got on the first chartered bus to Morton. On the way there as we neared Elbe it started to rain. Once at the train, I stowed my bags in the covered open car before I went outside to have a look.
A Brief HistoryThe Mt. Rainier Scenic runs over the tracks built by the Tacoma Eastern Railroad Company between the years of 1902 and 1910. The railroad was incorporated on July 14, 1890. On December 31, 1918, while under the control of the United States Railroad Administration, the Milwaukee Road absorbed all of its subsidiary roads, including the Tacoma Eastern, into the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad system. It was the only profitable branch on the entire Milwaukee Road Pacific Extension. The CM&SP railroad was closed down in 1980, and many of it's lines in Washington were abandoned, including this one. The Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad is based out of Elbe, Washington started running excursions in the summer of 1981. They ran Dinner Trains for a few years before the line to Morton was not used as and was essentially abandoned for about 10 years. In 2003, Two trestles had to be rebuilt in order to return the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad trains to the historic Morton Depot in 2003.
The Trip
Our train to Tacoma today had Mt Ranier Scenic Heisler 91, Open Car 541 and Tacoma Rail Coaches 40010, 40020 and 40030.
Heisler 91. Dave and I walked to find the relocated Morton Depot. A major television program was done about the moving of this building.
The Morton Depot which we toured before we returned to the train. We then set up for a start up runby but had to wait for Bus #3 to arrive from Tacoma.
We got a practice runby with a forklift before a quick rain shower passed through Morton. Bus 3 finally arrived and we prepared for the first runby of the day.
91 starts moving forward.
Runby #1. What a great way to start a trip! We all reboarded before the train was backed up towards the end of the track back by the Morton Depot.
Our train backed across Highway 7 to the end of track. With that done, we started the track to Tacoma.
Now our train would be starting the climb to Divide.
A few minutes later we crossed the East Fork of the Tilton River on a 9 degree left hand curve.
A couple more minutes later, we crossed Nineteen Creek on the other high curve bridge. We continued our trek to Divide with the 91 working very hard. We stopped at the Tilton River Trestle at MP 58.4. Here we would do our next runby.
The photo runby line below my location.
The back up move.
Runby #2
The heisler put on a fantastic show starting on the grade then slipping before going into the "I think I can! I think I can!" mode. The train made it over Divide then descended to Mineral.
Here is the loop track that the regular Mt Ranier Scenic Trains use on their Elbe to Mineral.
This is where the loop returns to their mainline.
The line to the shops which I rode over last July on the NRHS Convention Trip.
We proceeded to the Nisqually River to perform Photo Runby #3.
The back up move.
Runby # 3. Back aboard we headed to Elbe next by crossing Highway 706.
Park Junction.
Curving through Park Junction before we pulled into Elbe our water stop of the day. There I walked across the street for more Coca-Cola. After stashing that in my bag on the train, I took a look around Elbe.
Heisler 91 at Elbe.
MRSR switcher which was about to run ahead of us to Fredrickson with a lone coach.
I walked over to the edge of Alder Lake
Runby with the switcher as it left Elbe.
Runby # 4. We all reboarded and headed towards Tacoma with my new mileage of this trip starting. When they made Alder Lake the tracks had to be relocated on a new 1% grade to New Reliance so I knew the 91 would be working hard again.
Crossing highway 706 to start the run up the grade.
Working hard on the grade.
Alder Lake. We climbed the grade to New Reliance.
View of the countryside.
The Scotch Broom was in bloom here as well.
A farm along our route.
Our always present rear hi-rail protection.
Big Marshal River.
Rolling towards Eatonville.
Our train approached the Concrete Bridge at MP 36.0. Due to low clearance problems with the under carriage of the passenger cars we were slowly walked over this bridge.
Under many watchful eyes we crept across the Concrete Bridge.
Crossing the bridge.
Marshal River.
Getting off the Concrete Bridge. The train headed to Eatonville where we were allowed off the train while the Heisler was serviced.
Our train at Eatonville.
Another view of the Heisler91.
On the way now to Fredrickson.
Rolling west down the valley.
Lake Kapowsin.
Curving through Tanwax.
Getting near civilization.
Horses enjoyed our passage by their home.
Curving through Thrift.
Our group on the train.
Nearing Fredrickson.
A Tacoma Rail SD-45 3001 was ready to assist us down Tacoma Hill at Fredrickson. We stopped to add the SD-45 to our point and add the coach the switcher had brought to Fredrickson on our rear end.
The Tacoma Rail line that heads west out of Fredickson.
Heading to Tacoma Hill.
Passing through Hillsdale.
Passing through Tacoma neighborhoods.
Starting down the 4% grade of Tacoma Hill.
The trip down this steep Tacoma Hill.
Reaching the CTC Signal at the bottom of the Tacoma Hill.
Curving to our unloading location. The train had arrived and we all detrained ending our last rare mileage trip sponsored by the Southern Appalachia Railroad Museum. A special thank you to Bart and Sarah Jennings for all their hard work that made our trips so fantastic this year. I said my goodbyes to my fellow rare mileage travelers before getting the last pictures of this trip.
The view of our train after we had arrived.
Tacoma Rail SD-45 3001.
Ex Milwaukee Road Grade Crossing Signal.
One last view of our train before Jim drove up with the car and we all drove to the Harbor Light Restaurant. Here we all enjoyed a fantastic dinner with a Tacoma Harbor and BNSF mainline view to keep it interesting. We drove Chris and Bob back to the Best Western before Jim and I returned to the Tacoma Dome Motel for the night.
Jim and I got up at 5 AM and then parked in the parking structure. Across the street at
freighthouse Square we bought one way Sounder Tickets to Seattle then boarded the cab car
on this train. At 5:45 AM the train left Tacoma and through the train came Bob and Chris.
The inside of a Sounder Car.
The two of them stood looking out the front door of the cab car while Jim and I sat at a table. Everyone was amazed how Sounder passengers line up and there is no pushing. the train took us to Seattle right on time. We had to walk around the southside of the building to get into King Street Station. I was surprised how little had been done to the station building on its restoration. The conductor of Train 501 took our tickets and assigned us to Car 8. We found our seats and I decided to take a few pictures.
The coach section on the Talgo.
Chris in the Cafe Section of the Talgo.
The Bistro section on the Talgo. Chris really liked riding the Talgo and enjoyed the tilting feature this train uses. It was a quick trip back to Tacoma and then we walked over to the parking structure then drove to the Best Western for breakfast. after a fine morning meal, Jim and I returned the key while Bob and Chris packed. Once all back in the car, we drove to Defiance Park then found Camp 6 our next train ride of the trip.
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