Northwest Railway Museum expects record year despite poor economy

Published 1:04 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

SNOQUALMIE – This holiday season Northwest Railway Museum Executive Director Richard Anderson has a lot to be thankful for.

When economies sour and jobs are scarce, museums are usually hit first and hard by the lack of discretionary income in people’s pockets.

The Seattle area has been no exception. Anderson said the Seattle Art Museum, the Pacific Science Center and Boeing’s Museum of Flight have all cut staff this past year to stay ahead in their budgets.

Anderson is thankful this year because his museum has proved an exception to the rule. He expects 2002 will end up being the busiest year ever for the Northwest Railway Museum.

“We have been very lucky this year,” he said.

After the Santa Train event, which is expected to bring about 10,000 visitors by the time it ends Dec. 15, Anderson said the museum will have hosted about 80,000 visitors this year. Last year, which was hurt by the Sept. 11 attacks and the Nisqually Earthquake, drew a little more than 60,000 visitors and previous years had brought just a little over 70,000.

And that is just the official count. Since the museum seeks a lot of public funds, it tallies its hard visitor numbers by counting visits to the museum’s gift shop. Anderson knows plenty of guests skip the shop and come to the museum just to browse its collection of cars, engines and other assorted train ware.

For the complete story, pick up a copy of this week’s Valley Record