A trip to the beautiful Snoqualmie Valley wouldn’t be complete

without a visit to the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad and Northwest Railway

Museum.

Located in downtown Snoqualmie, the railroad offers a

scenic seven-mile adventure from the Snoqualmie Depot to North

Bend’s train station. The 234-seat vintage train offers views of Rattlesnake

Ridge, Mount Si and the Cascades along with a wide array of wildlife.

Each round trip takes one hour and leaves Snoqualmie on the hour

and the station at North Bend at the bottom of the hour. The train maintains

its schedule, so timeliness is necessary.

The train and the station are a wonderful experience for visitors

both young and old. James Sackey, a member of the railway’s visitor

services team, said, “An excursion into

history on the Northwest Snoqualmie Valley railroad will be both educational

and informative.”

Sackey takes pride in reciting facts about the railroad. He fondly

recalls the smallest details of the construction of the Depot, including

its initial cost of $4,300. He loves telling old tales about its rich history and

the colorful people who both created and rode the railroad.

The Snoqualmie Depot is the oldest operating station in

Washington, according to Sackey. The railway was part of the Seattle, Lake Shore

& Eastern Railway and was built between 1888 and 1892. The

Queen Anne-style Victorian depot was built in 90 days during the summer of

1890 and the first tracks in front of the depot were laid in 1891.

The Snoqualmie Railroad can be reached from Interstate 90. From

Seattle, take Exit 27 to Snoqualmie or Exit 31 for North Bend.

Westbound motorists should use Exit 31 and follow State Route 202 to either town.

From Memorial Day through the end of September, the train makes

six round trips every Saturday and Sunday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

After September, the train runs Sundays only through the end of

October. Round-trip fare is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors over 62, $5 for

children ages 3 to 12, and free for children under 3.

The Northwest Railway Museum offers several membership

programs to help preserve the railroad’s history. A newsletter is included in the

membership fee.

The Depot Bookstore is open Thursday through Monday, from

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For information, call (425) 888-9311 or visit their Web site

at www.trainmuseum.org.