Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad Acquires Historic Repair Facility to Advance Museum Opening
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jared Erlandson, (206) 293-5927 or jared.erlandson@wfim.org
Mineral, WA — April 2, 2026 — Western Forest Industries Museum (WFIM), operator of the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad (MRSR), has announced the acquisition of 0 Mineral Creek Road in Mineral, Washington—a 3.6-acre parcel featuring a 10,692-square-foot warehouse and shop originally constructed in 1955.
Located immediately south of MRSR’s existing shop and museum site, the property will be used to relocate the organization’s historic steam locomotive and passenger car restoration activities, along with key business operations. This transition is a critical step in improving the Mineral campus and advancing plans to reopen the museum to the public.
A Property Rooted in History
The shop was originally built by St. Regis Paper Company in 1955, during its transition from dumping logs into Mineral Lake to dry sorting operations. As part of this shift, St. Regis purchased materials for a log loading spur and contracted with the Milwaukee Road to construct the rail connection off the mainline.
In 1978, Murray Pacific Corporation—founded by Tom Murray, whose legacy is central to today’s Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad—successfully reclaimed logging rights from St. Regis Paper Company. The settlement included the acquisition of associated land holdings, including this property. Shortly thereafter, the adjacent site became part of the yard that would evolve into today’s railroad and museum, while the parcel being acquired remained in use as a truck repair facility.
After subsequent ownership by Sierra Pacific Industries and Abston Logging, the property has now returned to stewardship aligned with its historical roots.
“This is a meaningful moment for us,” said Bethan Maher, Executive Director “We are gradually bringing back together pieces of the landscape that defined Tom Murray’s logging operations, now with the purpose of preservation, education, and public access.”
Supporting the Next Phase of Museum Development
The acquisition is a key component of a broader $1.3 million capital project to reopen and improve the Mineral museum site. While the museum is not yet open to the public, WFIM has been actively working toward reopening following significant setbacks and infrastructure challenges over the past decade.
Relocating restoration operations into the newly acquired shop will allow the organization to:
Improve visitor safety and site flow
Expand ADA accessibility and parking
Separate industrial workspaces from public areas
Increase efficiency of restoration and maintenance operations
Currently, restoration capacity is limited, with work constrained to a single locomotive and critical materials stored in shipping containers. The new facility will provide space for multiple restoration projects, organized parts storage, a vehicle repair bay, machine and carpentry shops, and dedicated office and meeting space.
A Return to Local Stewardship and Renewed Growth
Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad has operated for decades as part of the Western Forest Industries Museum, a nonprofit organization founded to preserve and interpret the region’s logging and railroad history under the stewardship of Tom Murray.
From 2015 to 2020, the railroad was operated by an out-of-state, for-profit entity. Following its closure due to financial and operational challenges, including IRS-related issues and the impacts of COVID-19, a group of local citizens and former employees reactivated the original nonprofit organization, WFIM, and resumed stewardship of the railroad.
Since restarting operations on September 1, 2023, Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad has experienced unprecedented growth. The organization has more than doubled previous ridership levels, restored and expanded operational trackage, and successfully acquired ownership of the railroad. Efforts are now underway to restore freight service along the full corridor between Eatonville and Morton.
Expanding the Stories the Museum Will Tell
As part of its reopening, WFIM is working to broaden how the story of logging and railroads in the Pacific Northwest is told, recognizing not only the people who shaped the industry, but how the railroad, in turn, shaped lives, communities, and the landscape itself.
The Western Forest Industries Museum aims to tell the stories of the many people who lived along and worked on the railroad, while continuing to grow as a more inclusive museum. Through historic equipment, artifacts, living history, and tourism experiences, the organization seeks to connect visitors to the full scope of the railroad’s impact—on workers, families, communities, and the land.
This includes exploring the experiences of immigrant laborers, such as Japanese Issei workers and Eastern European loggers, as well as the enduring relationship between the Nisqually Tribe and the land on which this history unfolded. These stories are presented as part of a broader effort to reflect the complexity of the region’s past and the communities that built it.
“Our goal is to present a complete picture of this history,” said Bethan. “The railroad didn’t just move timber; it influenced where people lived, how communities grew, and how the landscape itself changed. That’s the story we’re working to share.”
Looking Ahead
WFIM is actively fundraising to support the completion of the Mineral campus improvements and museum reopening. This property acquisition marks the first major step in creating a safer, more accessible, and more complete visitor experience.
For more information or to support the project, visit https://wfim.org and for information about scenic train rides, visit https://MtRainierRailroad.com
