Last updated 09/06/2007

Located in the town of Elbe, the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad is the crown jewel of steam in Washington State. They have five operating steam locomotives (depending on timing of annual inspections and so forth), ample track running through the woods and across impressive bridges, and it is a great ride!

Please note that this operation suffered the loss of a major bridge during the November 2006 winter storms so operations are based out of Mineral until further notice but the run is still well worth the drive and ticket price.

For information call: 360-569-2588 or 888-STEAM11. You can also write them at:

Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad
P.O. Box 921
Elbe, WA 98330

or visit their web page at: Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad.

As well as the steam locomotives, the Mount Rainier also has some classic diesels including a Northern Pacific EMD F9A, a couple of Alco S-1's, and a couple of Alco RSD-1's.  A new train station was constructed at Elbe  and completed in 2006.  It also houses a gift shop and restrooms.

The images on this page concentrate on the operating collection at the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad. For pictures of some of their unrestored locomotives, check out Parks and Static Displays page under the heading of "Elbe/Mineral". The MRSRR's shops are located at Mineral, but are closed to the public except on railfan days.

Most of the following images were taken at the 1995 "Geared Triple Header" (April) and "Mike Double Header" (October).

1998 and 1999 Railfan Days Photos

The 1998 Annual Railfan Days trips featured a steam quintuple header (five steam locomotives)!

Photos from the 1999 Tacoma Railfan Days trips held on May 1st and 2nd.

Photos from the 1999 Freight House Square Santa Train trips that were run on November, 26, 27 and 28th.

Photos from the June 30, 2001 Elbe Railfan Days event.

New train station with gift shop, ticket office and restrooms at Elbe was completed and dedicated in 2006.

3-truck Climax #10 was built for Hillcrest Lumber in 1929. This was also the second-to-last Climax locomotive built. (48K 736x480 jpg)

Pacific Coast Shay #11 was built in 1929 for Forest Lumber Company in Oregon. It was sold to Pickering Lumber in 1941 and retired from logging service in 1965. (56K 736x480 jpg)

Three truck Heisler #91 was built in 1930 and sold to Kinzua Pine Mills in Oregon where it operated until the late 1950's. (44K 736x480 jpg)

A geared triple header featuring the three locomotives featured above. (67K 736x480 jpg)

Alco 2-8-2T #17 was built in 1929 for the Crossett Western Company in Oregon. It went to Hammond Lumber in California where it was stranded in the woods by a forest fire in 1945. It was recovered from the woods in 1965 but wasn't restored until 1994. (35K 736x480 jpg)

Here is another view of the Alco 2-8-2T #17.

2-8-2 #5 was built by Porter in 1924 for the Carlton & Coast RR of Carlton, Oregon. It was later sold to the Port of Grays Harbor in Washington where it operated until 1959. It was stored near Montesano until being restored to operation in 1984. (85K 736x480 jpg)

Here's another view of the three geared locomotives. (87K 736x480 jpg)

2001 Elbe Railfan Days Photos

This year's railfan days event featured the return to steam of two locomotives. Scott Wickert's 2-truck Heisler, Curtis Lumber Company #2 (a.k.a Vancouver Plywood #2) and the Mason County Logging 2-6-2T #7 (a.k.a. the Port of Olympia #2).

Scott Wickert has put a tremendous amount of effort in getting the #2 ready for this event.

I'm told the Mason County #7 will be return to Willits CA sometime later this year after it has been fine tuned and broken in by the Mt. Rainier Scenic shop crew.

Here the two locomotives team up to haul a string of skeleton log cars into the shop yard at Mineral.

Here's the #7 before it's restoration.

The #2 at Jack Roger's Logging Museum before restoration.

1998 Annual Railfan Day Photos

Here #17 is being prepped for the days fun. (72K 720x480 jpg)

Shay #11 is making light work of a short train of skeleton log cars. (73.8K 720x480 jpg)

Here's Heisler #91 pulling a work crane. (89.3K 720x480 jpg)

Visiting locomotive #15 from the Chehalis & Centralia Railroad pulls a short mixed freight through the S-curves. (71K 720x480 jpg)

Climax #10 had to drop out early when it was noticed that it was dropping bolts. (62K 720x480 jpg)

Here the quint header is crossing the Nisqually River trestle. On point is shay #11, followed by climax #10, heisler #91, 2-8-2T #17 and 2-8-2 #15. (61K 720x480 jpg)

The quint header during a photo runby in the S-curves. (76.6K 720x480 jpg)

Former Northern Pacific EMD F9A #7012A backs down through the S-curves. (91K 720x480 jpg)

Here's one of the more unusual lash ups you're going to see. Climax #10 is running as point helper for #7012. (71K 720x480 jpg)

Heisler #91 and Shay #11 standby in Mineral Yard with their trains. (82K 720x480 jpg)

#15 joins the heisler and shay in Mineral yard. (66.4K 720x480 jpg)

1999 Tacoma Railfan Day Photos

1999's Railfan Days were held on May 1st and 2nd in Tacoma WA instead of Elbe. On Saturday, #5 and #17 double headed an all day excursion from Tacoma to Skookumchuck, which is northeast of Centralia. On the 2nd, #5 and #17 teamed up again for a half day excursion to Fredrickson which is south of Tacoma. #15 from the Chehalis-Centralia was kept busy on both days running shuttle trips from Freighthouse Square to Fife. F9A #7012A was on hand as a pusher to help #5 and #17 up the 4% grade of Tacoma Hill.

I don't have a lot of still pictures of the trips since I was playing with my new digital camcorder. I've already made some AVI movies (with sound) of portions of the trips. As soon as I resolve the issues of file size and server space I'll make them available.

NP 7012A is parked with part of the excursion train on Friday April 30th. #5 and #17 have taken the rest of the train on a VIP trip to Fredrickson. (608x400 49K jpg)

#17 and #5 operated in a push-pull configuration on Friday's VIP run. Here's #17 on the uphill end of the train. (672x432 54K jpg)

#5 has just returned to service after receiving some boiler work, new tubes, a new smokebox and other repairs. (688x304 35K jpg)

Chehalis-Centralia's #15 is doing some switching on Saturday morning. (640x336 41K jpg)

The Saturday excursion has stopped at Fredrickson for water and a photo runby. (688x400 50K jpg)

#5 and #17 have backed the train onto a trestle in order to get a running start at the 4% grade of Tacoma hill. F9 7012A will be shoving hard on the backend of the train when it rolls by in a few minutes. (576x400 46K jpg)

I was able to catch #15 in a classic pose on Sunday morning. (576x496 54K jpg)
Freighthouse Square Santa Train Photos

On November 26, 27 and 28th, the Mt. Rainier Scenic ran Santa Trains, which were sponsored by Freight House Square. FHS is a small shopping mall just west of the Tacoma Dome. The trains would pick up their passengers, and back down over a long trestle to near the Puyallup River bridge, then they'd storm back past FHS, and up Tacoma hill until #5 stalled under the load. It was awsome to stand beside the tracks when #5 passed!

Here #5 is getting up speed as it crosses the Milwaukee (CMStP&P) trestle on it's way past Freighthouse Square and up Tacoma Hill. (784x480 jpg)

#42 worked the other end of the train in push-pull with #5. (768x384 jpg)

#5 is putting on a spectacular show of sound and smoke for those that were trackside to see it.!