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The Ultimate Do-it-Yourselfer Project


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I can never drive up to the town of Snoqualmie without stopping to look at the trains at the Northwest "Railway Museum". Calling it a museum is kind - it's really just a two track siding enclosed by a fence with some wonderful old machines just sitting out neglected in the northwest weather. Other than the signs that explain what these machines are, and a few facts spray painted on one or two with stencils, I've never seen any evidence that anyone is trying to at least preserve them in exhibition state. They've gotten worse and worse year by year.

Every time I see 'em I wish, quite wistfully, that I had the money, time and wherewithal to take one, just one, home with me and restore it.

Gawd, that'd be soo kewl!

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

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How about a mondo-sized snowblower?

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Or the little snow plow that could. Poor little guy is so rotten that his spine has collapsed.

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Piles of spare parts lying around.

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Someone used this rolling sleep/warm-up shack for target practice.

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They still move oil around by train. Back then they did it using steam.

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A coal car filled with scavenged spare parts. Note the Weyerheauser Lumber Company on the side that's almost disappeared.

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I'll post some more when I have more time. Sorry about the quality of the photos. It was a dank gray day and threatening to rain. I didn't feel like hanging around to dink around with the camera.

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I think they should rename that place the "End of the Line Boneyard". I'll bet some old railroad guys had plans for something better there, but ....

Anyone been to the railway museum in Duluth? They've got a big old roundhouse to keep the best stuff under cover, and lots of staff looking after the place. Some of that old rolling stock just needs a coat of paint to hold the rust back. They don't have to be running for us to enjoy them.

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I love trains. Used to ride the Empire Builder and Western Star (both Great Northern lines) across the Northern tier (Montana, ND, MN, ID and WA) when I was much younger.

Crossing ND from college in Moorhead, MN to Williston, ND and Culbertson, MT in the middle of the night and being able to sit in a dome car and look at the extremely flat, snow-covered and very beautiful landscape on a full-moon was extraordinary.

My wife and I try to ride one scenic train a year. We had all things set up for the Cumbres & Toltec this past fall, but had to cancel at the last minute due to some emergency health issues with her 87-year old Mom.

We're planning on resetting the trip for next Spring now.

Cumbres & Toltec RR

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That is a lot of cool stuff. It is sad that it is deteriorating.

This place is near me. It takes a lot of money and effort. I remember going on one of the rides a long time ago.

http://www.whippanyrailwaymuseum.net/

I see they need to replace 900 firebox bolts at $100 a piece. The bolts are hand forged?? stainless steel?? Forbidium?? [:)]
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