Northwest Railway Museum honors fallen soldiers with special Memorial Day train rides



SNOQUALMIE, Wash. -- Memorial Day is a time when our nation remembers those who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving in our military.

Here in western Washington, the Northwest Railway Museum is giving visitors a chance to remember our military service members by taking a step back in time through history.

From religion to our military, there are very few aspects of American life that the railroad hasn’t reshaped.

“It’s the truth the railroad changed nearly everything,” said Richard Anderson, executive director of the Northwest Railway Museum. “Troops were moved around the country by train, and we even had ambulance trains to move wounded soldiers around the country.”

At the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, when it comes to looking back at the life of some of our military service members, you’ll find plenty of local ties to our troops this Memorial Day.

“They’d be carried from Seattle to Tacoma and then on a different train to Camp Lewis,” Anderson explained.

It’s our connection to the past that has museum visitors on a fast track through our country’s history.

“This car was used to prepare meals on board ambulance trains,” Anderson said as he gave us a tour of an ambulance kitchen car. “It was built in 1953 and it’s an exact copy of the cars that were built in World War 2."

The Northwest Railway Museum also gives guests a chance to take in the local scenery with a train ride from Snoqualmie to North Bend. Views on board take you up 300 feet above the Snoqualmie River.

“I just think it’s great that we can experience it still and our kids experience it too,” said Tracy Howard who was riding the train with her two children.

On this Memorial Day visitors can remember what the holiday is all about; honoring those who protected and served our country.

“The most important thing about culture is you have to know where you came from to know where you’re going,” said Anderson.

The train ride usually only operates on the weekend, but it is running this Memorial Day. To commemorate the holiday, the museum is also offering a $5 round-trip train fare to active military service members and their families.