Northern Pacific Railway Museum

Museum Schedule

NP 1364 Steam Engine

Northern Pacific Freight Train

NP 642 Spreader

Toppenish, Simcoe & Western Railroad

Education Program

Volunteering

Membership and Donations

Map

Contacts

On October 25, 2006, NP 2152 was loaded onto trucks in Auburn, WA, and on October 26 it was delivered to the Museum in Toppenish.  It will enter the restoration  shop as soon as NP 1364 comes out.  Cosmetic work will be done as time allows in the interim.

Rick Leach and Allan Manson with lettering of NP 50409, applied on work/history weekend April 14-15, 2007.  See Phil Edminster's page for other work completed on the first weekend. 

 December 2005 Another very successful Toy Train Christmas entertained many fans young and old.  The board votes to further expand the event next year.

November 2005 All appeals to save the White Swan operations of the TSWR go for naught and the assets of TSWR are sold or are for sale.  The TSWR in effect becomes a paper company.  The YVR&S board votes to keep the museum open with an expansion of events at the museum.  Hopefully with full attention now devoted to the museum, new events can help to replace the loss of the TSWR operations.  Last freight by the TSWR was on December 20, 2005.

January 2005 Yakima County Commissioners go against their professional staff recommendation and award the White Swan Line back to the Temple family.

December 2004 Our first "Toy Train Christmas" was a great success.

November 7,2004, Yakima County sends a fax to TSWR that the White Swan Line will be put up for bid with criteria favoring another railroad.  

October 2004 The BNSF names our Toppenish, Simcoe & Western Railroad the regional shortline of the year.

November 16, 2004 Construction of new track in front of depot begins.  The new track is planned to allow passengers to load directly from the depot platform.  The extension into railroad park also allows equipment to be placed adjacent to the park for events such as Whistlestop.

10/23/2004  The cab of 1364 is finished and permanently installed on the locomotive.

2/5/03 After 600 man hours of volunteer labor spread out over 3 months the turntable is loaded and ready to move.  It is on a total of 5 flat cars with the bridge on one with two idler cars as shown in the picture plus two more cars loaded with rail, ties, turntable tower, etc.  The move is tentatively scheduled for approximately 9 AM on Saturday February 8.

11/8/02  NP 642 Mann McCann ballast spreader file added to website

9/15/02 BNSF has donated the old Northern Pacific turntable in Yakima.  Work begins on removal of the turntable.

6/6/02 New hours announced for the Northern Pacific Railway Museum.  Now open 5 days a week through October; Wednesday to Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM and Sunday Noon to 4 PM.

6/4/02 Fundraising dinner announced: special guest speaker Doyle McCormick of SP 4449 fame.  See Special Events.

2/8/2003  The BNSF pulls a special train from the Yakima Yard to Toppenish.  All turntable components are on board other than a few pieces that were hauled by trailer ahead of time.

12/5/02  115' Yakima NP turntable removed from the pit and placed on flatcar for transportation to Toppenish

10/24/02 Turntable control house removed.

2/16/2002 Opening dedication of new 3300' spur line into Yakima Forest Products.

10/12/2001  Construction on the new spur into Yakama Forest Products begins.  A Washington State Department of Transportation grant of $754,020 was matched by $488,000 from the Yakama Indian Nation to finance the $1.25 million dollar bridge and track into the Yakama Forest Products lumber mill.  Completion is expected by March of 2002.  See article from the Department of Transportation "Express".