ELBE, Wash. — The Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad has purchased three ex-Reading Co. passenger cars from the North Carolina Transportation for use in its steam heritage rail operations.
Mt. Rainier Scenic said in a press release that the museum determined the cars, built between 1922 and 1927 by the Standard Steel Car Co. and Bethlehem Car Co., were not a fit for its collection. It chose to sell them at a reasonable price to ensure they could be restored elsewhere and remain in use.
Mt. Rainier said the cars will help it offer “authentic steam-age experiences that honor the early Pacific Northwest logging industry. The cars retain many of their original features, including walkover seats. They will be moved to Washington early in 2025 and are expected to begin entering service late next year. They will replace four more modern commuter coaches recently returned to Tacoma Rail, which Mt. Rainier says did not fit its vision of a steam-period experience. Funds saved by ending the lease on that equipment will help pay for transportation of the newly acquired cars and to return the railroad’s 1924 H.K. Porter 2-8-2 locomotive, No. 5, to operation.
More on the Mt. Rainier Scenic is available at its website.
