South Cle Elum Yard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad: South Cle Elum Yard
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View of the railyard. The depot is in the background to the right, the substation is in the background to the left. The ruins of the roundhouse are in the foreground.
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 Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | Near Milwaukee Rd. and Reservoir Canyon Rd. South Cle Elum, Washington |
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| Area | 24 acres (97,000 m2) |
| Built | 1909; 1919 |
| Architect | Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad |
| Architectural style | Craftsman; 20th Century Vernacular |
| MPS | Milwaukee Road MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000305 |
| Added to NRHP | April 25, 2003 |
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad South Cle Elum Rail Yard is a historic train area in South Cle Elum, Washington. It was a very important spot for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, also known as The Milwaukee Road. This rail yard was built in 1909 when the railroad was expanding its lines across the country. It was a "division point," which means it was a key stop where trains were serviced and crews changed shifts.
Contents
The Milwaukee Road's Journey West
After two other big railroads, the Northern Pacific Railroad and the Great Northern Railway, reached the Pacific Northwest, The Milwaukee Road wanted to do the same. To keep up with its rivals, the company decided to build its own line all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Construction on this "Pacific Extension" began in 1906. By 1909, the railroad line was finished. It reached Tacoma, Washington, connecting the Midwest to the West Coast.
What is a Division Point?
The Milwaukee Road set up special stops called "division points" about every 100 to 150 miles (160 to 240 km) along its tracks. These points were like busy hubs for the railroad.
At a division point, many important things happened:
- Train engines were repaired and checked.
- Train crews, like engineers and conductors, would start or end their shifts.
- Trains were sorted, and empty cars were stored.
- There was usually a depot where people could get on or off trains. Freight could also be loaded or unloaded here.
The Cle Elum division point was very important. It was the last stop for crews heading west before trains crossed the Cascade Range mountains at Snoqualmie Pass to reach Seattle, Washington. It was also the first crew change for trains coming east from Seattle, heading towards Othello, Washington, and then all the way to the Midwest and Chicago, Illinois.
Exploring the South Cle Elum Rail Yard
The rail yard at South Cle Elum had many buildings and structures needed to keep the trains running.
Here are some of the key parts of the rail yard:
- The Depot: This was the main station building where passengers waited and tickets were sold.
- The Roundhouse: This large building was used to store and repair train engines. Today, only its ruins remain.
- The Turntable: This was a giant rotating platform that turned train engines around. It is also now in ruins.
- Ash Pit: A place where ash from steam engines was dumped.
- Water Tank: Provided water for the steam engines. It is now in ruins.
- The Bunkhouse: This building provided a place for train crews to rest between their long shifts.
Around 1920, The Milwaukee Road started using electricity to power some of its trains. Because of this, an electric substation was built at the rail yard. Homes for the substation operators were also added.
From Railroad to Park: A New Chapter
In 1980, The Milwaukee Road stopped its train service in Washington state. The company sold off many of its properties.
- The old bunkhouse was turned into a bed and breakfast.
- The homes where the substation operators lived were bought by private individuals, who still live there today.
Instead of paying back taxes, the railroad gave its main tracks and other structures to the state of Washington. A group called the John Wayne Pioneer Wagons and Riders Association helped the state's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) take over the property. They wanted to create a public trail. To honor their efforts, the trail was named the John Wayne Pioneer Trail.
In 1985, the DNR transferred the trail to the State Parks and Recreation Commission. This led to the creation of Iron Horse State Park. The remaining buildings at the rail yard, like the depot and substation, became part of the park. In 2018, the John Wayne Pioneer Trail was renamed the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail.
Today, the depot building is a museum. It is run by the Cascade Rail Foundation and helps visitors learn about the history of the railroad and the park.
Because the buildings and the area still look much like they did in the past, the South Cle Elum rail yard was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
