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Cascade Rail Foundation

Remembering the Milwaukee Road in Washington
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Before and After Renovation! Back in its heyday in the 1920s 5057 Project Milwaukee Road Electrification

Before and After Renovation!

After many volunteer hours of renovation, the South Cle Elum Depot re-opened its doors in 2006.

Back in its heyday in the 1920s

The South Cle Elum Depot as seen from the south, with the substation and rail yard.

5057 Project

Learn about our plans to bring a Milwaukee Road locomotive back to the South Cle Elum Rail Yard

Milwaukee Road Electrification

Once the world's longest railroad electrification system

We are working to ensure the fascinating history of the Milwaukee Road in Washington is not forgotten

  • Commercial space in historic depot available for lease

    Space is available for lease inside the historic Milwaukee Road railroad depot, located on the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail in the Town of South Cle Elum. It is suitable for several uses, including food service, entertainment, hospitality, or retail. Continue reading

    September 20, 2025 November 29, 2025

    Visit our digital archive website!

    Researching the history of the Milwaukee Road? You can visit our Archive web site to see Milwaukee Road-related documents and photos in our collections.

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    January 10, 2022 May 1, 2022

    Virtual Historical Tour – Cedar Falls to Plummer

    This is a virtual tour of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, exploring the history along the route starting at Cedar Falls, WA and ending past the east end of the trail in Plummer, ID.

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    January 10, 2022 February 1, 2022

    2025 Annual Meeting – December 6

    2025 Annual meeting presentation title slide

    Our annual meeting will be held on Saturday, December 6, at 10:00 a.m. PT. We will review our progress and updates from 2025 and discuss our plans for 2026 and beyond.

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    November 29, 2025 November 29, 2025

    5057 work restarts!

    A view showing the front of the 5057 locomotive in the Columbia Rail shop.

    Work on the cosmetic restoration of the 5057 is resuming now that we have finalized a contract with Columbia Rail.

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    November 29, 2025 November 29, 2025

    5057 Open House – Saturday, October 11

    Group photo at the 5057 open house in October 2025

    We held an open house at the Columbia Rail shop in Richland, WA, so that people could see the 5057 up close.

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    October 7, 2025 November 22, 2025

    Bridge Day at Rosalia – October 4

    2019 Bridge Day attendees out on the trail for the history hike

    Join us for Bridge Day in Rosalia, WA, on Saturday, October 4. This free event will feature a railroad history presentation at the Rosalia Community Center (106 W. Seventh Street, Rosalia, 99170, just off Whitman Avenue, Rosalia’s main street).

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    September 22, 2025 September 22, 2025

    Great American Rail-Trail tour kickoff event September 23

    The Great American Rail-Trail™ will be the nation’s first cross-country multiuse trail. The trail will be separated from vehicle traffic across 3,700 miles between Washington State and Washington, D.C. We’ll be hosting the kickoff for a special trail tour led by the Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC). The tour will…

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    September 14, 2025 September 14, 2025

    The 5057 is at the shop in Richland

    The 5057 is now located at the Columbia Rail shop in Richland, WA. Please remember this is private property. Do not enter the facility to see the 5057. Columbia Rail prosecutes trespassers.

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    June 17, 2025 June 17, 2025

    The 5057 Project is moving again!

    Milwaukee Road 5057 waiting to be picked up by BNSF at Sandpoint, ID on May 29, 2025. Jonathan Fischer photo

    The 5057 Project is moving again – literally! After years of waiting for an opening to continue restoration work at the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad (POVA) shop in Usk, WA, we are moving the 5057 to another shop. 

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    May 29, 2025 June 11, 2025

    Rail Yard Work Party – May 10

    Volunteer posing with brush piles in the South Cle Elum Rail Yard

    Celebrate National Train Day with us! We have a work party at the South Cle Elum Rail Yard from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday,  May 10.

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    April 28, 2025 April 29, 2025

    Seattle Waterfront presentation – April 5 and 12

    Former Milwaukee Road employee Frank Zellerhoff will share his memories about the railroad’s operations on the Seattle waterfront in the 1970s.

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    February 1, 2025 April 28, 2025
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