Our Plan

We have a multiple phase plan to acquire, cosmetically restore, and display the 5057 in the South Cle Elum Rail Yard Historic District.

Phase 1: Acquiring the 5057 – COMPLETE

The first phase of our project was to acquire the 5057 from the Feather River Rail Society (Western Pacific Railroad Museum) in Portola, CA.  

The purchase price was $25,000 and included some spare parts, most notably a traction motor to replace the bad one on the locomotive.

Phase 2: Moving the 5057 to Washington – COMPLETE

The second phase of the project was moving the 5057 from Portola, CA to the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad (POVA) shop in Usk, WA. We can’t do the cosmetic restoration work in the South Cle Elum Rail Yard, so we are paying the staff at POVA to do the work for us.

With the assistance of the Feather River Rail Society, our volunteers were able to get the brakes on the 5057 working and complete the other work we needed to do so it could be shipped to Usk by rail.

Moving the 5057 to Usk cost about $3,500. It would have cost much more, but BNSF donated its portion of the transportation charges.

Phase 3: Cosmetically Restoring the 5057 – IN PROGRESS

The cosmetic restoration of the 5057 has two distinct, major tasks. The first is to prepare the locomotive to be painted. This includes addressing the rusted-out metal (mostly on the cab), replacing broken latches on the hood doors, replacing missing parts, and other things. Also, any hazardous materials will be drained from the locomotive during this work. The second major task is to repaint the locomotive with high-quality coatings.

The current estimate for completing this work (August 2025) is approximately $120,000. We currently have about $95,000 on hand.

Phase 4: Preparing the Rail Yard for the  5057 – IN PROGRESS

Before the 5057 can be moved to the South Cle Elum Rail Yard, we need to prepare a place for it to be displayed. A section of track will need to be relaid in the rail yard for the locomotive. We also plan to build a fenced shelter to protect the 5057. The locomotive will likely be displayed in the rail yard west of the depot and substation, just outside the designated historic district boundaries. We are working with State Parks to finalize the display location for the 5057. 

The ultimate plan is to construct a climate-controlled exhibit hall to display the 5057. With that in mind, we want to locate the initial display site so the 5057 could be rolled into the planned exhibit hall once it is completed.

We do not have a cost estimate for this work yet.

Phase 5: Moving the 5057 to South Cle Elum – FUTURE

This is the most expensive aspect of the project. We plan to move the 5057 on its wheels to get it as close as we can to the South Cle Elum Rail Yard. From there, the locomotive will need to be lifted with cranes and placed on a special truck designed for extremely heavy loads. The 5057 weighs about 250,000 pounds intact. We can reduce the weight somewhat by separating the body of the locomotive from its trucks for the move and reassembling it in the Rail Yard. Cascade Rail Foundation has a permit from Kittitas County to move the locomotive across the Yakima River bridge.

Based on the estimates we received at the beginning of the project, we think the final move will cost more than $100,000.  Unlike other aspects of the project, this is not a cost we can break down into smaller expenditures.