Cascade Rail Foundation sustains the legacy of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (known as “The Milwaukee Road”) in the State of Washington through preservation and education. The railroad operated across the state from 1909 to 1980.
We started in 1999 as a group of volunteers called “The Friends of the South Cle Elum Depot”. We changed our name to Cascade Rail Foundation as our focus expanded beyond South Cle Elum. Cascade Rail Foundation is a Washington State nonprofit corporation and operates under a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible status.
Our work
South Cle Elum Rail Yard
Our main focus is developing and operating the South Cle Elum Rail Yard. We do this in cooperation with Washington State Parks. The Rail Yard is a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a trailhead on the 212-mile-long Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail.
Development of the South Cle Elum Rail Yard is guided by a strategic plan that we developed with State Parks in 2005.
Our accomplishments at South Cle Elum include:
- rehabilitating the historic depot
- completing an ADA-accessible interpretive path through the Rail Yard
- bringing one of the Milwaukee Road’s distinctive ribside cabooses to the Rail Yard.
Our volunteers open our interpretive museum in the depot to the public in the summer months. We lease the remainder of the building to a tenant serving trail users.
Our plans include:
- cosmetic restoration of Milwaukee Road 5057 for display in the Rail Yard
- rehabilitation of the brick substation that towers over the Rail Yard
Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail
We support the interpretation of Milwaukee Road history throughout the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. Examples include providing content for interpretive panels and our Station Sign Project.
Archival Collections
We collect photos, documents, and objects related to the history of the Milwaukee Road’s Pacific Coast Extension. These materials are used to support our work and are also available for others to use.
Events
We sponsor events to help people learn more about Milwaukee Road history. These include:
- open house events at the South Cle Elum Rail Yard
- presentations held at locations in or near Milwaukee Road communities
- guided tours on Milwaukee Road routes that are now public trails
Our partners
We work closely with other groups to achieve our goals and accomplish more than we could alone.
Our primary partners include:
- Washington State Parks
- Pacific Northwest Railroad Archive
- Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition
- Milwaukee Road Historical Association
- John Wayne Pioneer Wagons and Riders Association
Our team
We are an all-volunteer organization led by our Board of Directors. You can find our current Directors listed on our Contact page.
