Visit

Visit South Cle Elum to see some important remnants of Milwaukee Road history. The exhibit area in the depot is typically open from noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays from May through September. You can contact us to confirm we will be open. There are also exhibits in the rail yard to see.

What is the South Cle Elum Rail Yard?

The Milwaukee Road established the rail yard in South Cle Elum when it built its Pacific Coast Extension from the Midwest to Puget Sound. Crews changed and they added or removed locomotives from trains here.  Trains between Chicago and Tacoma began stopping in South Cle Elum (called Cle Elum by the railroad) in 1909.

The rail yard included facilities for the crews and servicing steam locomotives. The railroad removed the locomotive facilities in the 1920s when electric locomotives replaced steam. They built a large electric substation and housing for the substation operators at that time. The substation last supplied electricity to power a train in 1972.

The Milwaukee Road entered bankruptcy in 1977 and ultimately gave up its lines west of Miles City, MT in 1980.  In 1981, the State of Washington started purchasing the route from Cedar Falls (near North Bend) to the Idaho state line.  Washington State Parks now manages it as the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. Washington State Parks also owns the South Cle Elum depot, the substation, and part of the rail yard.

You can find the rail yard and remaining structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic District. It is the most complete collection of structures remaining in any rail yard on the Pacific Coast Extension. They are an excellent opportunity to learn about the story of the Milwaukee Road’s route to Puget Sound, its effect on communities along the way, and its role in the overall history of railroads. 

What is there to see in South Cle Elum?

Cascade Rail Foundation has been working with Washington State Parks to develop the South Cle Elum Rail Yard Interpretive Center since 1999.   

Depot

The depot once provided people access to faraway places.  Today, after a one-million-dollar rehabilitation led by Cascade Rail Foundation, the depot provides access to the history of the railroad. The former waiting room contains historical exhibits and the agent’s office features a working telegraph display.  Cascade Rail Foundation reestablished the “beanery”, which served meals 24 hours a day to employees and townspeople, as a functional restaurant space.  

Rail Yard

The rail yard ties together all the elements of the historic district. The main feature is an interpretive trail that winds through the foundations of the former rail yard features. It provides visitors with a historical overview of the Milwaukee Road in South Cle Elum. The rail yard also includes a distinctive Milwaukee Road rib side caboose and other exhibits. We plan to develop more exhibits here in cooperation with Washington State Parks. 

Substation

The substation stands over the rail yard as a monument to the electrification of the railroad. It provides an inspiring and appropriate setting for visitors to learn about the Milwaukee Road electrification system.  We offer guided tours of the building when our trained volunteers are available.

Substation Bungalows

The railroad built three bungalows adjacent to the substation. These housed the substation operators and their families.  The three bungalows are currently in private ownership.

One of our long-term goals is to acquire Bungalow No. 1 (the one next to the substation) and use it for exhibits. The exhibits would tell the story of Douglas Munro. He grew up in the bungalow as the son of a substation operator. Douglas Munro is the only member of the U.S. Coast Guard to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. The medal recognizes his heroic sacrifice during World War II.

Bunkhouse

The railroad built a bunkhouse in South Cle Elum to house crews laying over away from home.  The railroad closed and sold bunkhouse after trains stopped changing crews at South Cle Elum in 1974. The Iron Horse Inn Bed and Breakfast was in the bunkhouse until it burned down in 2018. They built a new building on the site. The Iron Horse Bed and Breakfast carries on the spirit of the Milwaukee Road with artifacts and photos on display in the new building.