Early on logging was done by rail. Locomotives came steaming in to pick up the lumber, like these Weyerhaeuser Timber Company locomotives. If you want to see some of these old trails up close, Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad has live demonstrations — on the rail, not picking up logs. For a fee you an jump on and get a taste of what it must have been like.
Photos courtesy of the King and Taylor families.
Click on images to enlarge.
Eatonville To Rainier 
3 responses to “Weyerhaeuser Logging Locomotives”
Just a slight correction. It is “Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad” running out of Elbe (to Mineral), not “Elbe Scenic Railroad”.
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Thank you. I’ll make that change right now! 🙂
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can you tell me how far beyond the white river mill 3 miles south of enumclaw washington, did the rail line that is parrell to hiway 410 went towards greenwater washington and possibly up up to crystal mtn. I asked a logger in Naches Tavern in Greenwater Washington, and he told me years ago it went up to “Buck Creek” Emergency Airfied(Still Active FAA approved emergency field). In 1968 when we were in boyscouts we went to camp shepard along hiway 410. And north of greenwater washington at that time there was a fully operational railroad bridge just 2-4 miles north of Greenwater washington. Today it is gone, but the concrete embankment structures along the white river, still have the steel anchor attachments left with D-rings for steel cables…can you research this for me and let me know…As you travel along Hiway 410, you can see the rail bed used at one time. Portions of the railbed have been updated for private use with asphalt that has been put down for a walkway…Also, one last request. The rail line was also used from palmer, to cumberland washington going south to enumclaw , that line too…Oh, and another rail line went west from enumclaw, to buckley washingtongoing west to a little south of hiway 410 goes down the hill to south praire washington through the valley and heads down to Orting washington. Where along that route there are two trustle bridges that are still standing, but now are used for “rails To Trails” use….I know this is alot to ask, but i looked up on the web, and came to many dead ends. Thank You, and I hope to hear from you soon. Tim bullard
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