Chehalis Western Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Chehalis Western Railroad was the name of two different shortline railroad
s that were owned and operated by Weyerhaeuser
between 1936 and 1993. The first Chehalis Western, which existed from 1936 until 1975, was a shortline Class III railroad
operating in Washington state, while the second one, which existed from 1981 until 1993, was a private railroad that operated on a different set of lines that Weyerhaeuser had later acquired.
to Ruth, Washington that Weyerhaeuser had purchased from the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
, also known as the Milwaukee Road. The Chehalis Western also operated on trackage rights over the Milwaukee Road from Chehalis to Western Junction, where the trains would join a Weyerhaeuser-owned logging line (known as the "Vail" line) that would go north to a log dump at South Bay, Washington. And, Chehalis Western trains also operated on trackage rights over the Northern Pacific Railroad from Pe Ell, Washington
to Milburn, Washington.
On December 1, 1975, Weyerhaeuser reorganized the railroad under a new name, the Curtis, Milburn & Eastern Railroad. The CM&E stopped operating on the trackage rights between Pe Ell and Milburn, and the line only operated between Chehalis and Curtis, Washington
. The CM&E stopped operating in 1980 and was formally abandoned in February 1993.
The Chehalis Western Railroad name was resurrected in 1980, when the Milwaukee Road abandoned all of its trackage west of Miles City, Montana
. At that point, Weyerhaeuser acquired all of the Milwaukee Road's trackage south of Tacoma, Washington
, except for some trackage rights. The lines that Weyerhaeuser purchased measured <23 miles long and were the Milwaukee Road's routes from Tacoma to Chehalis and from Frederickson, Washington
to Morton, Washington
. In order to service the new lines, Weyerhaeuser purchased four brand-new EMD GP38-2
locomotives.
In July 1992, Weyerhaeuser shut down the second incarnation of the Chehalis Western.
In 1995, Weyerhaeuser sold the entire railroad to the city of Tacoma for $3.1 million. At that point, the city contracted with the Tacoma Eastern Railway to begin operations on the line, and then contracted with Tacoma Rail
to operate the trackage. In addition, the city of Tacoma began allowing two excursion railroads to operate over portions of the line: the Chehalis–Centralia Railroad, which now operates from Chehalis west to Ruth, Washington (and as a result, operates on the now-restored tracks of the first Chehalis Western Railroad), and the 7-mile Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad, which operates between Tacoma and Morton.
Today, the Chehalis Western Trail
is a well-known bike trail that uses a portion of the "Vail" logging line that the Chehalis Western would travel over to South Bay, in the vicinity of Lacey, Washington
.
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
s that were owned and operated by Weyerhaeuser
Weyerhaeuser
Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber...
between 1936 and 1993. The first Chehalis Western, which existed from 1936 until 1975, was a shortline Class III railroad
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
operating in Washington state, while the second one, which existed from 1981 until 1993, was a private railroad that operated on a different set of lines that Weyerhaeuser had later acquired.
History
In 1936, Weyerhaeuser incorporated the Chehalis Western Railroad as a publicly regulated, common-carrier shortline to carry lumber and forest products over a 10-mile stretch of track from Chehalis, WashingtonChehalis, Washington
Chehalis is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,259 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Lewis County.-History:...
to Ruth, Washington that Weyerhaeuser had purchased from the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
, also known as the Milwaukee Road. The Chehalis Western also operated on trackage rights over the Milwaukee Road from Chehalis to Western Junction, where the trains would join a Weyerhaeuser-owned logging line (known as the "Vail" line) that would go north to a log dump at South Bay, Washington. And, Chehalis Western trains also operated on trackage rights over the Northern Pacific Railroad from Pe Ell, Washington
Pe Ell, Washington
Pe Ell is a town in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 632 at the 2010 census.-History:Pe Ell was officially incorporated on March 9, 1906....
to Milburn, Washington.
On December 1, 1975, Weyerhaeuser reorganized the railroad under a new name, the Curtis, Milburn & Eastern Railroad. The CM&E stopped operating on the trackage rights between Pe Ell and Milburn, and the line only operated between Chehalis and Curtis, Washington
Curtis, Washington
Curtis is a community in Washington. Named by its first postmaster, Ben Curtis, for himself, Curtis is about 6 miles south of Adna. It has a Post Office and a K-8 school and a library.-References:...
. The CM&E stopped operating in 1980 and was formally abandoned in February 1993.
The Chehalis Western Railroad name was resurrected in 1980, when the Milwaukee Road abandoned all of its trackage west of Miles City, Montana
Miles City, Montana
Miles City is a city in and the county seat of Custer County, Montana, United States. The population was 8,123 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. At that point, Weyerhaeuser acquired all of the Milwaukee Road's trackage south of Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, except for some trackage rights. The lines that Weyerhaeuser purchased measured <23 miles long and were the Milwaukee Road's routes from Tacoma to Chehalis and from Frederickson, Washington
Frederickson, Washington
Frederickson is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 5,758 at the 2000 census and has grown to 18,719 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Frederickson is located at ....
to Morton, Washington
Morton, Washington
Morton is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,126 at the 2010 census.-History:Morton was first settled in 1871 by James Fletcher. It was later named after Benjamin Harrison's Vice President, Levi P. Morton, in 1889. Morton was officially incorporated on January...
. In order to service the new lines, Weyerhaeuser purchased four brand-new EMD GP38-2
EMD GP38-2
An EMD GP38-2 is a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher type built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division. Part of the EMD Dash 2 line, the GP38-2 was an upgraded version of the earlier GP38...
locomotives.
In July 1992, Weyerhaeuser shut down the second incarnation of the Chehalis Western.
In 1995, Weyerhaeuser sold the entire railroad to the city of Tacoma for $3.1 million. At that point, the city contracted with the Tacoma Eastern Railway to begin operations on the line, and then contracted with Tacoma Rail
Tacoma Rail
Tacoma Rail is a shortline railroad. It is operated as a public utility and owned by the city of Tacoma, Washington as part of the municipally-owned Tacoma Public Utilities service. It provides rail services for freight switching...
to operate the trackage. In addition, the city of Tacoma began allowing two excursion railroads to operate over portions of the line: the Chehalis–Centralia Railroad, which now operates from Chehalis west to Ruth, Washington (and as a result, operates on the now-restored tracks of the first Chehalis Western Railroad), and the 7-mile Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad, which operates between Tacoma and Morton.
Today, the Chehalis Western Trail
Chehalis Western Trail
The Chehalis Western Trail is a rail trail in Washington.It occupies an abandoned railroad corridor that was once used by the historic Weyerhaeuser-owned Chehalis Western Railroad...
is a well-known bike trail that uses a portion of the "Vail" logging line that the Chehalis Western would travel over to South Bay, in the vicinity of Lacey, Washington
Lacey, Washington
Lacey is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. Established as a suburb of Olympia, its population was 42,393 at the 2010 census out of a county population of 252,264.-History:...
.