The cost to repair two Chehalis-Centralia Railroad and Museum steam engines will be close to $1 million each, the railroad announced as part of an update on operations this week.
The railroad also announced that more than 1,500 passengers have taken rides on the railway since its passenger operations resumed after a prolonged lapse in insurance around Valentine’s Day.
“Word is still getting out of us returning to train operations but numbers are slowly but surely increasing,” CCRM wrote in a post on social media.
As for the expensive cost of repairing the pair of steam engines: “Both locomotives will need nearly $1 million in work plus labor to get them 100%. Maybe we should play the lotto,” the post stated.
CCRM recently completed the restoration evaluations of the engines and is working on grant applications and fundraising ideas to pay for the restorations.
The CCRM also announced it is continuing its partnership with the Goose Lake Railway, which is providing training and education for its volunteers and staff. Railroad staff are looking to acquire additional passenger cars to begin renovations on the CCRM’s 600 series cars, which were the first ones it had.
Concession service is anticipated to begin soon, offering water, soda, chips, candy and iced coffee to passengers.
New train rides, including bingo trains and a train ride to the Willapa Hills, are also in the works on select Saturdays this summer. Dates and times will be announced later on Facebook.
Tickets are still available for the Mother’s Day dessert train this Saturday, May 11, according to a CCRM Facebook post.
“Since our first trains around Valentine’s Day, we’ve hauled nearly 1,500 passengers! the CCRM post stated.
The dessert train features an 18-mile trip with scenic views of the Chehalis River coupled with a tea and dessert sampling aboard the CCRM’s 1920s dining car.
Tickets are $25 and dessert and tea are $55. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://steamtrainride.com/mothers-day-train-rides/.
Tickets for other dinner and riverview excursion trains, including the Father’s Day barbecue train, are available. For a full list of trains, visit https://steamtrainride.com/chehalis-valley-train-rides/.
To learn more, follow the CCRM on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/steamtrainride or visit https://steamtrainride.com/.
