President of Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum, Bill Deutscher, walks along Locamotive #15 and explains what areas of the train need repairs.
The Port of Chehalis accepted the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum’s (CCRM) $40 bid to purchase 10.2 miles of railroad track. The port announced that they were accepting bids from organizations that would use the track to benefit the community.
The CCRM had already been using the 10.2 miles of track as a part of their route when taking passengers on excursions for the past 30 years. The Port of Chehalis had owned the track since purchasing it from Weyerhaeuser in 1996 when the CCRM was a fairly new operation.
The CCRM is a nonprofit that was founded in 1986, according to their website.
“We generate a lot of tax revenue for the city by bringing tourists to the area so it’s for the community good,” said May Kay Nelson with CCRM.
As stated in a press release from the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum, the train provides rides for over 12,000 people a year and 82 percent of the ridership comes from outside of “the local area.”
“With this kind of dedication by so many individuals, it just seems inevitable to pursue the purchase. There is great potential for growth, and many significant and exciting possibilities for the future,” said Bill Deutscher, President of CCRM.
Along with the purchase of the track that the train uses for its excursions the CCRM is now responsible for the upkeep of the track which includes crossings, vegetation control and regular inspections.
