SPECIAL CHELATCHIE Prairie Railroad excursions throughout the year are pulled by a vintage 1929 steam engine. It is shown here crossing a high railroad trestle over the East Fork Lewis River, a highlight of the passenger train route.
YACOLT – It’s not every day area residents get to traverse a century old rail line behind a 1929 steam engine or a 1949 diesel engine, or chug through a 330-foot tunnel chiseled through the rock by hand over one hundred years ago, or cross a high railroad trestle over the East Fork Lewis River offering vistas of the lush forest and scenic river channel.
This is the two-hour route that the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad (BYCX) takes on 20 weekends through the 2015 excursion season, and the first ride of the year will take place on Mother’s Day weekend, May 9 & 10. Tickets are $9 - $16 for rides which depart at noon and 2:30 p.m. The ride takes a 20-minute break at the Moulton Station where riders can explore scenic Yacolt Falls from a metal bridge, or relax at the covered “whistle stop” shelter.
Since a train can’t turn around, the BYCX simply travels in forward or reverse for the out and back trip. The first part of the trip is taken with the caboose leading, a brakeman aboard to radio directions to the engineer.
The BYCX has a “celebrity engineer’’ that can be seen in the engine car. Luke Johnson is a licensed engineer who, along with volunteering for the BYCX, operates train equipment for movies and commercials and provides technical consultation for train-related special effects.
BYCX has a long roster of equipment in their custody, but a few cars make a regular appearance on the Chelatchie Prairie excursions. The open car is a flat car built in the 1950s to haul heavy machinery, and is outfitted with benches so riders can enjoy an open air experience. The “heavy car” is a vintage 1920s heavy weight coach car, which would have been comparable to today’s business class travel. It still has its original features including comfortable leather seats and heating.
The third car is fondly called the “circus car.” It was built in the 1950s with three decks to carry small livestock such as goats and sheep. The decks have been removed and it now has a covered roof and open sides, and is fitted with seating for human passengers.
A train will have one or two cabooses, depending upon how many riders are expected. The caboose is a popular seat. It leads the train on the outward part of the journey, and the cupola offers eight upper level seats with a premium view of the scenery.
The vintage train cars require regular maintenance and inspections to prove they are passenger worthy and safe. This year required a five-year brake inspection, and the routine repairs that were needed required shipping brake parts to repair facilities in Alabama, since there are only a few places left in the country that can certify these old parts.
The Chelatchie Prairie Railroad is part of Vancouver’s first railroad opened as the Vancouver, Klickitat and Yakima in 1887 to transport timber between Brush Prairie and Vancouver, with visions of later extending all the way to Yakima.
In 1903, the railroad was completed to Yacolt, and the town boomed. The Vancouver Independent wrote, “Keep your eye on Yacolt and Battle Ground. Both of these little towns are experiencing booms that are almost phenomenal.”
The decades that followed were a rocky fluctuation of freight and passenger service for the railroad, until it was finally closed and filed for abandonment in 1984. With support from Clark County to restore the deteriorating lines, Chelatchie Prairie Railroad has offered historical railroad excursions from Moulton Falls to Chelatchie Prairie since 2001. It is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization, and welcomes both volunteers and financial contributions.
