Railway Education Center framing

Construction of the Railway Education Center is continuing, and its objective of improving preservation and access will soon be achieved.  This new facility will incorporate 5,000 square feet and features an archival vault, public restrooms, a classroom, admissions and program offices.  An elevator will assure accessibility in this two-story structure. 

Since the last update, building framing has begun and is now well underway.  The structure is being "built to last" so it is more likely to survive potential natural disasters, and many decades of public use.  The Snoqualmie Depot was built with similar ideas and last year celebrated its 125th anniversary!  Check out these recent images that illustrate progress on the new Railway Education Center:

Framing began in mid June 2016 with the boarding plat-

form and the outer walls.

 

Boarding platform close up.



By late June, the second floor began to appear.  The

building is being clad with plywood to minimize off-

gassing that occurs with many modern materials such

as Oriented Strand Board (OSB).



The staircase takes shape.

Floor joists are massive - the archival collection is being

located on the second floor high above the flood plain.







The end walls were fabricated horizontally and then

tilted up into position.

 

In early July the basic exterior walls were complete and

sheathed with plywood.  Work has now shifted to interior

walls and the roof.

 

Railway Education Center construction progress

Spring and early summer have been busy periods at the Railway History Center in Snoqualmie. Construction of the third phase - the Railway Education Center - is rapidly advancing, but Spike is a little behind posting photos.  Plumbing and electrical has been run inside the foundation, the concrete floor has been poured, and now framing is underway.  Here is a short gallery post incorporating some highlights of the floor construction.  Spike will follow up in a few days with another gallery post that depicts framing progress.

An excavator filled inside the stem walls with a select fill.  The

stem walls elevate the building above the flood plain.  Grade

beams and utilities are located within the walls.

 

Plumbers and electricians ran pipe and conduit below what will

be the first floor. Pipe hangers will attach these pipes and

conduit to the bottom of the concrete floor.

 

Lots of reinforcing bar is hidden in floor and foundation! The

Northwest Railway Museum is in a seismic zone and

commercial buildings like this must be designed to ensure

a minimum magnitude 7.2 earthquake without collapsing.

Substantial grade beams, the Geo Pier foundation, the stem

walls, and other features work together to achieve this

design requirement.

The concrete crew pumped concrete into the

rebar cages.

 

A large concrete pump truck simplified the floor pour by

delivering concrete exactly where it was needed.

 

The concrete pumper allowed the crew to direct concrete around

the utility pipes in an efficient manner.

A simple 2x4 board was used to level the concrete.

Hand trowels helped smooth the surface.

A larger trowel helped make the floor surface uniform.

After the concrete cured slightly, workers performed

additional surfacing to create a really smooth surface.

A power trowel smooths the surface of the floor.

The complete foundation and first floor is ready for the

framing crew!

Day Out With Thomas 2016

The Really Useful Engine has arrived in Snoqualmie!

Thomas the Tank Engine® will be shunting trucks and hauling freight, and he would like to take you and your children for an excursion too!  Day Out With Thomas® is happening in Snoqualmie on July 15 - 17 and 22 - 24, 2016. Tickets are $23 on Fridays and $25 on weekends; they include the activities and a train excursion with Thomas the Tank Engine. 

Please visit the Northwest Railway Museum web site to purchase tickets or to learn more information: Day Out With Thomas in Snoqualmie.  Toot, toot!
® Thomas the Tank Engine and Day Out With Thomas are Registered Trademarks of Thomas (Gullane) LLC.