Scenes from the Education Center dedication

Saturday, October 8, 2016 was dedication day for the Railway Education Center ("REC"), the third phase in the development of the Railway History Center campus in Snoqualmie. While some work remains to be completed, the building is enclosed, the heat is on, the restrooms work, and at the dedication everyone could tour the building!  

The event was modest and straight-forward.  It included a special train ride; dedication speeches by Washington State Representative Chad Magendanz, Snoqualmie Mayor pro tem Bob Jeans, Museum Board President Dennis Snook and Museum Executive Director Richard Anderson; and refreshments consisting of hot cider, cake, and cookies.  During the event, many of the more than 200 guests posed along the front of the Railway Education Center for a group photo.

Museum staff and a number of guests added a special touch: period clothing. Even Deputy Director Jessie Cunningham and Executive Director Richard Anderson participated, each wearing their own representation of early 20th or late 19th Century attire! (Usually only Registrar Cristy Lake and Marketing Manager Peggy Barchi participate.)

Highlighting some of the important points concerning this latest phase, Executive Director Anderson said, "This third phase of the Railway History Center is actually critical mass for the Museum.   This latest facility allows the Museum to operate exhibits independent of train operation, and allows extended visits with train operation.  With this new facility, the Museum will be able to expand the size of audience and significantly increase the length of visit.  These factors are important not only to the success of the Museum, but increase its economic impact in the community."

He continued, "The Museum has been developing what came to be known as the Railway History Center for most of its history.  The more concerted effort has taken place over the last fifteen years, with active construction beginning about 11 years ago.  This latest effort called the Railway Education Center, is the third phase, and actually completes the original museum scope envisioned 60 years ago. And What makes this project and the museum successful?  It certainly isn’t one or two people, it is a diverse team and includes trustees, staff and volunteers.  So whether it is a trustee who makes a substantial financial contribution, a volunteer who contributes material to the library, or a staff member who fills out a grant application, all of the team members are vital to the project success.  But there is another important element: community.  The City of Snoqualmie and its current and former mayors and council, it is the community members, it’s the county, and the State.

"And what makes this project and the museum successful?  It certainly isn’t one or two people, it is a diverse team and includes trustees, staff and volunteers.  So whether it is a trustee who makes a substantial financial contribution, a volunteer who contributes material to the library, or a staff member who fills out a grant application, all of the team members are vital to the project success.  But there is another important element: community.  The City of Snoqualmie and its current and former mayors and council, it is the community members, it’s the county, and the State."

Anderson added, "I have personally been working on museum development for the Northwest Railway Museum since I accepted this job almost 22 years ago.  I believed in the Museum’s mission then, and I continue to believe in it now.  It encompasses a vision that is not a library or an exhibit hall, not a steam train or a railroad bridge, it isn’t a book or a locomotive, and it is neither a short experience nor a long one.  It is all of these things that together present a cohesive and compelling story about how the railroad shaped settlement and development in the Pacific Northwest.  Thank you for being here today to help us celebrate this achievement, and welcome to the Railway Education Center."

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!