Jun 2, 2014

The amazing Washington State History Museum in Tacoma!

They didn't build it in Spokane! We had to do it on our own! This building is next to the old NP Tacoma station and is it a beauty.  They had lots of stuff in here but we are after the railroad end of it. The other guys with us were Ron, Stan and Sid from the great state of Wenatchee.
 
This shows the railroads of the area using HO models and did they do a terrific job. They have 50 volunteers but 20 do most of the work. Every scene is a copy of the real thing. The bridges, the factories, stations, etc. I heard about it but this is the first time I saw it. The edge treatment was unique as it is an antiqued pattern instead of black, or green or some solid color. I like it! Everything built was by volunteers.
The overhead wire is for the Milwaukee Road part of the layout. Not only was it big but the detail was impressive.
It was very impressive and I want to go back. Everyone should see it and you don't need to be a modeler.
 
This is the Northern Pacific roundhouse in Tacoma and I saw the real thing some 30 years ago on the
day before they were to tear it down.
It's the real thing just like the Coke commercials used to say before they came out with the other Coke. The NP line parallels the Milwaukee tracks for many miles on the coast.
Is it big? It's real big! Look at the 3 levels of holding tracks and scenery displays. We asked about the funding and they had $20,000 start up money with $8,000 per year since then. We got into the inner part of the layout when Marvin asked if we could! We were modelers after all...the brotherhood.
 
 

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