Mini train, big project

A-árecord-setting 589 riders traveled to Skykomish on May 2, for the Great Northern and Cascade Railway's opening day.

Located in the Skykomish Town Center, the mini-railway features a scaled-down, fully authentic live steam locomotive that can carry up to 40 passengers around its hourglass-shaped, half-mile course.-á

The 725-pound locomotive travels between 4 and 6 mph. Completely built by hand, the mini-railway project has been volunteer driven and entirely supported through donations. The train will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer.

The track has been a popular spot for train enthusiasts, who are welcome to bring their own steam engines for a spin around the hand-laid track. The track is scaled to be one-eighth the size of a regular railroad track. -á

One of the newer features is a scaled-down replica of the Cascade Tunnel, which is expected to be completed sometime in August. The east portal of the 40-foot tunnel is fashioned to look like the original tunnel at Wellington, and the portal on the west side is modeled after the newer tunnel that was constructed after the Wellington disaster.-á

Volunteer Bill Ward has been hard at work on the tunnel since last summer.

"This is a neat, little project up here,GÇ¥ Ward said. "It's fun.GÇ¥

Weiderstrom has been grateful for the volunteers who have helped him with the project. He's excited about the glimpse into history that the new Cascade Tunnel feature will offer and is appreciative of Ward's efforts.-á

"He's great,GÇ¥ Weiderstrom said. "He came and offered to do it. That's thousands of dollars' worth of work!GÇ¥

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/GNCRailway?fref=ts.