Kittitas County Railroad History Association
A 501(C)(3) Organization Supported by the National Railway Historical Society
A free train ride through local railroad history coming to Rotary Park in Ellensburg, Washington, in 2026.
Our train ride will be a comfortable family-friendly experience and will always be free!
Learn more about the Kittitas County Railroad History Association and browse photos of our work so far!
Our History Helps Build Our Future
Make a Donation
Donate to our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization via our website or our GoFundMe page at any time!
Once we are operating, KCRHA will also collect donations for Ellensburg’s FISH Community Food Bank to feed our Kittitas County community members.
Organizational Progress & Current Grant Status
The Kittitas County Railroad History Association has reached an important milestone with the award of a $10,000 Parks Partnership Grant from the Ellensburg Parks & Recreation Commission. This investment not only advances construction of the riding railroad at Rotary Park, it also strengthens our standing for future funding opportunities by demonstrating strong local commitment.
Our project continues to benefit from broad community support. Formal letters of endorsement have been received from:
Kittitas County Board of Commissioners
Ellensburg Mayor Rich Elliott and the City Council
Ellensburg City Manager Heidi Behrends Cerniwey
Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce
National Railway Historical Society
These endorsements will accompany future grant submissions and reflect the region’s unified backing of this youth‑focused, heritage‑based public project.
A building permit to build 2800 feet of railroad track has been submitted to the Community Development Department Jan 18 2026.
Further updates will be posted here.
- Jim Pendley, CEO, 1/8th Scale buildings and Structures
The KCRHA has carefully structured our Preliminary operating schedule to minimize any potential conflict with major local events. Our planned schedule is as follows:
2026 Operating Dates: Our goal is to be running by Fall 2026. We will keep this site updated as track is put down.
Hours of Operation:
Saturdays: 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Sundays: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Special Event: A "Train Ride to See Santa" on the Saturday after Thanksgiving
Non-Operating Days: We will not operate during Ellensburg Rodeo weekend or the hours of the Ellensburg Farmers Market out of respect for these long standing community traditions.
By structuring our schedule in this way, we aim to provide a valuable attraction while also supporting our local economy and ensuring that existing businesses and events continue to thrive.
Kittitas County Schools Involved in Local Railroad History Projects
The Kittitas County Railroad History Association is thrilled to partner with local high school wood shop programs to help finish scale depot models for their communities. Easton High School recently received an 11-foot by 4-foot framed Northern Pacific Railroad depot model and will begin finishing it as soon as shop space allows. Additional schools are eager to participate as well, with Thorp High School instructors and students expressing interest in completing their own depot model and contributing fabrication work for the project in the future.
“Thank you very much for coming in yesterday. It was really great to meet you guys, as well as to learn about the exciting opportunity you are bringing to the kids here at Thorp.
After talking, Phil Kern and I would love to be a part of this project next year. We believe we have students who could definitely support the finishing of a framed Thorp Depot, as well as offer support for other items needed for this project. We were hoping to get the framing for the Thorp Depot in January of 2027 so that our students can start work on it that month.
Please feel free to use my correspondences with this project, as it is a great project for our students to see how the community wants to grow and thrive—and the importance of being a part of it.”
- John Ellsworth, Math and Engineering Instructor, Thorp High School
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Volunteer for the KCRHA!
In 2026, we will need several volunteers to help build the railroad. If you are interested in volunteering, please input your email below and we will email you once volunteer positions are available.
