Willow Creek Railroad Museum began as an added attraction to Powerland Heritage Parkin 1975. Just two individuals initiated it and started with 600 feet of track in a farm field with no trees, green grass or buildings.
In 1993 our club became an official organization and in 1997 we received our official Non-Profit status from the IRS as well as a long-term lease agreement with Powerland Heritage Park.
Since the start in 1975, more people became interested in the live steam modeling hobby and as this interest grew, so did the membership and the layout. By the mid ’90’s there were about 30 members running on a layout of approximately 2500 feet of track which included a small carbarn, roundhouse, bridges and a creek with green grass and landscaping.
In 1998 the members started the planning stages of a completely new layout which would more than double our trackage. In 2001 we completed the track portion of our new plan to enlarge our track to over 5000 feet, which allowed us to handle larger live steam locomotives and provide more of a feeling of a prototypical railroad. This first phase of the project took almost five years to complete - although no layout is ever complete.
Since the main track was installed we have continued to upgrade and expand our railroad. The upgrades have included more storage for trains with additional sidings, a new carbarn, roundhouse, and a period station cover. We have also been installing a block signal system which includes signal bridges. A waterfall and creek has been installed.
Projects for the near future include additional signal upgrades and the East Side Industrial Loop.
A big change will be the PRESERVATION-RESTORATION-INTERPRETATION of Union Pacific Railroad Caboose #25527.
Willow Creek Railroad Museum is a non-profit, 501c3 organization, gifts to which may be deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Donate.
WCRR is an all-volunteer organization. All activities of management, administration, maintenance, hosting, restorations, construction, and landscaping are staffed by volunteers.
Please help support our major donors. Without their generous contributions, WCRR would not be as large as we are today.
Want to help? Please contact us for more information. We welcome and appreciate your contributions of time, talent and financial support. All donations are accepted and appreciated.
Fred Meyer Community Rewards - You can help Willow Creek Railroad Museum earn donations just by shopping with your Fred Meyer Rewards card. All you have to do is click on the button to the left and link your Rewards Card to Willow Creek Railroad. Then every time you shop at Freddy's, we get a donation! To learn more, click here.