Northern Pacific Railway Museum in Toppenish, Washington

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Toppenish, Washington · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Depot museumOpen May 1 to October 15, Tuesday to Saturday; private tours by arrangement

The Northern Pacific Railway Museum fills Toppenish's 1911 Northern Pacific depot with original railroad equipment and keeps a yard of passenger cars, freight cars and steam locomotives, including No. 1364, steamed again in 2026 after 73 years.

  • Restored 1911 Northern Pacific depot
  • Steam engine 1364 running in 2026
  • Original ticket and telegraph office
  • 19 freight cars in the yard
  • 1941 REA delivery truck
  • Opened to visitors July 4, 1992

Northern Pacific Railway Museum at a glance

Hours
May 1 to October 15, Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm
Admission
Not posted online; call (509) 865-1911
Seasonal events
Work History Weekend
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours
Best for
Rail fans and curious school-age kids
Best ages
Ages 5 and up

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Northern Pacific Railway Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Toppenish.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

From a boarded-up depot to a working steam shop

The Northern Pacific Railway built the Toppenish depot in 1911, and for fifty years it was the town's link to the wider world. As cars, buses and planes took over, passenger service ended in 1961. The depot closed in 1981 and was boarded up, and much of its original equipment went home with the employees who had worked there.

In 1989 a group of rail fans asked the city about leasing the building, and the Yakima Valley Rail and Steam Museum Association was formed. The lease came through in 1990 and restoration began on a depot the museum describes as being in very poor condition. The museum opened to the public on July 4, 1992, and in 1993 the association bought the depot and freight house from the Burlington Northern. Over the years much of the depot's original equipment found its way back, and volunteers spent years restoring the waiting room to its early 1900s look and the telegraph room to working order.

The museum's biggest project has been Northern Pacific No. 1364, a 1902 steam locomotive bought in 1993 and delivered in 1994. Volunteers worked for decades to return it to service. It passed its hydro test at 200 psi and was certified under the Federal Railroad Administration. On January 1, 2026 it was fired for the first time in 73 years, and on February 21 it moved under its own power. Later in the year it pulled a small freight train around the grounds for visiting rail fans from across the country.

Waiting room, freight room and a yard full of stories

Inside the depot, the passenger waiting room is set up as it looked in the early 1920s. The ticket office still holds its original equipment, including the telegrapher's office, and cases display Northern Pacific employee uniforms and the dinnerware used on the North Coast Limited. The freight room is full of maintenance tools, a hand pump car, a velocipede and motorized speeders, and the Railway Express Agency room, a forerunner of FedEx and UPS, keeps its original scales and safe. Tripadvisor's listing adds that an extensive model railroad sits upstairs.

Out in the yard, the 2152 steam locomotive stands with passenger cars from the North Coast Limited, and 19 freight cars each tell what they once hauled. Peek into the auto hauler car to see what kinds of autos came to the valley. The engine house holds No. 1364, and because it is a live maintenance shop, a docent goes with you.

Don’t miss

  1. Northern Pacific No. 1364A 1902 steam locomotive returned to steam in 2026 after 73 years, kept in the engine house where a docent can show you around.
  2. Mann McCann ballast and snow spreaderThe museum says this is the last surviving example, parked behind locomotive 2152.
  3. Locomotive 2152 and the North Coast Limited carsA steam locomotive displayed with the passenger cars it once pulled on the Northern Pacific's famous train.
  4. The telegraph and ticket officeFully restored with original equipment that returned after the depot reopened.
  5. 1941 REA delivery truckA working flathead truck parked outside the REA room, ready for its next parade.
  6. The wooden cabooseFully restored and parked beside the engine house.

Speeders, a pump car and a peek inside the cars

Kids who like machines will find plenty to look at: the hand pump car, velocipede and motorized speeders in the freight room, the old REA truck parked outside, and the auto hauler car where you can peek in to see the autos it carried. Freight trains still roll through Toppenish at full speed, which tends to delight young train watchers.

This is a docent-led, look-and-learn museum rather than a play space, so it suits school-age kids who like to ask questions. The yard is outdoors, so plan for Yakima Valley sun in summer.

Plan your visit: tips for Northern Pacific Railway Museum

  • The museum is closed from mid-October to May 1, but private tours can be booked any time a docent is available.
  • A docent must accompany you into the engine house to see No. 1364.
  • Call (509) 865-1911 ahead for special visits or off-season tours.
  • Watch for BNSF freight trains passing the depot at full speed.

Volunteers who brought back a depot and a locomotive

The museum is run by volunteers who restored the depot room by room and spent years on No. 1364, and the museum says they are proud of their work and happy to show it off. Visitors can support them by coming during the season, booking a private tour, joining events such as Work History Weekend, and following the museum's Facebook page for news.

More rail history around the Yakima Valley

The Yakima Valley Trolleys are only about 18 miles away and pair well with a Toppenish visit. The Mount Hood Railroad in Oregon is about 74 miles away, and the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad is about 94 miles away. See Washington's full list of train museums for more.

Every train museum in Washington

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

This depot keeps real uniforms worn by Northern Pacific employees, and I would love to see my kids stand in front of that case. In our book, Mr. Conductor wears a blue uniform and holds out his hand to welcome Rally aboard. My kids are learning to read now, and they always slow down on that page. Uniforms make the railroad feel human. Our train books for toddlers list has more stories like ours.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Northern Pacific Railway Museum: 20 questions visitors ask

Where is the Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

The Northern Pacific Railway Museum is in the old 1911 Northern Pacific depot at 10 Asotin Avenue in Toppenish, Washington, in the Yakima Valley. The depot, its freight house and the rail yard beside it make up the museum. Call (509) 865-1911 if you need directions.

What are the Northern Pacific Railway Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open May 1 to October 15, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, plus special events. Outside those days, docents can give tours if workers happen to be on site, and private tours can be booked ahead any time a docent is available. Call (509) 865-1911.

How much does the Northern Pacific Railway Museum cost?

The museum does not post admission prices online. Call (509) 865-1911 to ask about current admission and the cost of private or group tours, or send a message through the museum's Facebook page. As a volunteer-run museum, it also welcomes visitors who want to support its restoration work.

Is the Northern Pacific Railway Museum open in winter?

The regular season ends October 15 and starts again May 1. During the off-season, private tours can still be arranged in advance, depending on docent availability, and visitors who find volunteers working may be able to get a tour. Call (509) 865-1911 before making a winter trip to Toppenish.

Is steam locomotive 1364 running at the Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

Yes. Northern Pacific No. 1364, built in 1902, was fired on January 1, 2026 for the first time in 73 years and moved under its own power on February 21. It passed a hydro test at 200 psi and is certified under the Federal Railroad Administration. It has since pulled a small freight train around the grounds.

Can I see No. 1364 at the Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

Yes, with a guide. No. 1364 lives inside the engine house, which is a live maintenance shop, so a docent must be present when visitors go in. Ask when you arrive or call (509) 865-1911 ahead. The museum's website also links to a video of the locomotive running.

What is inside the Northern Pacific depot museum?

The depot has a passenger waiting room restored to the early 1920s, a ticket office with its original equipment and telegrapher's office, Northern Pacific uniforms, and North Coast Limited dinnerware. The freight room holds tools, a hand pump car, a velocipede and speeders, and the Railway Express Agency room keeps its original scales and safe.

What can you see in the Northern Pacific Railway Museum yard?

The yard holds steam locomotive 2152 with passenger cars from the North Coast Limited, 19 freight cars with stories about what they hauled, an auto hauler car you can peek into, a fully restored wooden caboose, and what the museum calls the last surviving Mann McCann ballast and snow spreader.

Does the Northern Pacific Railway Museum have a model railroad?

Visitor listings such as Tripadvisor describe an extensive model railroad upstairs in the depot. The museum's own site focuses on the depot rooms and the yard, so call (509) 865-1911 to confirm the model railroad is open on the day you plan to visit.

When was the Toppenish depot built?

The Northern Pacific Railway built the Toppenish depot in 1911. It served as the town's transportation center for about fifty years, until passenger service ended in 1961. The railroad closed the depot in 1981 and boarded it up, and it stayed that way for nearly a decade before rail fans stepped in.

Who founded the Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

In 1989 a group of rail fans approached the city about leasing the depot and formed the Yakima Valley Rail and Steam Museum Association. The depot lease followed in 1990, restoration began, and the museum opened on July 4, 1992. The group bought the depot and freight house from the Burlington Northern in 1993.

Are there photos of the Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

Yes. The museum's website has then-and-now photos: hover over the depot picture to see it in the 1980s, and over the yard picture to see it in the 1940s. The museum's Facebook page shares newer photos and video, including No. 1364 in steam.

Is the Northern Pacific Railway Museum in Wallace, Idaho the same place?

No. This page covers the Northern Pacific Railway Museum in Toppenish, Washington, in the 1911 depot on Asotin Avenue. A Northern Pacific depot museum in Wallace, Idaho is a separate place with its own hours and staff, so check you are looking at the right museum before you travel.

Can I book a private tour of the Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

Yes. Private tours can be booked in advance at any time of year, depending on docent availability. Call (509) 865-1911 or use the contact page on nprymuseum.org to set it up. This is a good option for groups, rail fan clubs, or anyone visiting outside the May to October season.

Is the Northern Pacific Railway Museum good for kids?

It suits curious school-age kids best. They can see a hand pump car, a velocipede and speeders, peek into an auto hauler car, and watch BNSF freight trains roll through town. It is a look-and-learn museum with docents rather than a hands-on play space, and much of the yard is outdoors.

How long should I spend at the Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

Plan on about one to two hours to see the depot rooms, walk the yard and visit the engine house with a docent. Rail fans who want to hear the stories behind each freight car, or catch volunteers at work on the locomotives, may happily stay longer.

Are there jobs at the Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

The museum does not list paid jobs online. It is run by volunteers, who restored the depot and returned No. 1364 to steam. If you would like to help with tours, restoration or events, call (509) 865-1911 or message the museum's Facebook page to ask about volunteering.

What events does the Northern Pacific Railway Museum hold?

The museum's current events page features Work History Weekend, and the museum notes it opens for special events beyond its regular season. It has also hosted rail fan gatherings where visitors watched No. 1364 pull a freight train around the grounds. Check the Facebook page for upcoming dates.

What did the Northern Pacific Railway Museum used to be called?

The museum began as the Yakima Valley Rail and Steam Museum Association, formed in 1989, and took its current name in 2000. Some older listings still use the earlier name, so you may see both when searching for the Toppenish depot museum.

What train museums are near the Northern Pacific Railway Museum?

The Yakima Valley Trolleys are about 18 miles away in Yakima. The Mount Hood Railroad in Hood River, Oregon is about 74 miles away, and the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad in Elbe is about 94 miles away, so Toppenish can anchor a larger rail road trip.

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