Washington State Railroads Historical Society in Pasco, Washington
Rail preservation groupThe Pasco museum is listed as permanently closed
The Washington State Railroads Historical Society set out to preserve the railroad history of Pasco and Washington State, a town shaped by the Northern Pacific and the SP&S, and ran a small museum across from the old depot.
- Pasco rail history society
- Formed in 1990
- Museum on North Tacoma Avenue
- Listed as permanently closed
Washington State Railroads Historical Society at a glance
- Hours
- Permanently closed
- Admission
- Not applicable
- Best for
- Rail history readers
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Washington State Railroads Historical Society? 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 Pasco.
Rally Takes the Train
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A railroad town's history society
Pasco grew up as a railroad town. It served as a major hub for the Northern Pacific and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle railways, and on June 21, 1955 it became the Northern Pacific's first pushbutton rail yard. It remains a major hub for the BNSF today. That history is what the Washington State Railroads Historical Society, formed in 1990, set out to preserve, with an eye on the Northern Pacific, Great Northern and Milwaukee Road lines that crossed the state.
The Society ran a museum at 122 North Tacoma Avenue in Pasco, across the street from the old Amtrak depot, open on Saturdays. It also worked to obtain and restore a historic depot building for a larger museum. Online map listings now show the museum as permanently closed, and its old web address no longer belongs to the Society. Volunteers have kept some of its historical notes available online, which says a lot about how much the work meant to the people who did it.
What visitors could see
When it was open, the museum on North Tacoma Avenue welcomed visitors on Saturday mornings and early afternoons, steps from the old Amtrak depot. Details of its displays are not posted online. Today, the best way to connect with Pasco's railroad story is to watch BNSF trains at work in a town that still runs on rail.
Don’t miss
- Pasco's rail yard historyIn 1955 Pasco became the Northern Pacific's first pushbutton rail yard, a story the Society worked to tell.
- The old depot neighborhoodThe museum stood across from the old Amtrak depot, in the heart of Pasco's railroad district.
For young train fans today
The museum is no longer open, so families looking for a train day in Washington should visit one of the operating museums on our state list, many of which offer rides and model trains. In Pasco itself, the town remains a busy BNSF hub, and kids may enjoy watching freight trains from a safe public spot.
Plan your visit: tips for Washington State Railroads Historical Society
- The museum is listed as permanently closed; do not plan a visit to North Tacoma Avenue.
- The old wsrhs.org web address no longer belongs to the Society, so treat it with caution.
- For a working rail museum in Washington, check the state list before you travel.
The rail fans who kept Pasco's story
The Society was a nonprofit group of rail enthusiasts who gave their time to collecting and sharing Pasco's railroad history and to the hope of a restored depot museum. Its records and notes live on through volunteers who preserved its old pages online. If you have photos or memories of the museum, a local historical group in Pasco is a good place to share them.
Find an open rail museum in Washington
With the Pasco museum closed, the Northern Pacific Railway Museum in Toppenish, about 58 miles away, is the closest open option, and Yakima Valley Trolleys is about 72 miles away. Use our list of train museums in Washington to find more, or browse train museums across the country.
- Northern Pacific Railway MuseumToppenish, WA · about 58 mi
- Yakima Valley TrolleysYakima, WA · about 72 mi
- Eagle Cap Excursion TrainElgin, OR · about 73 mi
- Sumpter Valley RailroadMcEwen / Sumpter, OR · about 112 mi
- Inland Northwest Rail MuseumReardan, WA · about 114 mi
- Mount Hood RailroadHood River, OR · about 121 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Pasco was a place where trains met and travelers changed lines, and I like to imagine all the suitcases that passed through. Rally's suitcase is a small one: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, packed with great care for the trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Places like this remind me that every trip carried somebody's whole heart along with it.
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
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
- Train museums in Washington: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Washington
- Halloween train rides in Washington
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Washington State Railroads Historical Society?
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.
Washington State Railroads Historical Society: 20 questions
What is the Washington State Railroads Historical Society?
The Washington State Railroads Historical Society is a Pasco, Washington group formed in 1990 to preserve the state's railroad history, especially the Northern Pacific, Great Northern and Milwaukee Road. It ran a small museum in Pasco and worked toward restoring a historic depot building for a larger museum.
Is the Washington State Railroads Historical Society museum still open?
No. Online map listings show the Society's museum in Pasco as permanently closed. An archived copy of its old website was kept online mainly for its historical notes. If you are planning a rail outing in Washington, choose one of the museums still operating on our state list instead.
Where was the Washington State Railroads Historical Society museum?
The museum was at 122 North Tacoma Avenue in Pasco, Washington, across the street from the old Amtrak depot. Since the museum is listed as permanently closed, there is nothing to visit at that address now, so please do not make a special trip there expecting to find exhibits.
What were the Washington State Railroads Historical Society museum hours?
When it was open, the museum kept short hours: Saturdays only, from 9 am to 3 pm. Those hours no longer apply, because the museum is now listed as permanently closed. There is no current schedule for public visits or tours posted anywhere online.
When was the Washington State Railroads Historical Society founded?
The Society's own history page said it was formed in 1990 and dedicated to preserving Washington State rail history. Some museum directories give other founding years, such as 1955 or 2001, but those listings conflict with each other, so the 1990 date from the Society's history page is the most reliable.
Why was Pasco important to Washington railroads?
Pasco was a major hub for the Northern Pacific and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle railways. On June 21, 1955 it became the Northern Pacific's first pushbutton rail yard, an early automated classification yard. The town is still a major hub for the BNSF, so trains remain part of daily life there.
What was the pushbutton rail yard in Pasco?
On June 21, 1955, Pasco became the Northern Pacific's first pushbutton rail yard, a yard where freight cars were sorted using push-button controls. It was a milestone for the railroad, and it was one of the local stories the Washington State Railroads Historical Society worked to keep alive.
Did the Washington State Railroads Historical Society restore a depot?
The Society worked to obtain and restore a historic depot building in Pasco, which it called the third depot, to use as a museum. Whether that project was ever finished is not stated anywhere online. The museum it did operate was on North Tacoma Avenue and is now listed as closed.
Is wsrhs.org still the Society's website?
No. The wsrhs.org address no longer belongs to the Washington State Railroads Historical Society and now hosts unrelated commercial content. Do not use it to contact the Society or to send personal information. Some of the Society's older historical pages are preserved on a separate archive site.
How can I contact the Washington State Railroads Historical Society?
There is no working contact for the Society posted online today, and its old web address now belongs to an unrelated site. If you are researching Pasco rail history, local historical societies and libraries in the Tri-Cities area are the most likely places to point you toward its records or former members.
What railroad companies operated in Washington State?
The railroads most tied to this Society's work were the Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Milwaukee Road, and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle. Pasco itself was a key hub for the Northern Pacific and SP&S, and today the BNSF runs a major hub there.
Can you visit the Washington State Railroads Historical Society collection?
Not at this time. With the museum listed as permanently closed, there are no public hours or posted open houses, and where any artifacts went is not stated online. Rail fans who want to see Northwest railroad equipment should visit one of the open museums on our Washington list.
Is the Washington State Railroads Historical Society good for kids?
Because the museum is closed, it is not a destination for families right now. Kids who love trains will have a better day at one of Washington's open rail museums, several of which offer train or trolley rides, model railroads and holiday events. Pasco's busy freight trains are fun to watch, too.
Does the Washington State Railroads Historical Society have Christmas trains?
No. The Society did not post any Christmas or holiday train events, and its museum is listed as permanently closed. For a holiday ride, look at the Christmas trains run by Washington's operating railroads and museums, many of which bring Santa aboard in December.
Was the Washington State Railroads Historical Society a nonprofit?
Directory listings describe the Washington State Railroads Historical Society as a nonprofit organization based in Pasco. It was built by rail enthusiasts who gave their own time to preserving railroad history and running the small Saturday museum near the old depot.
Is the Washington State Railroads Historical Society the same as the Washington State Railroad Historical Society?
The names are nearly identical, and directories use both spellings for the Pasco group. Most listings point to the same Pasco organization and the same closed museum. If you find a different group using a similar name elsewhere in the state, check its location before assuming they are connected.
Where can I learn about Pasco railroad history now?
Some of the Society's historical notes are still preserved on an archived copy of its old website. Local historical societies, libraries and museums in the Tri-Cities area are also good places to look for photos and records of Pasco's Northern Pacific and SP&S days.
Can I donate railroad items to the Washington State Railroads Historical Society?
With the museum closed and no current contact posted, the Society does not appear to be accepting donations. If you have Pasco or Northwest railroad items to give, consider an operating Washington rail museum or a local historical society that is actively collecting.
What is near the old Washington State Railroads Historical Society museum?
The museum's former site on North Tacoma Avenue faces the old Amtrak depot in Pasco. Pasco remains a working BNSF rail hub, so freight trains still pass through regularly. For an open rail museum, the Northern Pacific Railway Museum in Toppenish is about 58 miles away, and Yakima Valley Trolleys is about 72 miles away.
Where can I find open train museums in Washington State?
Washington has several operating rail museums, heritage railroads and trolley lines, from depot museums with restored rooms to steam and diesel excursions. Our Washington state page lists them with hours, rides and holiday events, which is the best place to start planning a train day.
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