Washington — A railroad’s plan to grow its network took a massive turn for the worse last week, as a fire destroyed a vital bridge.
On April 30th, a railroad bridge (known as a trestle) that connected the towns of Mineral and Morton caught fire. The trestle partially collapsed on Thursday. It was notably not operational, as the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad has been working to the restore this portion of the track. The fire is still smoldering, and recovery efforts are not underway due to this fact.
Authorities determined it to be a human caused fire. A suspect was originally identified, but it’s now believed that this wasn’t the person who caused it.
The good news is that this is not the main line, as this area was under restoration. The main line for the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad connects the towns of Elbe and Mineral. This means that the railroad will remain operational. The Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad is a seasonal operation, and they still plan to reopen this year.
A fundraiser has been started to help the Railroad rebuild the build. So far, it has raised over $114,000. If you want to help the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, you can donate here.
Image/Video Credits: Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad (Todd John)
