Columbia River Northern Railway

Columbia River Northern Railway is a privately owned model railroad located in south central Washington State. The track is 7.5 inch gauge. The CRNR model railroad layout is realistic, environmentally friendly, and fun to ride on. The CRNR has a steam logging theme, but most any rolling stock that can handle the inclines is welcome. The CRNR layout is situated on and around scenic Bighorn Creek, near the Columbia River. The terrain is steep, rugged and mostly wooded, which makes it ideal for a logging railroad layout. We are making extensive use of donated recycled materials.  Much of the excavation has been done by hand. We have about 2500 feet of track on the ground with plans for well over 5000 feet, eventually. There are numerous cuts and fills. Four bridges have been constructed to date. The first bridge is made of wood and steel. It measures 49 feet long and nearly 10 feet high. The second bridge is made entirely of  wood. It is 75 feet long and about 6 feet high at its highest point. It is built on a curve with an 80 foot radius and a 2% grade. The third bridge is constructed of steel and concrete. A fourth bridge is built of steel and clear spans about 50 feet. Grades on the layout range from 2% to 7%. There are plans for more bridges as construction progresses.

If you are interested in running your equipment on our layout or would like to donate time and material or just get involved, call Sam Berk at 509-896-2913 or Robert Chapman at 509-896-2773.

Occasionally, we host events, such as steam logging demonstrations. Check out the links for pictures from past events and recent work. Please note that some of these pages may open slowly on a dialup connection.