Opening April 13, 2008 at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma Washington is the major exhibit "The West the Railroads Made" organized by the Washington State Historical Society and the Barriger Railroad Library of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. This exhibit runs from April 12, 2008 through January 24, 2009.

For those familiar with the Puget Sound Steam Special run in May 2007 with UP's 844 and SP 4449, this is the same Barriger Railroad Library whose Board of Directors met in Tacoma during this historic steam event. The Barriger Railroad Library and the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation were sponsors of the public fund raising trip.

The companion hardcover book, The West the Railroads Made by Carlos A. Schwantes and James P. Ronda, is worth the read and has many, many excellent illustrations.

More information about this exhibit: www.washingtonhistory.org

This exhibit will also be coming to the Oregon Historical Society Museum in Portland, Oregoon October 29, 2009 through January 31, 2010. The exhibit will also be shown in St. Louis but I don't have those dates.

I look forward to postings from those able to view this exhibit before I do.