The Old Cannery railroad (OCRR) is the largest multi train suspended railroad west of the Mississippi. The "G" gauge railroad consist offour separate loops and totals 1,400 feet of solid brass track that winds around 2 showrooms and even makes a trip into the warehouse.
People come from all over the area and beyond to enjoy all the unique features of The Old Cannery like the animatronics, fudge bar and giant crab but the highlight for most people is the OCRR.
When Sherry Grout with her dad Tony made the decision to build the OCRR it was after seeing a large shelf style layout built by Dave Crossman in his cabin near Roslyn, Wa. Tony is known for his unique ability to add character to any of the projects he undertook and so it was with the 100 year old cannery building. He once said, "If we make it fun for our customers then our customers will want to come back". So after a lot of planning and talking to Dave, they hired him to build the original quarter mile of track around the second showroom.
Construction began in 2003 with the "G" scale ceiling tracks and continued for over 9 months with the help of Randall Allen Designs, a solid oak bedroom furniture manufacturer, who was located in the basement of The Cannery at that time and their C&C machine. It was quite an engineering marvel in a miniature way and while the structure was being assembled Dave was busy finding and purchasing the locomotives, rolling stock and all the structures that can be seen today.
Dave retired in 2009 and in 2010 George Bono, a long time train enthusiast was persuaded to join the ranks of The Old Cannery as the new engineer and animation technician. For him it has been a labor of love to see that all the trains and animatronics are running smoothly and after running them for 10 to 12 hours a day for many years they were all showing a lot of wear and tear.
One of the first things George did was organize a rotation schedule to see them maintained and lovingly taken care of so they will be enjoyed for many years to come. George has also been adding new trains to the main lines that can be seen like the Emmett Kelly Special circus train, the Military Convoy with a mix of WWII & modern equiptment and a work train that was helped by a customer who donated a locomotive, caboose and crane to get the train started. The flagship passenger train, "the Super Chief," that ran for many years is currently waiting for major restoration and will one day return.
George is now assisted by another long time train guy, Dennis Reeve, who is also skilled with an eye for detail where his touches can be seen on the Kids Place HO scale layout that was totally revamped. Together they have made the HO layout a marvel to behold with three different scene settings that thrill children and adults alike. This 14x21 foot looped layout underwent a year and a half total face change making it more accessible for the maintenance and care of the trains and the inclusion of a logging exhibit and a fairgrounds exhibit with working rides and a host of other details that have to be seen to be appreciated.
Last but certainly not least is the historic Old Santa Fe 2-6-0 Steamer that chugs its way along track that circles our front counter and passes by a painted mural by Sam Chung, a long time employee and all around great artist. It pulls passenger cars of such detail that you can see the passengers relax with their coffee's as they pass above.
The best way to view the Old Cannery Railroad is up close and personal on our viewing platform. It is designed for young and old "kids" and offers a great view of the layout.
Stop by the Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse and enjoy the trains as well as our great furniture bargains, and above all Have Fun!
Every engineer regardless of age can find something to enjoy at The Old Cannery.