The Real Train Car

Many people speculate that the train car used in the pilot episode of Twin Peaks is parked along the main street in Snoqualmie, WA. This is incorrect. After this spot was slated for a large-scale highway development plan, the car was moved to a railway museum in Astoria, OR in 1992-93. It is unclear why it wasn't simply cleaned up and moved to the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie. A friend of mine, who lived in Washington in 1989, and actually saw the Twin Peaks crew shooting several scenes for the pilot, found the actual train car one day after following the old tracks deep into the the woods of Snoqualmie.
Upon entering the traincar, he found it impossible to see much, as it was completely filled with junk and garbage. This has been reported by others who gained entry while the car was still there. Other reports indicate that this scene was in fact was shot inside a train car, not a set -possibly even one of the others on the tracks behind this one. From the scale of the room where this scene was shot (see below); its ceiling, windows, doors, etc., it seems unlikely that it was shot inside the car used as the exterior.

Here's a beautiful photograph taken for a Japanese promo booklet about the film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me –this is likely one of the last photos ever taken of the train car.

The sad news is that they've since ripped up the old tracks, clear-cut the forest where the train car was, put in a four lane highway, and built scores of uninspired apartment buidings, condos, sub-divisions and golf courses along the site of the old tracks. This new highway is called Snoqualmie Parkway. It really is a change for the worse. I'll take dilapidated train cars and lush forest, over soul-crushing, mediocre development, any day. Below, a few examples of what replaced the forest and tracks. It looks as if the Benjamin Horne of Snoqualmie Valley pushed through his very own version of Ghostwood Country Club and Estates. Here it is folks!

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