When Trains Magazine author Lou Maxon was invited by the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad and Museum in Mineral, Wash. to experience steam railroading from the cab, he knew he was in for a special treat, a peek into a world few non-railroaders will see.
He watched as the crew went through their pre-departure routine for Polson Logging Co. No 70, the museum’s century-old 2-8-2 Mikado – oiling and lubing, monitoring gauges, tending to the boiler, and feeding the fire. The something unexpected happened. Bethan Maher, the railroad’s executive director, swung up into the cab and placed a can of Fresh Cut Whole Kernel Corn and asked Lou to kindly have it photographed as proof it was onboard for the run.
The corn, Bethan explained, is a railroad tradition, born years earlier when steam preservation legend Doyle McCormack joked of the need to “feed your hogs a little corn” to get them to cooperate. At some point, during a particularly frustrating day, someone offered Polson No. 70 a can of corn as a bribe.
Bethan added, “And wouldn’t you know it, she ran like a dream afterward.
“Ever since, we’ve kept up the tradition. Every week starts with a fresh offering, and we always keep extra corn on board — just in case. Because, without fail, every major mechanical issue we’ve had in the last five years happened on days when we didn’t have corn in the cab.”
As Lou wrote in his Trains article, “Steam doesn’t want you in a hurry, is extremely temperamental, requires surgical expertise, a bit of luck, and a hint of superstition.”
And never, never, forget to offer your hog a little corn.
Railroad suffers arson attack
The Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad experienced a horrific loss on April 30th, 2025, when a catastrophic fire destroyed the railroad’s largest wooden trestle. The fire, an apparent arson attack, does not interfere with regular passenger operations but does place the railroad’s long-planned expansion in jeopardy. The fire is under investigation. A GoFundMe is under way to help mitigate the costs associated with the fire. Please consider donating.
