The clamor began when local residents learned an uncertain fate looms over the Spirit of Washington dinner train.

“People in the community have been sending us letters and e-mails,” explains Holly Leuning, director of Northwest Retail Operations for Columbia Winery. “They want to put their voices in, saying they can’t imagine sitting on their porch on a summer night and not hearing the whistle blow as the train goes by. They’re telling us that the dinner train has become a way of life.”

Since 1992, over 1.3 million passengers have embarked on the dine-as-you-ride train trip featuring a fancy meal en route to the exotic-sounding destination “Woodinville.”

Diners listen to the rhythm of the rails while enjoying lunch, brunch or dinner set on tables elegantly decked out in white linen table cloths. Arriving in Woodinville, passengers tour Columbia Winery before loading back onto the train for the return trip (and dessert) to Renton.

“The Spirit of Washington dinner train has done an amazing job of growing the Woodinville tourism industry,” says Leuning. “The company always mentions Woodinville in its TV, radio and print ads.”

Now a haze of question marks threatens the dinner train’s future. The thought of it possibly closing and fading from the Seattle scene emerged when King County began looking at the 41-mile rail corridor on which the dinner train runs.

In May, 2005, the county signed an exclusive agreement with the property owner, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, for a potential purchase. The property of interest stretches from Snohomish to Renton and parallels Interstate 405. An appraisal process is underway to assess the corridor’s value and determine viability. King County Executive Ron Sims made it clear that his first priority for the corridor would be a pedestrian and cycling trail.

Trails, in place of rails, would leave the Spirit of Washington dinner train dead in its tracks.

Eric Temple, dinner train owner, doesn’t plan to watch that happen. He’s on a campaign to save his dinner train, proposing “rails with trails” as a win-win solution.

“We continue to reach out to Executive Sims in an effort to preserve transportation options for the region,” says Temple. “Our greatest concern is the rail will be pulled up prematurely and the region will regret that decision in the future. Because once the tracks are pulled up, they’ll never be put back down. And as far as I know, everyone is in favor of ‘rails with trails’ with one lone exception and that’s with Executive Sims. He’s open to the idea, but trails are his top priority.”

Temple points out that the issue comes down to the price difference. It’s less expensive to replace the rails with trails, as there is a salvage value to the tracks.

The Spirit of Washington dinner train has generated an economic impact of $140 million to the Puget Sound region, says Temple. “The dinner train has become identifiable with this region as much as the Space Needle and Pike Place Market,” he adds. “And Seattle is the only city with something like this.

“It evokes emotion in people … the beautiful landscape, the polished steel cars. We’ve worked hard to re-create the dining experience of the 30s and 40s. Back then, trains were marketed on their food. The dinner train allows young people to re-live classic Americana. And it gives the older generation a chance to re-live a childhood experience.”

The Temple family owned a chain of grocery stores before purchasing the old Washington Central Railroad in 1986. Three years later, Temple and his brother Brig launched the dinner train, a run which began with transporting happy diners through the Yakima Valley to Ellensburg.

Moving to the Renton-Woodinville corridor, the dinner train began sharing the line with freight cars saddled with aircraft components, sand, lumber and steel. With the corridor now for sale, Burlington Northern Railroad plans to discontinue freight operations. King County’s goal is to save the corridor and avoid Burlington Northern selling it off in parcels.

The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is currently conducting a full study of the rail corridor and plans a public meeting at Woodinville City Hall Council Chambers on Friday, May 12—tentatively 9:30 a.m. to noon. Rod Brandon, King County director of Environmental Sustainability, explains that the study is not limited to, but will include analysis of suitable uses, impact and cost. “The county is interested in getting the corridor in public ownership,” he says. “Once in public ownership we’ll explore all potential uses in addition to a regional trail. We’re very excited about the possibilities and eager to move forward on a once in a lifetime opportunity for this region.”

While the county explores the corridor use options and associated costs, Temple takes exception with the Executive office assertion that the dinner train wouldn’t be able to maintain the track if it acquired the right to continue rail operations.

“That’s simply not true,” says Temple. “With the existing freight car revenues and the dinner train revenues, not only will we be able to maintain the track in its current condition, but we will be able to subsidize the trail construction and maintenance costs.”

The Woodinville Chamber of Commerce doesn’t need to hear the findings of the PSRC study to take a stand. “I think it’s an absolutely ridiculous idea to tear out the rails,” says John Erdman, executive director for the Woodinville Chamber of Commerce. “There’s room to run them side by side. Although I love the idea of having trails where people can experience the beauty of Western Washington, taking out the rails to put in trails would be a detriment to our business community. We need to preserve the dinner train. It’s an exciting tourist attraction and brings people to the area that might have never come here otherwise.

“Those people come back to Woodinville, maybe the weekend after their train ride, and visit Willows Lodge, Ste. Michelle Winery, Columbia Winery or any of our boutique wineries. From a Chamber viewpoint, our goal is to promote successful businesses and the Spirit of Washington dinner train is a successful business. It ought to stay here.”

Eric Temple agrees and asks the public for its support in keeping the Spirit of Washington alive. “Register as a supporter on the dinner train website (www.spiritofwashingtondinnertrain.com),” he urges, adding, “And send Ron Sims an e-mail.”