The route was originally built by the Puget Sound & Willapa Harbor Railway in 1914[1] and the train engine operated by the Cowlitz, Chehalis, & Cascade Railroad.

Operations, overseen by the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad Museum, were suspended indefinitely in 2022 due to insurance issues but were resumed a year later under agreement with Goose Lake Railway.

[3] The Port of Chehalis, in 1996, helped purchase the rail tracks from Weyerhauser for the CCR via a $420,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

[citation needed] After an evaluation of two steam locomotives at the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad Museum (CCRM) in 2024, restorations were estimated to cost $1.0 million per engine.

The museum lost its liability insurance coverage in 2022 to operate the "excursion stream train" due to financial losses stemming from two collision accidents.

Separate excursion rides are provided for exclusively for children in the local school district or are members of the regional Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

As of 2024[update], other rides include a variety of themed trips such as a dinner murder mystery or escape room excursions, or holiday and film-themed outings.