Despite the fact the Northern Pacific Railroad had lobbied Congress and conducted a land swap with the Secretary of the Interior to expedite the formation of Mount Rainier National Park, the Tacoma Eastern Railroad managed to provide the best access for park visitors. Though it arrived too late in the 1904 season to have much impact upon Mount Rainier National Park, the Tacoma Eastern Railroad enjoyed virtually exclusive rail access to the scenic wonders of the mountain. With the railroad's arrival, Mount Rainier National Park would be profoundly changed. This was evident in the summer of 1905 when three of the nation's largest mountaineering clubs in America combined for a massive push to summit Mount Rainier. Until this point, access to the mountain was only achieved by horseback. The average tourist stay at the park was about a month. With rail passenger service from Tacoma taking about three hours, the scenic wonders of Mount Rainier National Park were now opened to a larger market of visitors including those who were inclined to stay only a week, or merely a day.