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The Nevada Northern Winter Photo Freight And The Nevada Southern 12/3-6/2004

I saw a post on the Steam and Excursion board of Trainorders.com about the Nevada Northern Railway Winter Photo Freight that was occuring on December 4th and 5th. I called Carl Morrison and suggested that we should go to the event after our wonderful and successful Detouring Across Wyoming trip in July. Carl was very amenable to the idea and took care of getting our tickets and I took care of the hotel. Carl then invited a couple of friends, Don Roe and Don Drummer, to help keep the cost down and we were all set for a very unique and enjoyable trip to Ely, Nevada and my return to the Nevada Northern.

At 4:00 AM, I awoke and by 4:35 AM, was driving on California 57 to Carl Morrison's house in Placentia. I arrived there finding Carl and Don Drummer, who would be our driver, loading his Ford Explorer Scout as we waited for Don Roe to be dropped off. Don arrived and we packed, leaving Carl's house at 5:15 AM, driving north on California Highway 57 to Interstate 210, taking that to Interstate 15 North. We stopped in Barstow at Tom Mega Burger where I enjoyed an excellent French Toast as six freight trains, five BNSF and one Union Pacific, passed outside. Back on Interstate 15, we stopped at Primm, Nevada for petrol and a break then continuing into Nevada, we took Nevada Highway 146 to Interstate 215, to Interstate 515, which became US 93. As we crossed Railroad Pass, we went over a paved-over railroad crossing, passed the Railroad Pass Casino and paralleled the former Union Pacific Boulder Branch into Boulder City where the 10:00 AM excursion train was on its way out of town.

Operated by the Nevada State Railroad Museum, an agency of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, it is located on the tracks that were installed to support construction activities at the Hoover Dam. The state obtained the tracks and right of way from the Union Pacific Railroad in 1985.

The museum operates a heritage railroad which offers passenger excursion trains using historic railroad equipment on a seven-mile, 45 minute round trip. Operations began in 2002, and the museum also offers the opportunity for passengers to ride in the locomotive cab, the caboose and to operate trains.

This ride features a preserved former Union Pacific EMD GP30, No 844, which necessitated the renumbering of steam locomotive 844 to 8444 from 1962 to 1989. It weighs approximately 125 tons and has a turbocharged V16 engine that develops 2250 hp. It was donated to the museum and refurbished in Union Pacific colors.

As part of the Interstate 11 project NDOT has replaced the bridge over US Route 93 that was taken out of service in 1998 during the widening of Highway 93 into Interstate 515. Nevada Southern is now in talks with Union Pacific and the city of Henderson to construct a railyard and station so the train can turn around without making any backup moves making trips fourteen miles instead of seven.

Realizing that we were passing through Las Vegas on a Friday morning, I remembered that the Nevada Southern Railroad Museum was operating a train over tracks they had restored. A phone call was placed to their offices and we were all set to ride this historic former piece of the Union Pacific. We found the eastern end of the branch and circled around to the north side.

Union Pacific 2-8-0 264 built by Baldwin in 1907. Taken out of service in early 1950, it was stored in La Salle, Colorado, and then donated to the Sons of the Utah Pioneers in 1959. In 1981, it was relocated to Heber City and was bought by the Nevada State Railroad Museum in 1993.

Davenport 30 ton switcher built in 1936 for the Department of the Interior then transferred to the Bureau of Reclamation and worked on the ten mile line connecting Boulder City with Hoover Dam. Next, it became Henderson Industrial Park 1051 and then went to Jake's Crane & Rigging in Las Vegas, where it was stored until it was delivered to the museum in 1999.

Pacific Lumber Company 2-8-0 35 built by Baldwin in 1923 and used in Scotia, California. In 1966 it was sold to Edward & Julius Nervo then two years later sold to Gunner Henriolle and in the 1970's, sold to the Promontory Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. It was transferred to the Wasatch Railroad & Museum Foundation and operated on the Heber Creeper Scenic Railroad during the 1970s. Some time during the early 1980s, 35 was taken out of service and placed in storage, where it remained until 1993, when it was sold to the Nevada State Railroad Museum.

We found the station parking lot and I walked over to the engine house for United States Army H12-44 1855 built by Fairbanks-Morse & Company in 1953 and used at the Sierra Ordnance Depot in Herlong, California.

As I returned to the depot, their passenger train was returning from Railroad Pass, led by former Union Pacific GP30 844, generator car, diner 4813, coaches 604 and 603, open car 501, coach 601 and open cars 503 and 501. We were then met by Chris Cheeley, a volunteer, and Greg Corbin, the Director of the Nevada State Railroad Museum/Boulder City.

Nevada Southern Railroad Museum speeder 97.

Nevada Southern NW2 1000, ex. Deer Creek Scenic Railway in Heber City 1000 1984, exx. Union Pacific 1000 1982, exxx. Sacramento Northern 607 1973, exxxx. Western Pacific 607 1968, exxxxx. Stockton, Terminal and Eastern 1966, exxxxxx. Union Pacific 1000 1940, nee Electro-Motive Division demonstrator unit 889 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1939. It was eventually acquired by the Nevada State Railroad Museum and moved to its current location in 1993.

Chris gave us a tour of the shops and answered our questions then we all crossed Yucca Street to the boarding area to begin our journey on the former Union Pacific Boulder Branch.

In 1930, Union Pacific built a branch line from a junction on its Los Angeles & Salt Lake mainline just south of Las Vegas, to the construction site for Boulder Dam. The branch passed through Henderson to Boulder City to the end of the line. The first passenger train on the new railroad took place on April 25th, 1931. A separate US Government railroad was built from Boulder City to the actual dam construction site on the Colorado River. The dam was completed in 1935 and Union Pacific M10000 visited Hoover Dam over the combined railroads on March 9th, 1934.

Later that same day, M10000 was on display at Boulder City. The US Government line abandoned their railroad and other operations ran the line. The last train with a generator ran to the dam in 1967 and the line was removed a few years later. Much of the former right-of-way of the Government railroad is underneath Lake Mead. Union Pacific continued to actively use the line as far as Henderson, and still does today. In 1985, they donated the Henderson-Boulder City segment to the Nevada State Railroad Museum. This segment is still in place, although the grade crossing near Railroad Pass was paved over. Some of the track on the branch was upgraded and a station platform and engine shed were built. Once all the work was completed, tourist trains began to operate over the restored railroad.

We departed at 11:30 AM with all four of us sitting in coach 604. Union Pacific GP30 844 would be pushing the train towards and up Railroad Pass. After we rolled by the shops and some good conversation, Chris gave us a tour of former Union Pacific dining car 4813, built by American Car and Foundry, which now has a complete head-end power package. The kitchen is fully functional; the table area is empty and can be used for dancing or set with tables for a dinner train experience.

We travelled straight across the valley along US 93 towards Railroad Pass.

There were fine views of the El Dorado Valley and McCullough mountains range.

On a steady ascent to the mountains.

Climbing to the first curve.

Our tracks now curved to gain elevation and we passed behind Railroad Pass Casino.

Reversing through the cut at Railroad Pass.

Views of Henderson and beyond. We reversed as far north as possible then stopped for a few minutes so all could enjoy the view.

844 began to pull our train back towards Boulder City.

More curves as we descended the grade.

El Dorado Valley. Someone out taking pictures of our train and we returned to the station after a most fantastic excursion on the Nevada Southern.

Our visit here was not finished, however, as Chris took us to Union Pacific 844 and invited us into the cab. This was the second Union Pacific 844 that I had been in, the first of course was 4-8-4 844. The steam engine had 844 as its number until the company ordered GP30's which were numbered in the 800 series.

The steam engine than had an extra '4' added to clear the way for this GP30.

When GP38 844 was retired, the extra '4' was dropped on the steam engine, making it 844 once more.

The author at 844's control stand. We thanked Chris and said our goodbyes to everyone before stopping at KFC for lunch. A special thanks to the Nevada Southern Railroad Museum for the fantastic visit and train ride.

We drove US 93 into Las Vegas and saw the former Amtrak station at the Plaza before turning onto Interstate 15 north then turning left onto US 93 about twenty miles north of Las Vegas.

As we proceeded on US 93, the mountains became interesting. We stopped at Alamo for petrol then turned left onto Nevada Highway 375 for a very short distance before turning right onto Nevada Highway 318. Carl has a GPS unit so we could not get lost and in addition, it showed how far we travelled and the distance to Ely. It is truly a nice toy!

Being bored passengers, Carl and I took pictures of our vehicle casting shadows. Chasing shadows indeed! We stopped at a heated rest area (thank you, Nevada!) before reaching US 6 after sunset, which took us into Ely, arriving there at 5:30 PM and checked in at the Best Western Park Vue, our base for the next two days. We walked in the minus 9 degree cold to the Hotel Nevada for a $7.99 Prime Rib special then Carl and I then returned to the room and watched "A Fish Called Wanda" before calling it a night.