We walked into the station and in the second room we found Jim Wrinn, editor of Trains Magazine and talked to him for a while. Elizabeth checked us in as I told Jim about our trip. She returned and a few minutes later we all walked outside and waited for our safety meeting.
Welcome to the Trains 81 CelebrationI would like to welcome you to the Nevada Northern Railway National Historic Landmark! National Historic Landmark status is the highest honour the federal government can bestow on a historic property. Designated by the Secretary of the Interior, it recognizes nationally-significant historic places of exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. During your time here you will understand why the railroad was so honoured.
This weekend we are celebrating Trains Magazine's 81st anniversary and the return of Nevada Northern Railway Locomotive 81! Locomotive 81, a 2-8-0, was ordered by the Nevada Northern Railway in late 1916 and was delivered here in April 1917 from Baldwin Locomotive Works. Her job was to haul the freight trains from Ely to Cobre, our connection with the Southern Pacific Railroad. In 1958, she was retired and donated to the community; it was thought she would never run again. Surprise, she made her first run up the hill on September 19, 2021.
When Locomotive 81 was delivered, she was delivered in Baldwin's green and aluminum paint scheme. Today her boiler jacket, air pump wrappers and cylinder covers are green once again. Joining Locomotive 81 this weekend will be Locomotive 93, our other 2-8-0 steam locomotive.
The Photo CharterMark Bassett, President of the Nevada Northern Railway, called everyone together and started the safety briefing.
Mark giving the safety briefing, with Ben, Jen and Steve Crise who were in charge of the night photo session. We then walked toward the shops for a steam crane demonstration.
Nevada Nothern Wrecking Crane A built by Industrial Works in 1907.
Nevada Mines Division RS-2 105 built by Alco in 1945 for the Kennecott Copper Corporation (successor to the Nevada Consolidated Copper Company).
The steam crane and the wrecker outfit car A1. The steam crane would re-rail an ore car which was derailed for this demonstration.
The steam crane has rerailed the ore car. Now the crane would do a 360 degree spin.
The steam crane has completed its 360 degree turn.
The view inside the shop building.
Nevada Northern Outfit Car 06 built by Pullman in 1872 for the Grand Trunk Railroad. We all moved across the tracks for our photo runby.
Photo runby one with Nevada Northern 81. The train had Nevada Northern 2-8-0 81, ore cars 402 and 400, box cars 1024, 1025, 1021 and 1023 and caboose 3.
Reverse move one.
Photo runby two with Nevada Northern 81.
Photo runby three with Nevada Northern 81.
Photo runby four with Nevada Northern 81.
Ontario Northland coach 80xx built in the 1930s.
Photo runby five with Nevada Northern 81.
Photo runby six with Nevada Northern 81.
Reverse move with Nevada Northern 81.
Photo runby seven with Nevada Northern 81. We led the way to the walk to the depot.
Nevada Northern 81 near the East Ely station.
Nevada Northern 81 builders plate.
The front of the steam engine. We led the way to the wig-wag crossing and set up for the next series of photo runbys.
The wig-wag crossing was activated.
The reverse move with Nevada Northern 81.
Nevada Northern 2-8-0 93 returned from Keystone.
Nevada Northern 81 and Nevada Northern 93 in the same picture.
Next a Nevada Northern Company 1957 Pontaic station wagon would be used in the photo runbys.
Photo runby nine with Nevada Northern 81.
Nevada Northern Company Pontiac station wagon crossed the tracks and turned around.
It then stopped at the railroad crossing.
Reverse move with Nevada Northern 81.
The station wagon crossed the tracks and turned around.
Photo runby ten with Nevada Northern 81.
Photo runby eleven with Nevada Northern 93.
Reverse move with Nevada Northern 81.
Static photo Nevada Northern 81 and Nevada Northern 93.
Static photo with Nevada Northern 81, Nevada Northern 93 and Nevada Northern Company station wagon at the wig-wag crossing. The rain started so we called off the event. Elizabeth and I had our umbrellas so that is how we took these photographs. We checked into the Holiday Inn Express and received a room on the top floor (fourth) overlooking Ely. I checked e-mail then wrote most of the pre-event story from this morning. We drove over to the freight house and had a good dinner. Mark then told us about two locomotives they are trying to return to East Ely (201 and 401) and had other interesting stories to tell. We returned to the room where I finished the pre-trip and the wrote this story. Elizabeth watched television and we called it a night.
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