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Nevada Northern RR, Caliente

Adventurers in Utah for Spike 150

 Promontory Summit - 150 years later

A Sesquicentennial


Chapter Eleven


Riding the Nevada Northern

 Driving through Nevada, So California and home.


 May 12, 2019

Sunday

by

Robin Bowers


Text and Photos by Author

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent

Comments are appreciated at...yr.mmxx@gmail.com


 


After spending the night in the bunkhouse located in the middle of a train yard, both Chris and I arose rested and ready to attack the last day of our Golden Spike expedition.

room 1


room 2

Chris's photos of our room in the bunkhouse.

    We started the day by going to McDonald's for breakfast which was under construction so we took our to-go meal back to bunkhouse and ate in the kitchen-dining room. After breakfast, we packed up and loaded the car and then walked around the yard till it was time for our train ride to Keystone.

    4384

Caboose 22 would be a good rental for a group wanting to be by themselves but there are no bathroom facilities so you need to use the bunkhouse.

4385

Front of East Ely Station.


4390

Coaling and Water Towers.

4393


4395

Engine house.

4398

Nevada Northern 4-6-0 40 steaming up for our trip at 9:30 am.

4400


4403

#40 backing up to get on the platform track.

4404


4405

A photographers delight.

4406


4407


4409


4412

    Our train was getting ready for a 9:30 am departure. Chris and I ran into Greg and Marty Smith, OCRHS and NRHS members, and we caught up on things. Once they boarded the train we went to the open car and were joined by four other NRHS members.

    At 9:30 am the train backed out of the East Ely station to the switch passed the wig wag crossing signal. Once they threw the switch we were on our way towards Keystone. This was Chris's third trip on the Nevada Northern but this was my virgin trip and hopefully with more in the future.

tickt

Ticket to ride.

4415

Pond with RR shops in background.

4416


4417

Views of downtown Ely, NV.

4420

The train approaching the tunnel in Robinson Canyon.

4423


4424

Approaching our second tunnel, the underpass for US 50.

4427



4428


4429


4431

Old school house.

4436

Lone horseman at the wye. The train would pass by here and then stop, reverse and backup on this leg of the wye.

4440

Is he friend or foe?

4442

The metropolis of Keystone Gulch is approaching.

4443


4444t

Oh! this place is not looking friendly.

4446

I am thinking this might turn into a bad experience after the train backed us into this train robbers hide-a-way.


4447

4451


4448

Not a welcoming town?

4453

Shag hill.

4456


4458


4459

Keystone Gulch residents.

4461

Gunfight after the train robbers gave out fake money to the passengers. After that we started back to East Ely.

4463


4464


4467

Glad to be leaving this outlaw western town.

4469

The train went around the east leg of the wye to the mainline.

4478


4479


4481

Approaching US 50 underpass.

4483


4487

Exiting US 50 underpass.

4488

Entering the tunnel at Robinson Canyon.

4489

4490

Exiting the tunnel.

4492

And now back to the big city.

4495


4498


4501


4503


4507

Looking over to the water tower and coaling tower.

4511


4512

Another view of the bunkhouse.

4514

A show stopper.


4515

We are backing into the yard.

4516


4517


4519

Engine shop.

4521

Shops.

       Now we were stopped and parked at the platform and disembarked. A shop tour was offered at this time but we choose to get a early start on the trip home. We would be getting home sometime in the evening and didn't want to make if too late. Also, my laryngitis was acting up so skipping the shop tour was easy choice.

4523


4525

We drove south on US 93 through the eastern side of Nevada to the has been train stop in Caliente.

4530

The Union Pacific Caliente station.

4531

A great looking station and it is a shame that it is not being used.

4532

Leaving Caliente we drove south on Rte 371 to Elgin through Rainbow Canyon.

4534


4535

At Elgin Route 317 ended and from there we took a dusty unpaved dirt road for 38 miles to get back to US 93. When we arrived at I-15 we stopped for gas and a Subway to go.

4537


4539


4540

    On I-15 south of Las Vegas which we saw eleven days ago when we started so now we have completed the circle. Chris was very good at handling the heavy traffic in Barstow and again on the Cajon Pass. After that it was just driving on the home turf of the Southern California freeways. At 8:05 pm we stopped at Chris's home. I moved my car out of his driveway then unloaded my bags and his from his car. Then it was my turn to drive now to get me to my abode about 30 minutes from Chris's. After parking, I check the apt and everything looked as I left it so I unpacked finishing up by setting down for a rest and glad to be back home sweet home.

Thanks for reading.

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Text and Photos by Author, Robin Bowers

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent

Comments are appreciated at...yr.mmxx@gmail.com