Nevada Northern & Railroads of White Pine County

Northern Nevada Railroad Corporation

A brief history: 1991-1996

The ICC officially authorized abandonment of the Nevada Northern Railway on July 6, 1987. It was acquired by the cities of Ely, NV and Los Angeles, CA and was operated for the City of Ely by the White Pine Historical Railroad Foundation (WPHRR).

In 1991, the Northern Nevada Railroad Corporation was formed to lease and operate the railroad properties. In 1993 they obtained long-term freight operating rights from the cities and were recognized by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board as a class III rail common carrier beginning January 1, 1995, the date of first compensation of their nine employees.

Magma Copper Co. had purchased the mining rights in the Robinson district and were building a new mill and concentrator on the former site of Riepetown with the principal intent of resuming copper mining in the district. The Northern Nevada Railroad Corp. planned to re-establish the former interchange with the Southern Pacific at Cobre by late 1995. They estimated shipping 3,200 carloads per year of copper concentrate to the Magma Copper Co. smelter at San Manuel, AZ. In addition, they expected to handle crude oil, propane, electric cable, lumber and plywood, and copper slag. They projected over 3,000 carloads per year of non-Magma business within two years. Additionally, they received approval from the Interstate Commerce Commission to construct and operate 3.14 miles of track between Keystone and Riepetown.

Pursuant to these plans, two former Santa Maria Valley Railroad GE 70-ton locomotives were purchased and delivered by flatcar to the Northern Nevada during the third week of January 1995. Initial operations were projected to move about one train per week over the line in each direction between McGill Junction, NV, (milepost 128.0) and Keystone, NV, (milepost 146.152), a total distance of 18.152 miles.

On June 17, 1995, a bulkhead flat car loaded with ties broke away from a Northern Nevada Railroad crew attempting to move it by gravity on the Keystone siding. It rolled over an earthen berm built across the siding track and onto the main line. It continued ~4 miles downgrade reaching an estimated 60 mph before entering tunnel No. 1 where it was slowed by ties flying off on the 8º curve, damaging the tunnel structural supports. It subsequently crashed at an estimated 30 mph into Alco 2-8-0 No. 93 pulling the museums afternoon excursion train. Approximately 55-60 passengers were injured, 3 of whom were airlifted to Salt Lake City for treatment.

The crew managed to drop the locomotive fire, preventing a possible boiler explosion. Locomotive No. 93 was heavily damaged and did not return to service until late 1996. Coaches No. 2 and 5 were severely damaged and remain out of service. Repairs on coach No. 5 began in summer, 2000 and may be completed in late 2001. Reportedly, the damage to coach No. 2 is beyond repair. Open-bench flat car No. 23, at the end of the excursion consist, suffered the least damage and returned to service within a few months.

Two additional secondhand locomotives were on order for delivery in late 1995. This pair of ex-U.S. Army / U.S. Navy MRS1s were being prepared and repainted (in an EMD-like livery) at the Portola Railroad Museum which sold them to the Northern Nevada Railroad. Repainting of No. 544 had been completed by March 8, 1995; No. 541 was still in its USN livery on November 6, 1998. These locomotives also have friction bearings and would require shipment on flatcar to the Northern Nevada RR. Subsequently, BHP (see below) declined to complete the purchase and they remained at the Portola facility. As of February, 2001 the two units had been sold to the Yreka Western Railroad.

In January 1996, BHP Minerals acquired Magma Copper Company. BHP Copper was established as a business group within BHP on June 1, 1996. The Robinson project was managed by a subsidiary firm, BHP Nevada Mining Company, based in Ruth, Nevada.

On June 4, 1996 BHP Nevada Railroad Company obtained all of Northern Nevada Railroad Corp. assets and the Northern Nevada Railroad Corporation ceased being recognized as a rail common carrier and employer. The diamond at Shafter was never rebuilt and the line north to Cobre remains isolated to this day.

Last modified 11 Feb, 2003 -/-