NNRY in Nevada
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I have been a supporting member at Nevada Northern for many years now, though I live about 900 miles away. The place is a jewel, a shortline railroad that was preserved in amber when Kennicott walked away and locked the door behind them.
They also allow visitors to freely roam the property, just don't climb on the equipment and especially do not fall in the pit.
It is by far my favorite railroad museum and authentic down to its bones.
The only issue is it is isolated, which no doubt helped in preserving it. Ely is about 3 1/2 hours and about 250 miles from both Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, the nearest large cities, and not on the way to anywhere. You have to mean to go Ely, but it is well worth the trip.
BTW, Ely, NV is pronounced "eel-e", not "e-lie".
They also allow visitors to freely roam the property, just don't climb on the equipment and especially do not fall in the pit.
It is by far my favorite railroad museum and authentic down to its bones.
The only issue is it is isolated, which no doubt helped in preserving it. Ely is about 3 1/2 hours and about 250 miles from both Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, the nearest large cities, and not on the way to anywhere. You have to mean to go Ely, but it is well worth the trip.
BTW, Ely, NV is pronounced "eel-e", not "e-lie".
You are so right. It really is a western version of the East Broad Top railroad where its remote location insured it was embalmed long enough to be resurrected compete with all the infrastructure necessary to operate a steam powered railroad. The journey there was half the fun for us as we traveled US 50, aka the 'loneliest highway', where we saw maybe two dozen cars on the 5 hours, 320 mile trip. But we did have to stop several times for free range cattle on the road. The nearby Great Basin National Park is another attraction too.
I really like Ely. I usually stay at the funky Hotel Nevada, at 6 stories it was once the tallest hotel in the state.
I see from pictures you it looks you did the run up to Adverse. Did you take the Robinson Canyon run to Ruth, too?
If you think US 50 was lonely, try US 6 to Tonopah. It makes 50 look like rush hour.
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Great pics, thanks for posting!
That rail looks fairly 'light'...any idea of its weight per yard?
BCL
Engineer
Don't think I've ever been to Ely. The major freeway through Nevada to Utah is I-80, so Elko and Wells get more traffic.
I've been to the two branches of the Nevada State Railroad Museum - the main location in Carson City and the southern branch in Boulder City. We've gone on the short excursion rides at both. In Boulder City there weren't any indoor exhibits (but an indoor gift shop), and it's kind of out of the way - about 25 miles from Vegas.
I've been to the two branches of the Nevada State Railroad Museum - the main location in Carson City and the southern branch in Boulder City. We've gone on the short excursion rides at both. In Boulder City there weren't any indoor exhibits (but an indoor gift shop), and it's kind of out of the way - about 25 miles from Vegas.
If you've been to or through Ely, you'd know it. It is very much off the beaten path, about 140 miles south of Wells on US 93. And it's more than "kind of out of the way" from anywhere. Its full on "out of the way" from everywhere, 250 miles from both Vegas and Salt Lake, far off the Interstates.
Nevada Northern is well worth the trip, though. Both sites of the Nevada State Railroad Museum are sad little things compared to it.
