The Nevada Northern Railway wasconstructed in 1905–06 to reach a major copper producing area in White Pine County, Nevada. Faced with declining ore reserves and low copper prices, the operator, Kennecott, closed its Ruth-area mines in May 1978, thus ending the ore trains between Ruth and the McGill smelter. The smelter closed on June 20, 1983, and the Nevada Northern suspended all operations immediately thereafter. In a series of donations beginning in 1986, Kennecott transferred the entire Ore Line, as well as the railroad's yard and shop facilities in East Ely, to the White Pine Historical Railroad Foundation, a non-profit organization that today operates the property as the Nevada Northern Railway Museum which operates a heritage railroad. [Wikepedia]
Daytime photos around the Ely Depot
Locomotive #93
Locomotive #93. 2-8-0. Freight locomotive, built in 1909 by the American Locomotive Company in Pittsburgh. Originally retired in 1961. Last steam locomotive on the railroad to retire from revenue service. Restored in 1993. Heavily damaged in a collision with runaway railcars in 1995. Participated in 2002 Winter Olympics on the Heber Valley Railroad following repairs from collision. Beginning in 1993, used for the railway's excursion trains.
Locomotive #109
Diesel electric Alco RS-3, built in 1950. Bought new by Kennecott in 1950 but was never delivered to them. It was sent to Kennecott Copper Corp and was later sold to LA Department of Water and Power.
Caboose #6
International Car Co, 1972. Steel frame and body, 8 wheel, wide vision, used in regular service.
Steam wrecking crane A, 100 ton capacity, built by Industrial Works in 1907. The only functional, steam-powered wrecking crane in the USA.
Locomotove nightscapes
A black/white portfolio
Here is a selection from the color photos above, converted to black/white. For this subject, I think this treatment works well and gives a 'period' feel to the images. Locomotive 93 was built in 1906 - long before color photography was developed. Also, the tonal range in B/W can be pushed further to create a more dramatic look, whereas the same manipulations would look unnatural in a color photograph..
created 02/17/2024
