There’s only one railroad left in the United States that continues to haul freight on rails spaced 3 feet apart. It’s the quarry operation run by USG Corp., in Southern California’s Imperial Valley, and Trains Magazine takes you there in its October 2009 issue, a special issue devoted to the enduring legacy of narrow gauge railroading.
You’ll learn what it takes for railroaders in the arid desert to keep this rough, steep mining railroad alive. Ride along with the crew and discover a world few know even exist.
USG’s mining railroad turned its first wheel in 1922. Since then, only a handful of locomotives have polished the narrow rails of this 26-mile line. Below is a detailed roster covering each one of those privileged locomotives.
Pick up the October 2009 issue of Trains and learn more about USG’s fascinating operation and other railroads whose tracks are spaced less than 4 feet 8.5 inches apart.
