ELY, Nev. — The Nevada Northern Railway Museum will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the launch of its excursion operations on Memorial Day weekend with a series of special events as well as its regular schedule of excursions.
The celebration from Thursday, May 26, to Sunday, May 29, will include guided tours of the museum, pump-car riders, a silent auction, a screening of the movie “Ponderosa Victory,” filmed at the railroad, and a narrated, steam-powered excursion into Robinson Canyon. Also on tap are the “Sunset, Stars, and Champagne” evening excursion with an astronomy interpreter on board, and the “Silver State Express,” which features a guided journey into the region’s history.
More information is available at the Nevada Northern website.
“Over the past 35 years, we have had many successes – rebuilding locomotives, repairing buildings, tracks, railroad crossings and cars,” Nevada Northern President Mark Bassett said in a press release. “It hasn’t been easy, but anything worthwhile is never easy; and what we do here is very worthwhile.”
The beginning of tourist operations followed the October 1985 donation by railroad owner Kennecott to the city of Ely and the White Pine Historical Railroad Foundation of the East Ely station, along with its furnishing and records, other structures, and four tracks in front of the building. Other donations followed, setting the state for the first tourist trains, powered by 4-6-0 No. 40, on May 23, 1987.
The Nevada Northern has recently begun raising fundst to keep No. 40 in operating condition. The locomotive, built by Baldwin for the Nevada Northern in 1910, is facing its 1,472-day boiler inspection and needs running-gear repairs [see “Nevada Northern fundraising drive …,” Trains News Wire, May 13, 2022].
During the 2002 Winter Olympics, held in Salt Lake City, the Nevada Northern Railway was part of the Olympic Steam Team, carrying spectators to the Soldier Hollow Olympic venue on the Heber Valley Railroad; with locomotive #93 [a midsize 2-8-0 steam locomotive built in January 1909 at the American Locomotive Works Pittsburg plant] sent to Utah to participate.
The day prior to the Opening Ceremony of the games, locomotive #93 joined Heber’s two steam locomotives in a triple-headed train, and used to transport the Olympic flame from Soldier Hollow to Heber City, Utah as part of the torch relay.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
If you squint real hard you may see me drinking coffee in the cupola. I only recently discovered the NNRy, but it is a wonderful place. A must see for for foamer and historian alike.