The Nevada Southern Railway offers a train ride with a historical twist. This was part of the construction railroad from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam, with tracks having been laid in 1931. It’s a nice ride in the desert and a break from the hustle of Las Vegas.
Choices
Along the 35-minute round trip of the Nevada Southern Railway, you get an up-close look at desert plant life, especially when riding in the train’s open-air car. The other cars are air-conditioned, restored Pullman coaches dating back to 1911. A generator car behind the locomotive supplies power to the coaches. Operated by the Nevada State Railroad Museum, the railway’s outdoor interpretative area displays a variety of equipment, including Union Pacific steam locomotive No. 6264 with its unusual Vanderbilt tender.
When to go
The railway operates on weekends with four trips each day. Summer in Nevada can be hot, with temperatures hitting triple digits. Santa, train robbery, and other special trains run. It is closed in December. The museum pavilion is open daily.
Good to know
A 7.5-inch-gauge steam train operates the second and fourth Saturday each month except for January, July and August.
Worth doing
Take a trip to nearby Boulder Dam and tour this technological wonder. Boating on Lake Mead is a popular activity any time of the year.
Don’t miss
Ride a train pulled by a historic diesel. One of the locomotives used, UP No. 844, is one of the last GP30 diesel locomotives—an early 1960s diesel that replaced the first generation of diesel locomotives that had themselves replaced steam power. The locomotive has the distinction of replacing 4-8-4 No. 844 on the UP roster, and giving back the number to the steam engine upon retirement.
Getting there
Boulder City is a 30-minute drive from Las Vegas and McCarran International Airport. It is an easy drive from Las Vegas along Highway 93 into Boulder City. Once there, turn left on Yucca Street to the museum and railway.
Location: 601 Yucca Street, Boulder City, NV
Phone: 702-486-5933
Website: nevadasouthern.com
E-mail: Form on website
