Nevada Northern Ry. - 06-18-2016 - Pacing the 93
1. People are gathering for the 4:30 steam run.
2. No 93. Smoke rising. Long view along with No 40.
3. Nos 93 and 40. Front view.
4. After backing from the station (right) to the junction (left), No 93 heads west out the ore line which skirts downtown Ely.
5. No 93 heads west out the ore line which skirts downtown Ely. View 2.
6. There are several wooden ramps where ore was loaded by independent mine operators.
7. Exiting the 311-foot tunnel.
8. Rolling up the canyon to Ruth, beside US 50.
9. Closeup. Coming up the canyon.
10. Nevada Consolidated Copper Co. owned the NN prior to the merger with Kennecott Copper Corp. in 1943. The 2-8-0s were used on the ore haul to McGill. Saddle tank 0-6-0Ts and 0-6-2Ts hauled the ore out of the pits.
11. Coming on up the canyon.
12. Coming on up the canyon. View 2.
13. You can barely see the glow of the fire.
14. Somewhere through here was the tunnel that was day-lighted during WWII.
15. We have turned off US 50 onto NV 44 at Keystone. Watch out for rattle snakes.
16. No 93 heads into the wye at Keystone. The highway bridge once went to Lone Tree and Old Ruth. It appears to be an access road to the mine now.
17. That huge mountain of rock is the “Keystone dump.” You can imagine the excavated pit that it came out of.
18. Continuing up in the canyon.
19. Up in the canyon. View 2.
20. Yes, this tender is equipped with a coal pusher!
21. The track has been relocated and continues past “new” Ruth, but it is not used past this point.
22. Looking up the canyon.
23. Drifting downgrade at Lane. This was a passing siding.
24. Drifting downgrade at Lane. View 2.
25. An abandoned church or school at Lane. Gold mine shafts once dotted the hills.
26. Waste rock from shafts opposite Lane.
27. No 93 coming.
28. No 93 going.
29.
30. Kennecott used one electric locomotive at the McGill smelter to push loaded ore hoppers into the rotary dumper. It is now on display at a small park in Ely. The park was closed, so I took this shot through the fence. The engine is similar to those used at the Bingham UT pit.
31. This Treadwell slag dump car was used at the McGill smelter. Notice “Treadwell” just above the right truck platform.
32. The remaining structures at the McGill smelter site. The smelter shut down about 1982.
33. The Nevada Northern depot at McGill.
34. The main gate and the empty office building.
35. The yard looking south from the main gate. Supplies were delivered and blister copper was shipped out of this yard. Ore came in via the “high line” that was higher in elevation.
36. Abandoned roadbed into the lower mill area.
Train images used by permission of Everett N Young