Barnwell and Searchlight Railway facts for kids
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California |
| Locale | Manvel (Barnwell), California - Searchlight, Nevada |
| Dates of operation | April 16, 1906–December 28, 1911 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railway was a short train line that ran for about 23 miles (37 km) in the early 1900s. It connected Barnwell, California, to Searchlight, Nevada. Even though it had its own name, the bigger Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (often called Santa Fe) always operated it. This railway was important for a short time because it helped transport goods and people during a gold rush!
Building the Railway
In 1897, people found gold in Searchlight, Nevada. This started a "gold rush," where many people moved to the area hoping to find riches. By 1907, Searchlight was a busy town with about 5,000 people!
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railway was built to help this booming mining town. Construction started on May 1, 1906, and finished on March 31, 1907. Just seven days after it was completed, the railway was leased to the Santa Fe Railway. This meant Santa Fe would run all the trains and operations.
What Happened to the Railway?
On December 28, 1911, the Barnwell and Searchlight Railway became part of another Santa Fe company called the California, Arizona and Santa Fe Railway. It no longer operated as a separate company.
The railway line faced problems later on. On September 23, 1923, a part of the track was washed away, probably by a flood. The line was officially closed on February 18, 1924. By this time, the gold rush in Searchlight was over, and the town was much smaller. By 1927, only about 50 people lived there.
Important Dates
- April 1906: The Barnwell and Searchlight Railway company was created.
- May 1906: Workers started preparing the ground for the tracks.
- September 1906: They began laying the train rails.
- March 1907: The railway construction was finished.
- April 1907: The railway was leased to the Santa Fe Railway.
- December 1911: The railway became part of the California, Arizona and Santa Fe Railway.
- September 1923: A section of the track was washed out.
- February 1924: The railway line was officially closed.
Where Did It Go?
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railway connected to another train line, the California Eastern Railway, at a place called Barnwell. From there, the Barnwell and Searchlight line ran to:
- Barnwell (where it connected with the California Eastern Railway)
- Hart
- Juan (in Nevada)
- Searchlight
