Carson and Colorado Railway facts for kids

The Carson and Colorado Railway was a special kind of train line in the western United States. It ran from Mound House, Nevada to Keeler, California. This railway was built to be a "narrow gauge" line. This means its tracks were narrower than regular train tracks. They chose this design to save money on building the railway. The Carson and Colorado Railway operated from 1880 until 1960. It helped connect mining towns in California and Nevada.

The Carson and Colorado Railway started building its tracks on May 31, 1880. The first train reached Keeler on August 1, 1883. The railway stretched for about 300 miles (480 km). It even went as high as 7,100 feet (2,164 meters) in Montgomery Pass, Nevada. This railway was very important for the dry areas it served. These places relied on mining for their economy. In 1892, the railway was reorganized to help with its debts.

Selling the Railway: A New Chapter

From the very beginning, the Carson and Colorado Railway was a challenge for its parent company. This was the Virginia and Truckee Railroad (V&T). In 1900, the V&T decided to sell the line to the Southern Pacific Company.

One of the owners, Darius Ogden Mills, famously said something interesting. He felt they had built the line "300 miles too long, or 300 years too early!" But soon after the sale, new discoveries of silver and gold happened. These were found in Tonopah, Nevada and Goldfield, Nevada. This brought a huge boost in money for the railway.

Solving the Freight Problem

After the Southern Pacific bought the railway, all the goods had to travel over the V&T tracks. This was from Mound House to Reno. But there was a big problem at Mound House. The Carson and Colorado used narrow gauge tracks. The V&T used standard gauge tracks. This meant all the goods had to be moved by hand from one type of train car to another. This created a huge traffic jam, especially with all the new mining activity.

The Southern Pacific tried to buy the V&T railway. But the price was too high. So, Southern Pacific decided to build a new track called the Hazen cutoff. This new track allowed them to completely avoid the V&T.

In 1905, the northern part of the Carson and Colorado line was changed. About 140 miles (225 km) from Mound House to Mina, Nevada were converted to standard gauge tracks. The rest of the narrow gauge line became part of the Southern Pacific's narrow gauge company. This was called the Nevada and California Railroad. Later, in 1912, this company became part of the Central Pacific Railroad.

For many years, the narrow gauge part of the line was known as the "Southern Pacific Keeler Branch." Parts of the railway were closed down in the 1930s and 1940s. The very last narrow gauge train ran on April 29, 1960. The tracks were removed in January 1961.

Today, parts of the original Virginia and Truckee Railroad have been rebuilt. Tourist trains now run along much of the old V&T route. There are even plans to bring train service back to Carson City, Nevada in the future.

Towns and Stations Served

The Carson and Colorado Railway connected many towns and stations. It was a vital link for communities in Nevada and California.

The railway's route in 1883.

The railway's route as of 1931.

Some of the towns and stations it served included:

• Mound House, Nevada
• Dayton, Nevada
• Wabuska, Nevada
• Schurz, Nevada
• Hawthorne, Nevada
• Mina, Nevada
• Tonopah Junction, Nevada
• Candelaria, Nevada
• Benton, California
• Laws, California
• Manzanar, California
• Keeler, California

Bringing History Back: Restoration Efforts

In Independence, California, a special group is working to bring part of the Carson and Colorado Railway back to life. They have restored locomotive #18. This train engine was left in Independence by the Southern Pacific in 1955. It was in excellent condition.

On October 15, 2016, locomotive #18 moved under its own power for the first time in 62 years! The locomotive is now kept in a special building. This is at the Eastern California Museum in Independence, California. There is almost 1,000 feet of track for it to operate on. Old train cars, like former SP boxcars #1C and #15, are also on display with engine #18.

Gallery of C&C Equipment

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  The second engine #9, painted in Southern Pacific colors. It is now at the Laws Railroad Museum in Laws, California.

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  Engine #18, painted in Southern Pacific colors. It is in Independence, California, and can run again!

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  Carson & Colorado Caboose #1. You can see it at the Laws Railroad Museum in Laws, California.

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  Carson & Colorado boxcar #7. It is also at the Laws Railroad Museum in Laws, California.

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  Live stock car #163. This car is at the Travel Town Museum in Los Angeles, California.

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  Carter Brothers box car #1. This car is also at the Travel Town Museum in Los Angeles, California.

See also

In Spanish: Carson and Colorado Railway para niños