Mohave and Milltown Railway facts for kids

The Mohave and Milltown Railway was a special kind of train line built in 1903. It was a narrow gauge line, which means its tracks were closer together than regular train tracks. This railway was a private railroad, meaning it was owned by a company, not the government. Its main job was to help the Leland Gold Mine near Oatman, Arizona, in the United States.

The company that built the railway started in 1903. They finished building the 17-mile (27 km) long track in the same year. The railway began on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, right across from Needles, California. From there, it traveled northeast through a place called Milltown. It ended at several mines, including the Leland Mine, Vivian Mine, and Midnight Mine, all close to Oatman.

The trains on this line carried ore (rock with valuable minerals) from these mines. They took the ore to a processing plant, called a mill, in Milltown.

The railway only operated for about one year. In September and October of 1904, big floods caused by heavy rain damaged about six miles (10 km) of the track. This damage was so bad that the railway had to close down. The train tracks were removed in 1912, which was the same year Arizona became a state.

Mohave and Milltown Railroad Trails

Even though the railway is gone, part of its old path is still around! Seven miles (11 km) of the abandoned railway grade (the leveled ground where the tracks used to be) are now protected. The Bureau of Land Management takes care of these areas, which are known as the Mohave and Milltown Railroad Trails. People can hike along these old railway paths.

Key Moments in Railway History

Here are some important dates for the Mohave and Milltown Railway:

• March 16, 1903 – The company was officially started.
• June 27, 1903 – Materials needed to build the railway arrived by ferry boat from Needles.
• July 8, 1903 – Work began on leveling the ground for the tracks.
• September 1, 1903 – Workers started laying the train rails.
• September 30, 1903 – The railway construction was finished.
• September/October 1904 – The tracks were badly damaged by floods, and the railway closed down.
• 1912 – The train tracks were taken up and removed.

Engines of the Mohave and Milltown Railway

Four different train engines worked on this railway line:

• The first engine, called No. 1, was a Porter-built engine. It was made in December 1903.
• The second engine was also a Porter-built engine. It had previously worked on the Waterloo Mining Railroad near Calico, California.
• A third engine, a larger one with a tender (a car that carries fuel and water), came from the Chateaugray Ore & Iron Works. After the Mohave and Milltown Railway closed, this engine was left behind when part of the track washed away near U.S. Highway 66. It stayed there for a long time as a reminder for hikers. Later, it was moved and placed into the Mojave River near Needles to help stop flood erosion.
• A fourth engine came from the Los Angeles & Redondo Railroad. It was a smaller Porter locomotive.