View source for Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge

[[Narrow Gauge Railroads of California|California]] / [[Narrow Gauge Railroads of California#Common Carrier|Common Carrier]] / [[Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge]]

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<span class="paracap">T</span>he Nevada & California Railroad merged into the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) in 1912 and became known the Nevada & California Branch of the Salt Lake Division. The subsidiary merged into the Southern Pacific in 1912. The N&C Branch, later the Keeler Branch was operated as part of… 

Equipment no longer wore Nevada & California or N&C lettering, instead the Southern Pacific identity was applied, another piece of the SP empire. Rumors persisted that the SP would convert the line to Standard Gauge. SP itself kept the line in this state of preparation until service ended on the branch in 1960. Depots and platforms were modified to meet the clearances of standard gauge equipment. Ties replaced on the railroad were replaced to standard gauge dimensions.

Equipment remaining from the Tonopah Boom was replaced or rebuilt thoroughly. Work that was too heavy for the facilities in Mina was set via standard gauge car to Sparks where the SP maintained a massive backshop. When required, new cars, including a series of 50 flat cars were built in Sparks and Ogden.

In 1925 the Southern Pacific leased the [[Lake Tahoe Railway & Transportation Company]] and converted it to standard gauge a year later. XX box cars were moved to Mina and remained in service until the end of the line. In 1927 the SP acquired the [[Nevada – California – Oregon Railway]] and converted it to standard gauge in 1928. The N-C-O was a substantial railroad in its own right and the SP repurposed a large amount of equipment to replace the aging cars and locomotives brought over in the Tonopah Boom. Several locomotives, including the most iconic locomotives on the railroad, were sent from Alturas.

With revenue declining, the mail contract over Montgomery Pass was lost in 1929. Passenger service over the line was reduced to a lowly combine on the end of the regular freight train. 

The original [[Carson & Colorado Railroad]] line from Churchill to Mound House abandoned 1933, known as the SP's Mound House Branch was abandoned in 1933.

Passenger service ends in 1938.

The 50 miles from Mina to Benton abandoned 1938 but the rails remained in place until 194X. In 1939 the railroad hauled a mere 59 passengers over Montgomery Pass. With the removal of the link to the Mina branch the line became known as the Keeler Branch and operated as part of the SP’s San Joaquin Division. 

As a freight railroad the Keeler Branch primarily hauled bulk materials like Talc, [[:Category:Dolomite|Dolomite]], [[:Category:Marble|Marble]], Perlite, and Soda Ash. A seasonal stock rush kept the lines stock cars in service. Rather than construct new cars for these types of service, the SP modified box cars and gondolas to meet the demands. A transfer trestle was constructed in Owenyo, allowing narrow gauge cars to be positioned above the standard gauge to load the cars below. 

To haul Perlite from a customer on the like, eight box cars were converted to have sloped sheets inside the box car body along with roof and side hatches, effectively converting them into covered hoppers.

Most equipment maintenance was performed outdoors at Owenyo and Keeler. Heavy repairs required shipping a car or locomotive to Bakersfield on a standard gauge car.

Benton to Laws abandoned 1942. 

Tienemiah built in 1920s and grade realigned, bypassing the original site of Elna. Los Angeles Water & Power for the LA Aqueduct system. 


The proximity to Los Angeles lead to the railroad being celebrated and known as the “Slim Princess”. As the last operating common carrier narrow gauge in the state, the railroad was adored by railfans who organized fan trips over the line in the final years. The Slim Princess even starred in a handful of movies due to its close proximity to the Alabama Hills, a popular filming location for serial westerns. 

The railroad purchased a 50-ton diesel electric locomotive from General Electric. Given the number 1, it was known as the ''“Little Giant”'' and took over the primary freight duties on the railroad. Locomotives 8, 9 and 18 were held in reserve and one by one they were donated; 18 donated to Independence and displayed along the highway, 8 was donated to the state of Nevada and displayed in Carson city near the state library, eventually it was moved to Sparks where it remains on display. Locomotive 9 was the last steam engine to operate on the line and was held in reserve until the end of the railroad when it was cleaned up and presented to Laws for display.

April 30, 1960 all railroad operations ceased. Scrapped in 1960. Today many traces of the railroad can be found in the Owens Valley. Locomotive #18 once displayed along the highway in Lone Pine has been restored to operation and kept at the County Museum. Keeler remains a time capsule, full of the railroad
Laws is home to Laws Historic Museum where locomotive #9 and a train of freight cars is displayed, donated by the Southern Pacific at the end of operation.

The standard gauge track to from Searles to Lone Pine and Owenyo was removed in 1984  the Owens Valley. 
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'''Bibliography'''<br />
Railroads of Nevada & Eastern Caifornia Vol 1<br />
Railroads of Nevada & Eastern California Vol 3<br />
Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge, Farrel Mallory Hope<br />
Slim Rails in the Sand. Turner, George<br />
Slim Princess In The Sunset. Morris, Joe Dale<br />
Steamcars to the Comstock, Beebe & Clegg<br />
A Beautiful Mine<br />

==Reference Material Available Online==

===Equipment Rosters===

[[Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Locomotive Roster]]

[[Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Passenger Car Roster]]

[[Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Freight Car Roster]]

[[Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Non-Revenue Roster]]

[[SPNG_Derrick_1|Derrick Car #1]]

===Maps===

Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge circa 1930 - 1960 by Andrew Brandon

===Photographs===

[[Hart Corbett Owens Valley January 11 1960|Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge - Owens Valley, CA, January 11, 1960]] by [[Hart Corbett]].

A Life Wasted Chasing Trains - SP Narrow Gauge by John West.

Scenes captured during 1959-1960, including 4-6-0 #9's final run on August 25th 1959.

[https://tessa.lapl.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/dwp Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Photograph Collection] at [https://tessa.lapl.org/ TESSA: Photos and Digital Collections], [https://lapl.org/ Los Angeles Public Library].

==Organizations==
[http://carsoncolorado.com/ Carson & Colorado Railway]

[https://lawsmuseum.org/ Laws Railroad Historic Site]

[https://www.spnghs.org Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Historical Society]

[[Narrow Gauge Railroads of California|California]] / [[Narrow Gauge Railroads of California#Common Carrier|Common Carrier]] / [[Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge]]
[[Category:36in Gauge Railroads]] [[Category:Talc]] [[Category:Dolomite]] [[Category:Marble]] [[Category:Perlite]] [[Category:Soda Ash]]