Common Carrier Railroads of Nevada

Common Carrier Railroads.

Austin City Railway.
36in Gauge. The Austin City Railway was built in 1881 from the Nevada Central's terminal in Clifton to downtown Austin a distance of 2.8 miles. Operating on a heavy 7.5% grade, the line rostered a single 0-4-2T Dummy locomotive called "Mules Relief". The line operated until 1889 when reduced mining in the area forced the line to shut down. Clifton to Austin, Lander County. 1881 - 1889

Battle Mountain & Lewis Railroad.
36in Gauge. The Battle Mountain & Lewis began life in 1881 effectively as a privately owned branch of the Nevada Central Railway with service from Battle Mountain to the mines at Lewis, Nevada. Always in severe financial crisis the road became a rarely used and short lived branch of the Nevada Central Railway and was gone by 1890. Lewis Junction to Lewis, Lander County. 1881 - 1885

Carson & Colorado Railroad.
36in Gauge. Constructed by the Virginia and Truckee railroad to tap the southern mining booms. The line was projected to connect to the Colorado river, a feat it never accomplished, ending construction in Hawley, CA (later called Keeler). The line remained barely profitable until it was finally sold to the Southern Pacific in 1900, becoming the Nevada & California RR in 1905. Mound House, NV to Hawley (Keeler), CA. 1882 - 1905

Nevada & Oregon Railroad.
36in Gauge.

Reno, NV to Plumas Junction, CA. 1883 - 1885

Nevada Short Line.
36in Gauge. Constructed to connect the rich mines in Austin and the Reese River Mining District with the Central Pacific at Battle Mountain. Initially profitable, the Nevada Central relied upon the mining in the area for traffic, profitable only when mines were operating at capacity. Mining tapered off by the early 1900s and the line hauled local goods until 1938. Battle Mountain to Austin, Lander County. 1879 - 1938

Southern Pacific (Narrow Gauge).
36in Gauge. In 1912 the Nevada & California RR was reorganized into the Central Pacific Ry and operated as the Keeler Branch of the Southern Pacific system. Over the years the line would shorten as sections were abandoned until the Keeler to Laws portion remained. Affectionately known as the "Slim Princess". Mina, NV to Keeler, CA. 1912 - 1960

Tonopah Railroad.
36in Gauge. Constructed by Eastern interests to connect the mining boom at Tonopah to the nearest railroad connection, the Carson and Colorado at Sodaville. The line remained narrow gauge for 13 months, hauling enough tonnage during this time to pay for half of its construction costs. With the opening of the Hazen Cutoff on the Southern Pacific, the Tonopah converted to standard gauge on August 14, 1905. Sodaville to Tonopah; Mineral, Esmeralda and Nye Counties. 1903 - 1905