Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad

The Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad was a standard gauge railroad which operated along 197 miles between the town of Las Vegas and Goldfield, NV. Despite the name of the route, service from Goldfield to Tonopah is complete on the Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad.

Rhyolite Train Depot is located at the north end of town in Rhyolite, Nye County, Nevada. - Photo by James L Rathbun
Rhyolite Train Depot for the Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad is located at the north end of town in Rhyolite, Nye County, Nevada. – Photo by James L Rathbun

History

Railroad logo from a 1910 Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad timetable.
Railroad logo from a 1910 Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad timetable.

Despite a verbal agreement with Francis Marion Smith in April, 1905, William A Clark incorporated the Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad on September 22, 1905. By this time, Borax Smith graded about 12 miles of the track route for his operations in Lila C, or Ryan as it would later be known.

Following a no-trespassing order served to Smith, Clark initial started laying track up the valley from Las Vegas on the route graded by Borax Smith. Track reached Indian Springs from Las Vegas on March 1st, 1906. By June, 30th, 1906 rail is laid down all the way to Rose’s Well. The route to Rhyolite, Nevada is completed in December 1906. During the height of construction, the track gangs were pushing the track forward at a rate of about 1.5 miles per day and complete the route into Goldfield in November, 1907. A financial panic of 1907 caused the failure of the town of Rhyolite which served a major blow to the newly complete line.

The LV & T is merged with the Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad in 1914 when it operated some 15 locomotives. Between December 1906 and February 1st, 1917, daily train service hauled passengers, mail and freight between Las Vegas and Beatty. After February 1917, only three trains ran per week until 1919 when the railroad is closed and scrapped.

The Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad laid one mile of track per day, then two miles of track per day, in its hurry to connect Rhyolite with the outside world. The first train from the Las Vegas & Tonopah entered Rhyolite at 7 p.m. on December 14, 1906, with about 100 passengers.

Rhyolite Train Depot Marker

Las Vegas to Goldfield Route

The Las Vegas and Tonapah Railroad was 197 miles long 23 stops along the way. The trip took about 8 hours to complete with food service only being offered at Rhyolite.

  • Goldfield ( Mile 0 )
  • T & G Crossing ( Mile 1)
  • Red Rock ( Mile 4)
  • Ralston ( Mile 17 )
  • Stonewall ( Mile 21 )
  • Wagner ( Mile 28 )
  • San Carlos ( Mile 34 )
  • Bonnie Claire ( Mile 41 )
  • Midway ( Mile 43 )
  • Petersgold ( Mile 59 )
  • Mud Spring (Mile 65
  • Original ( Mile 70 )
  • Rhyolite ( Mile 74 )
  • Beatty ( Mile 79 )
  • Gold Center (Mile 81 )
  • Chloride ( Mile 87 )
  • Rosewell ( Mile 97 )
  • Canyon ( Mile 109 )
  • Amaragosa (Mile 122 )
  • Charleston ( Mile 138 )
  • Indian Spring ( Mile153 )
  • Owens ( Mile 169 )
  • Corn Creek ( Mile 174 )
  • Tule ( Mile 182 )
  • Las Vegas ( Mile 197 )

Summary

NameLas Vegas and Tonopah Railroad
LocationClark County, Nevada
Nye County, Nevada
Esmeralda County, Nevada
GaugeStandard Gauge – 4 feet 8.5 inches (1,435 mm)
Length197 miles
Years of Operation1906–1918

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More details Tonopah & Tidewater #1 was a Baldwin 4-6-0 steam locomotive, originally built for the Wisconsin and Michigan Railroad, later going to the Randsburg Railway on the Santa Fe as their #1 (later #260). Went to the T&T in 1904 and used in passenger and shunting service. It was scrapped in 1941, and the bell was saved by the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society at Pomona, CA.

Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad

Explorers of the Mojave Desert in southern California are bound to have heard the stories of the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. The Tonopah and Tidewater…

References

Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad

Explorers of the Mojave Desert in southern California are bound to have heard the stories of the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. The Tonopah and Tidewater flanks the western edge of the Mohave National Preserve as travels south to north from Ludlow, California to Beatty, Nevada and up to Tonopah, Nevada utilizing the Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad. Many of the off ramps, sites and historic monuments along Interstate 15 are associated with the standard gauge railroad.

More details
Tonopah & Tidewater #1 was a Baldwin 4-6-0 steam locomotive, originally built for the Wisconsin and Michigan Railroad, later going to the Randsburg Railway on the Santa Fe as their #1 (later #260). Went to the T&T in 1904 and used in passenger and shunting service. It was scrapped in 1941, and the bell was saved by the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society at Pomona, CA.
More details Tonopah & Tidewater #1 was a Baldwin 4-6-0 steam locomotive, originally built for the Wisconsin and Michigan Railroad, later going to the Randsburg Railway on the Santa Fe as their #1 (later #260). Went to the T&T in 1904 and used in passenger and shunting service. It was scrapped in 1941, and the bell was saved by the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society at Pomona, CA.

History

Francis “Borax” Marion Smith
Francis “Borax” Marion Smith

In the early 1900’s, owner of the Pacific Coast Borax Works, Francis Marion Smith owned the largest Borax mine in the world, which is located in Borate, CA. Corporate expansion found him looking into old Borax claims located in the Black Mountains, east of Death Valley. Originally, “Borax” smith used a steam tractor to haul the ore one hundred and thirty seven miles into Ivanpah, CA. The harsh desert proved too much and the plan is soon abandoned.

In 1904, Smith conceived a plan to connect a railroad from his mines to the nearest points of the Santa Fe. He hoped to connect up north to Tonopah to exploit a mining boom in the region, which include Rhyolite, Goldfield and Beatty Nevada. On July 19, 1904, Francis Marion Smith had incorporated the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad Company in New Jersey. Smith served as president, and associates DeWitt Van Buskirk as vice-president with C.B. Zabriskie as secretary-treasurer, and John Ryan as superintendent and general manager.

Originally, Smith worked with William A. Clark who was a Senator from Montana. Clark headed the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad and proposed that Smith build the Tonopah and Tidewater out of Las Vegas as a cost effective solution to haul his Borax. In 1905, Smith sent personnel and soon discovered that he would not be allow to connect to the Los Angles and Salt Lake Railroad. This right of way is probably due to the fact that Clark is planning his own rail to Beatty, which would become the Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad.

Following this disappoint, Borax Smith sold his assets and holdings after negotiating with Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad and settings up a terminus is Ludlow, CA.

Tonopah and Tidewater Route

The Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad covered a distance of approximately 230 miles, traversing the challenging terrain of the Mojave Desert.. Many stops along the railroad were named for associates of Borax Businessman Francis Marion Smith. Sections of the route runs through the Death Valley National Park, and certain sections of it have been made into hiking trails for tourists. Other parts of the route are easily accessible to back road explorers, and much of the former railroad bed parallels California State Route 127 between Baker and Death Valley Junction, California.

Tonopah and Tidewater Routes and Stops

More details
Originally a Deleware, Lackwanna & Western locomotive numbered #671, was sold to the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad around 1906, and supposedly became either their #2 or #3. Later sold to the Goldfield Consolidated Mining Co.in 1910 and became their #2.
More details Originally a Deleware, Lackwanna & Western locomotive numbered #671, was sold to the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad around 1906, and supposedly became either their #2 or #3. Later sold to the Goldfield Consolidated Mining Co.in 1910 and became their #2.
  • Ludlow
  • Broadwell – ( 12.68 Miles )
  • Mesquite – ( 21.49 Miles )
  • Crucero – ( 25.68 Miles )
  • Rasor – ( 29.38 Miles )
  • Soda Lake ( ZZYZX ) – ( 33.34 Miles )
  • Baker – ( 41.82 Miles )
  • Silver Lake – ( 49.50 Miles )
  • Talc – ( 56.0 Miles )
  • Riggs – ( 59.47 Miles )
  • Lore – ( 60.0 Miles )
  • Valjean – ( 65.11 Miles )
  • Dumont – ( 74.40 Miles )
  • Sperry – ( 78.84 Miles )
  • Acme – ( 82.97 Miles )
  • Tecopa – ( 87.67 Miles )
  • Zabriskie – ( 91.74 Miles )
  • Shoshone – ( 96.95 Miles )
  • Fitrol Spur – ( 97.5 Miles )
  • Gerstley – ( 101.26 Miles )
  • Jay – ( 106.00 Miles )
  • Death Valley Junction – ( 122.01 Miles )
  • Bradford Siding – ( 128.01 Miles )
  • Muck – ( 131.0 Miles )
  • Jenifer – ( 139.44 Miles )
  • Leeland – ( 144.51 Miles )
  • Ashton – ( 154.98 Miles )
  • Carrara – ( 160.55 Miles )
  • Post – ( 166.0 Miles )
  • Gold Center – ( 166.0 Miles )
  • Beatty Junction – ( 169.07 Miles )
  • Beatty – ( 169.07 Miles )
More details
Map showing Tonopah Tidewater Railroad Company line from Ludlow California to Goldfield Nevada circa 1907
More details Map showing Tonopah Tidewater Railroad Company line from Ludlow California to Goldfield Nevada circa 1907

Railroad Summary

NameTonopah and Tidewater Railroad
LocationSan Bernardino, California
Nye County, Nevada
GaugeStandard Gauge – 4 feet 8.5 inches (1,435 mm)
Operational1904 – 1940

References

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Chief Tecopa – Peacemaker of the Paiutes

Chief Tecopa – Peacemaker of the Paiutes is Nevada State Historic Marker number 171 and located in Nye County, Nevada. The monument is located at his graveside in Chef Tecopa Cemetery in Pahrump, Nye County, Nevada. Tecopa (c. 1815–1904)  was a Native American leased of the Southern Nevada tribe of the Paiute of the Ash Meadows and Pahrump areas.

Chief Tecopa, very early 1900s.
Tecopa, very early 1900s.

Tecopa, who’s name means wildcat, along with several other warriors joined Kit Carson and John C. Fremont in the battle of Resting Springs which lasted for three days.

Tecopa maintained peaceful relations with the white settlers to the region and was known as a peacemaker. He often wore a bright red band suit with gold braid and a silk top hat. These clothes are replaced by local white miners when the clothes wore out. This gesture is in gratitude for Tecopa’s help in maintaining peaceful relations with the Paiute.

Tecopa is buried with his son and grandson at the Chief Tecopa Cemetery in the Pahrump Valley, Nevada.

Nevada State Historic Marker Text

Chief Tecopa – Peacemaker of the Paiutes

Chief Tecopa was a young man when the first European Americans came to Southern Nevada. As a leader among the Southern Paiutes, he fought with vigor to save their land and maintain a traditional way of life. He soon realized if his people were to survive and prosper, he would have to establish peace and live in harmony with the foreigners.

During his life, which spanned almost the entire nineteenth century, his time and energy were devoted to the betterment of his people until his death here in Pahrump Valley.

Chief Tecopa is honored for the peaceful relations he maintained between the Southern Paiutes and the settlers who came to live among them.

STATE HISTORICAL MARKER NO. 171
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE
CALIFORNIA & NEVADA DEVELOPMENTORGANIZATION

Nevada State Historic Marker Summary

NameChief Tecopa – Peacemaker of the Paiutes
LocationPahrump, Nye County, Nevada
Nevada State Historic Marker171
Latitude, Longitude36.2091, -115.9895

Nevada State Historic Marker Location

References

Tonopah Nevada

Tonopah is a ghost town located in Nye County, Nevada. Tonopah is also designated Nevada State History Marker number fifteen. The rock marker is locate just off the highway in a park.

Photograph of a panoramic view of the Tonopah Mining Park (now a historic site) and Mount Butler in the distance, Tonopah, Nevada, ca.1904. -  - Pierce, C.C. (Charles C.), 1861-1946
Photograph of a panoramic view of the Tonopah Mining Park (now a historic site) and Mount Butler in the distance, Tonopah, Nevada, ca.1904. – – Pierce, C.C. (Charles C.), 1861-1946

Tonopah, Nevada, located in Nye County, has a rich and storied history that dates back to the late 19th century. The town’s origins can be traced to 1900 when prospector Jim Butler stumbled upon silver-rich ore while chasing after his wayward burro. This discovery sparked a mining rush, leading to the founding of Tonopah and the development of numerous mines in the area. Tonopah quickly grew into one of the most important silver mining towns in Nevada, earning it the nickname “Queen of the Silver Camps.”

The Tonopah Mining Company was established in 1901, further fueling the town’s growth and attracting miners, entrepreneurs, and families seeking their fortunes. The discovery of gold in the nearby Mizpah Mine in 1904 only added to the town’s prosperity.

By the early 20th century, Tonopah boasted a bustling downtown lined with businesses, hotels, saloons, and homes. The town became a hub of activity, with its mines producing millions of dollars’ worth of precious metals.

Tonopah’s significance extended beyond its economic impact. It served as a vital stop along the railroad, connecting mining operations in the region to markets across the country. Additionally, Tonopah played a role in Nevada’s history as the site of the state’s first-ever aerial combat mission during World War II, when a Japanese balloon bomb exploded prematurely near the town in 1945.

Nevada State Historic Marker 15

Jim Butler, District Attorney of Nye County, is credited with the turn-of-century discovery, which ended a twenty-year slump in Nevada’s economy.  American Indians originally used the name Tonopah for a small spring in the nearby San Antonio Mountains, long before Butler camped in this area in May 1900.  Tonopah became the richest silver producer in the nation and replaced Belmont as the Nye County county seat in 1905.  The mines spawned a railroad, several huge mills, and a bustling population of approximately 10,000.

The mines faltered in the 1920s, but Tonopah achieved long-lasting fame because of the prominent financial and political leaders it produced.  Many camps and communities followed in the wake of Tonopah’s boom, most of which have become ghost towns.

NEVADA CENTENNIAL MARKER No. 15

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

Tonopah Marker Summary

Nevada State Histori Marker15
NameTonopah
LocationNye County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude38.0670, -117.2291

References

Walter Edward Perry Scott – “Death Valley Scotty”

Walter Edward Perry Scott  (September 20, 1872 – January 5, 1954), also known as “Death Valley Scotty”, was a miner, prospector and conman who operated around Death Valley, California. Later in life, he was befriended by Albert Johnson, who built the Death Valley Ranch in Grapevine Canyon in Death Valley, which is commonly known as “Scotty’s Castle“.

Walter Scott (1872 - 1954)
Walter Scott (1872 – 1954)

Walter was born in Cynthiana, Kentucky to a family of six children. He moved west to Nevada to join his brothers at the age of eleven. He worked as a water boy for a survey party, and later found employment at the Harmony Borax Works in Death Valley. Later, Scotty worked for the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show as one of the rough riders. It was seasonal work, and while he was employed by the show for twelve years, he would return to Death Valley for odd jobs.

After a disagreement with Buffalo Bill, Scott left the show for good and again returned to Death Valley. Upon his return, he took up prospecting for gold. Scotty as a prospector was more of a con man who used to con investors in to backing his “mining” adventures.  It was reported that when the investor’s delegation wanted the view their new mine, Scotty would march them around the hot valley until they forgave or forgot about their investment.

On March 11, 1906 Scotty stared as himself in a play which opened in Seattle to a full house.   We was arrested after his only performance and the charged for his crimes, the publicity exposed him to new investors.  In spite of this Albert Johnson maintain interested in his “mine”. Another investigator was sent, who reported back that the mine did not exist. Johnson refused to believe this, and the following year he visited the mine himself, but left without seeing the mine.  He was later sued by his investors in 1915 and ended up in jail.

Death Valley Scotty and the Johnsons
Death Valley Scotty and the Johnsons

For various reasons, Johnson felt beneficent towards Scott, and in a verbal agreements made specific provisions allowing Scott the right to live out the rest of his life at the castle. Johnson is known to have provided several thousand dollars for years. Walter Edward Perry Scott, AKA “Death Valley Scotty” died in January of 1954 and is buried on a hill about the Death Valley Ranch, which is known as Scott’s Castle.

References