SOUTHERN NEVADA RAILROAD

The primary focus of this get together with our fellow Golden Spikers, was the Southern Nevada Railroad excursion train in Boulder City, NV. We boarded the train yesterday morning, and promptly pulled out of the station at 10am. The train, pulled by a diesel engine, heads west toward Railroad Pass for a little over 3 miles. A little beyond the Railroad Pass Casino is where the tracks are covered up with asphalt, as they cross Hwy 95. From that point, the engine pushed us back to Boulder City.

The volunteers who make this train ride possible, have done a super job in the restoration of the rolling stock, and all of the other things necessary to keep this operation going. The ride itself took about 45 minutes.

After the ride, Patty and I drove the short distance into Henderson, where we picked up a few things from Camping World, and the K-Mart next door. From there, we stopped at the Railroad Pass Casino, where the group enjoyed the buffet lunch. When we were finished with the meal, Tony (campground volunteer historian) took us into a back room of the casino, where the old Union Pacific Railroad Payroll safe is located. When Union Pacific established the casino as the payroll location, the room where the safe is located, was built around the safe. The room is much like a bank vault, with 1 foot reinforced concrete walls, and when payroll operations ceased after the Hoover dam was built, the safe was abandoned. It was too big to be removed from the room, and it now rests as a shrine to the glory days of railroading in Southern Nevada, when the Hoover Dam was under construction.

The old Union Pacific Railroad Payroll Safe inside a vault at the Railroad Pass Casino

After way too much lunch at the buffet, I decided that a little exercise might just be a good thing to do. Not too far from where our motor home is parked, there is a "rail trail" that was once the railroad spur to the top of the Hoover Dam. Despite the fact that it was exactly 100 degrees, Patty and I took a couple bottles of water, and set out to walk toward the dam on this old railroad grade.

About a mile or so into the walk, I started to think "maybe this wasn't one of my better ideas". It was hot, but the views of the lake and marina were spectacular. We walked for about an hour, and went through all 5 tunnels, ending up near the dam. Based on our many walks around the Lake Havasu Island trail, I think we walked approx. 3 miles out, and 3 miles back.

By the time we got back to the RV park, it was time for social hour, and the pot luck dinner. Tony, the volunteer/historian, presented a program after dinner, with specific attention to the role of the railroad in building the dam. After the program was over, our President, Tom Westerfield presented Tony with a gift certificate to one of the local restaurants, and thanked he and his wife for all of their help with our rally.

Another great day with our railroad enthusiast friends, with one more to go, before heading back to Lake Havasu.