New Book Explores History of Nevada’s Northern Railway

July 21, 2011 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s Images of Rail series is Nevada Northern Railway from local author Mark S. Bassett and J. Joan Bassett. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by.

The Nevada Northern Railway is the sole survivor from a grand era when railroads served mines throughout the state. Built in 1905–1906 to develop the incredible copper deposits of the Nevada Consolidated Copper Company in White Pine County, it was, and still is, a workaday railroad. Although its primary purpose was to haul ore, it eventually served the community with a daily passenger train between East Ely and Cobre until 1941. Over 4.5 million people rode the trains, and a mountain of copper ore was moved.

In 1983, the Nevada Northern Railway ceased operating, and two years later the entire ore line, including the railroad’s yard and shop facilities in East Ely, was donated to the White Pine Historical Railroad Foundation that now operates the railway as a museum. Instead of relics in glass cases or repainted old equipment on static display, the museum preserves a working steam railroad, delighting train enthusiasts year-round with passenger service and special seasonal excursions.

Highlights of Nevada Northern Railway:
•   A portion of the profits from the book will be donated to the Nevada Northern Railway Museum.
•   The majority of the photographs are from private collections.
•   Over 90% of the images have never before been published.
•   The book covers all facets of the railroad – the beginning, ore and smelting operations, freight and passenger operations, and the railroad today.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.

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With more than 6,000 local history titles published to date, Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Widely recognized sepia books feature hundreds of vintage historical images.