Audio Tour: Nevada Northern Railway
Track for the Nevada Northern Railway was laid over a century ago, connecting one of the largest copper mines in North America to the transcontinental routes to the north. Today, several of the original steam locomotives that were ordered and delivered new to the railroad over a century ago are still in operation. Curators of the Smithsonian Institution have called the Nevada Northern Railway, "the most complete, most authentic, and best cared-for" railway museum in the country.
Best of all, when you come to the 2025 NCKMS conference, you're going to ride it!
The 2025 NCKMS team is arranging for an interpretive geology-themed ride on this historic steam train. We're still working out details, but the trip will be included in your registration options.
The ore line was built to transport the low grade porphyry copper ore from deposits located some 11 miles west of the railroad terminal at East Ely to the mill concentrator and smelter situated some 12 miles northeast at the town of McGill.
Today, the Nevada Northern Railway offers scenic and interpretive rides and maintains an extensive historical collection.
Visit OnlineThe ore line was completed in 1908. At almost 23 miles in length, the rails extended through Robinson Canyon to the mines at Copper Flat, Ruth and Veteran. Ore shipments commenced using the 90 Class 2-8-0's No.'s 90-93 to power the ore trains. The first ore was milled in May of that year.
The mine properties were originally underground developments; however, the Eureka and Liberty shafts of Nevada Consolidated's (Nevada Con) Copper Flat properties warranted the open-cut method of mining. Steam shovel operations began at the Eureka mine and at the Liberty shaft in August 1907 and 1909, respectively. The two pits were connected in 1916 to form a single, large pit known as the Liberty Pit, also called the Ruth or Copper Flat pit. By 1912, eight steam shovels worked the day shift and three shovels were employed at night, handling 9000 tons of ore per day.
During the 1958 recession, Kennecott Copper Corporation bought Consolidated Coppermines properties at Kimberly, and all of the Robinson Mining District then belonged to Kennecott's Nevada Mines Division.
After several decades of fluctuating commodity prices, a world-wide depression in the copper market and environmental issues relating to the aging smelter combined to spell the end of Kennecott's copper mining operations in the Robinson District. In September, 1978 KCC NMD mines were closed and the ore trains ceased operation. On 20 June 1983, the McGill smelter closed and the Nevada Northern Railway ceased operations.
In a series of donations beginning in 1986, Kennecott transferred the entire ore line, as well as the railroad's yard and shop facilities in East Ely, to the White Pine Historical Railroad Foundation, a non-profit organization which operates the property as the Nevada Northern Railway Museum.
Today, the Nevada Northern Railway is the last of its kind - the sole survivor from a grand era of railroading in the Silver State. Now a National Historic Landmark, it is America's best preserved short-line railroad and most complete rail facility still in existence. You can walk back to a time when the iron horse ruled the rails.
The Nevada Northern Railway is a living, breathing, operating historic railroad. Sometimes it's gritty, sometimes it's dirty, and sometimes it smells of coal smoke, creosote and sweat. Locomotives whistle off, cars clang as they are coupled together and wheels squeal as the locomotive is turned on the wye. When it comes to American Railroad Heritage, this is as real as it gets.
When you come to Ely for the 2025 NCKMS conference, the NNRY will be impossible to miss. It's only a few blocks from the convention center. During the days, the steam whistles may be heard all over town giving an ambiance to the valley you can't experience anywhere else. Located at 1100 Avenue A in Ely, the museum, depot and gift shop are open daily from 8am to 5pm.
Elevation: 6,437 ft
State: Nevada
District: White Pine County
Coordinates (WGS84): 39.25920, -114.86903
Nearest town: Ely, NV
Distance from the convention center: 20.9 miles
The railway, constructed in 1905-06, extended northward about 140 miles from Ely to connections with the Western Pacific Railroad at Shafter and Southern Pacific Railroad at Cobre. In 1967 NN reported 40 million net ton-miles of revenue freight on 162 miles of line. Image courtesy of Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0
The official event schedule for the 2025 NCKMS has now been updated. Please check our schedule page or download a PDF to your mobile device.
Cave Gators is the pre-eminent company in the United States specializing in bat-friendly closures on caves and abandoned mines.
No job too tough, no site too remote! We do the jobs that scare away everyone else.
Lehman Caves attracts tens of thousands of visitors to eastern Nevada yearly, a trend that began not long after their discovery in the late 1880s. For over 60 years, Lehman Caves National Monument protected these underground wonders, with their unique geology and ecology. And today, they remain protected as part of Great Basin National Park.
The 2016 NSS 75th anniversary convention in Ely, Nevada will include tours of this beautiful cave.
Patchy blowing dust before 11am, then patchy blowing dust and widespread showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. South southeast wind 20 to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Widespread showers and thunderstorms before 5am, then isolated thunderstorms and scattered rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. South southeast wind 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Isolated thunderstorms and scattered rain and snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
2025 NCKMS T-Shirts
Of course we'll have t-shirts! What would a caver event be without them?
It might look like this thing that an AI system suggested, but we're having real humans dress it up a bit. Might look completely different by the time our humans are done with it.
Our theme at NCKMS this year is "Hidden Waters - Hidden Life". So, we have a concept at least!
