Reporting mark BHP | ||
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Dates of operation January 1996–July 9, 1999 Track gauge 4 ft 8 ⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
The BHP Nevada Railroad (reporting mark BHP) was a shortline railroad that operated in Nevada from 1996 to 1999. BHP acquired the line from the Northern Nevada Railway. The railroad hauled copper ore concentrate from BHP's concentrator at Riepetown to Shafter, Nevada. At Shafter the railroad interchanged with the Union Pacific and the ore continued to BHP's smelter at San Manuel, Arizona. The railroad was owned by Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP), an Australian-based company that purchased the Robinson copper mining district in Ely, Nevada from Magma Copper. The line ran south from a connection with the Union Pacific at Shafter to Ely.
Contents
Locomotives
For road use the BHP used five former Southern Pacific Railroad EMD SD9 locomotives built between 1954 - 1956 to operate over the line. They were numbered #201 - 205. For switching and local operations the railroad used two GE 70-ton switchers from the Santa Maria Valley Railroad. The BHP also had one ALCO RS-3. The switchers were also built in the 1950s and BHP numbered them #12 and #13.
Nevada Northern Railway Museum
The railroad ended up turning over its locomotives and rolling stock to the Nevada Northern Railway Museum as part of a settlement over their track lease agreement.
A small portion of the BHP was operated over the Nevada Northern Railway Museum tracks with trackage rights between East Ely and Ruth. The line was abandoned in 1999 when copper mining was discontinued, however, in 2004, new copper mines were reopened, and this time hauled copper by truck. The disused line between Ely and Cobre was acquired by the city of Ely in 2006.
Route
Stations, listed from north to south: