(rshsdepot) Fernley, NV

[I95BERNIEW_@_aol.com]

From The Fernley Leader.
 
Bernie Wagenblast
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
Fernley-Lassen Depot News
 
March 19, 2008
 
By Fernley Preservation Society members
 
FERNLEY--The Fernley Preservation Society over the years has been fortunate  
to amass a unique collection of railroad rolling stock for display at the  
Fernley Depot. While many pieces of our railroad equipment are related to  
Nevada, there are three pieces, which are directly linked to the history of Lyon  
County.
 
The Nevada and Copper Belt Railroad was incorporated in 1909. Through the  
sale of bonds in Lyon County, a 47 mile railroad was built through the Mason and 
 Smith Valleys to haul copper ore from the Nevada Douglas Copper Company mine 
at  Ludwig to their smelter at Thompson (three miles north of Wabuska) where 
the  Nevada Copper Belt connected with the Southern Pacific Railroad.
 
The railroad purchased several used pieces of rolling stock to keep their  
costs down; this included the rolling stock we currently have.
 
Two of these are boxcars that were built in 1905 by the Hicks Car Works in  
Chicago for the Tonopah & Goldfield Railroad that was located in central  
Nevada. Following the mining boom of that region, these were sold to the Nevada  
Copper Belt becoming boxcars number 503 and 504.
 
They operated over the line from 1911 until the abandonment of operations  in 
February of 1947. The boxcars were then acquired by the Peoples Packing Plant 
 near Yerington. They were de-trucked and made into a shed where they 
remained  for 56 years until they were acquired and moved to Fernley by the Fernley  
Preservation Society.
 
Caboose #2 was built around 1890 as a boxcar for the Illinois Central  
Railroad. Later on it was converted into a cupola caboose (cupolas are the  second 
level with windows).
 
In 1910 it was sold to the Nevada Copper Belt Railroad. Prior to its  
retirement in 1940, the cupola was removed. This car was relocated to various  sites 
over the years including; Virginia City, Gold Hill, Stagecoach and now  
Fernley.
 
All three of these pieces of Nevada Copper Belt Railroad rolling stock are  
awaiting restoration. We are currently restoring Cotton Belt Caboose #48 which  
was badly damaged by a fire before it even arrived at the Fernley Depot in 
the  mid 1990's.
 
This project, which is spearheaded by Fernley Preservation Society Vice  
President Derek Walls, is nearing completion and will be open to the public this  
summer. In a future column we will cover the history of the caboose and the  
story of the restoration.
 
Restoration of all our projects is performed by dedicated volunteers and  
funded by donations.
 
Those wishing to assist or donate can contact the Fernley Preservation  
Society, PO Box 683, Fernley, NV 89408, or call Linda Sanders at 575-2515, or  
email: _FPS1914_@_yahoo.com_ (mailto:FPS1914@yahoo.com) 



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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org
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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #1696
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org