Barnwell and Searchlight Railway
Encyclopedia
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railway is a defunct 23-mile (37 km) shortline
that operated from 1906 - 1911. The railroad ran from Barnwell, California to Searchlight, Nevada
. It was always operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
.
in 1897 led to a gold rush
in the area. In 1900 the Quartette Mining Company was formed and two years later the area was booming with activity and peaking in 1907 at a population of 5,000. It was at the peak of this boom that the Barnwell & Searchlight Railway was formed.
The railway was constructed between May 1, 1906 and March 31, 1907 and was built to serve the Searchlight gold mining district at Searchlight, Nevada. On April 7, 1907, only 7 days after construction was completed the railway was leased to and became a non-operating subsidiary of ATSF.
.
) - Barnwell (Barnwell & Searchlight interchange
) - Blackburn - Blake (Goffs on the ATSF mainline from Los Angeles - Needles).
ShortLine
Short Line is a brand name for three different Coach USA companies, Hudson Transit Lines, Hudson Transit Corporation, and Chenango Valley Bus Lines that provide local, commuter and intercity bus service in lower New York State, primarily along the Route 17 and Southern Tier corridor.-Service...
that operated from 1906 - 1911. The railroad ran from Barnwell, California to Searchlight, Nevada
Searchlight, Nevada
Searchlight is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, at the topographic saddle between two mountain ranges.-History:According to Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who has written extensively about his hometown, the most likely story as to how the town received its name was when George Frederick...
. It was always operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
.
Construction of line
The discovery of gold in Searchlight, NevadaSearchlight, Nevada
Searchlight is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, at the topographic saddle between two mountain ranges.-History:According to Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who has written extensively about his hometown, the most likely story as to how the town received its name was when George Frederick...
in 1897 led to a gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
in the area. In 1900 the Quartette Mining Company was formed and two years later the area was booming with activity and peaking in 1907 at a population of 5,000. It was at the peak of this boom that the Barnwell & Searchlight Railway was formed.
The railway was constructed between May 1, 1906 and March 31, 1907 and was built to serve the Searchlight gold mining district at Searchlight, Nevada. On April 7, 1907, only 7 days after construction was completed the railway was leased to and became a non-operating subsidiary of ATSF.
Consolidated into California, Arizona and Santa Fe Railway
On December 28, 1911 the Barnwell & Searchlight was consolidated into ATSF's non-operating subsidiary, the California, Arizona and Santa Fe RailwayCalifornia, Arizona and Santa Fe Railway
The California, Arizona and Santa Fe Railway was a non-operating subsidiary of Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway that was incorporated in 1911 and was merged into the ATSF in 1963...
.
Abandonment of line
On September 23, 1923 the line's track was washed out and was abandoned on February 18, 1924. The town during this time was dying and by 1927 the population was only 50 people.Timeline
- April 1906 Railroad formed
- May 1906 Grading begins
- September 1906 Laying rails begins
- March 1907 Construction completed
- April 1907 Leased to ATSF as a non-operating subsidiary
- December 1911 Railroad is consolidated into ATSF's non-operating subsidiary California, Arizona and Santa Fe Railway
- September 1923 Line washed out
- February 1924 Line abandoned
Interchange at Barnwell
At Barnwell, the Barnwell and Searchlight branched from ATSF's non-operating subsidiary, the California Eastern Railway. The California Eastern ran south from North Ivanpah, California - Leastalk (Ivanpah on the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad interchangeInterchange station
An interchange station or a transfer station is a train station for more than one railway route in a public transport system, and allows passengers to change from one route to another. Transfer may occur within the same mode, or between rail modes, or to buses...
) - Barnwell (Barnwell & Searchlight interchange
Interchange station
An interchange station or a transfer station is a train station for more than one railway route in a public transport system, and allows passengers to change from one route to another. Transfer may occur within the same mode, or between rail modes, or to buses...
) - Blackburn - Blake (Goffs on the ATSF mainline from Los Angeles - Needles).
Route
- Barnwell (Interchange with California Eastern)
- Hitt
- Juan (Nevada)
- Searchlight, NevadaSearchlight, NevadaSearchlight is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, at the topographic saddle between two mountain ranges.-History:According to Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who has written extensively about his hometown, the most likely story as to how the town received its name was when George Frederick...