Death Valley Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Death Valley Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad that operated in California
's Death Valley
.
It was built in 1914 by the Pacific Coast Borax Company
to carry borax
with the route running from Ryan, California
, located just east of Death Valley National Park
, to Death Valley Junction
, a distance of approximately 20 miles. Regular operation of the railroad stopped in 1928. Much of the railroad ran parallel to what is today State Route 190
.
The line was constructed using equipment from the Borate and Daggett Railroad
including one of its engines. After this railroad ceased operations, the equipment was transferred to the United States Potash Railroad
in Carlsbad, New Mexico
.
A locomotive from the railroad is at the Borax Museum at Furnace Creek
in Death Valley National Park
.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's Death Valley
Death Valley
Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
.
It was built in 1914 by the Pacific Coast Borax Company
Pacific Coast Borax Company
The Pacific Coast Borax Company was a United States mining company founded in 1890 by the American borax magnate Francis "Borax" Smith, the "Borax King".-History:...
to carry borax
Borax
Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. It is usually a white powder consisting of soft colorless crystals that dissolve easily in water.Borax has a wide variety of uses...
with the route running from Ryan, California
Ryan, California
Ryan is an unincorporated community in Inyo County, California.[1] It lies at an elevation of 3045 feet south of the Amargosa Desert in the Mojave Desert.[1]...
, located just east of Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is a national park in the U.S. states of California and Nevada located east of the Sierra Nevada in the arid Great Basin of the United States. The park protects the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert and contains a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes,...
, to Death Valley Junction
Death Valley Junction, California
Death Valley Junction is a tiny Mojave Desert community in unincorporated Inyo County, California, at the intersection of SR 190 and SR 127, just east of Death Valley National Park. The zip code is 92328, the elevation is , and the population fewer than 20. The city limits sign reports a...
, a distance of approximately 20 miles. Regular operation of the railroad stopped in 1928. Much of the railroad ran parallel to what is today State Route 190
California State Route 190
State Route 190 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that is split into two parts by the Sierra Nevada. The western portion of begins at Tipton at a junction with State Route 99 and heads east towards Porterville before ending at Quaking Aspen in the Sequoia National Forest...
.
The line was constructed using equipment from the Borate and Daggett Railroad
Borate and Daggett Railroad
The Borate and Daggett Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad built to carry borax in the Mojave Desert. The railroad ran about 11 miles from Daggett, California, USA to Borate, California, USA.-History:...
including one of its engines. After this railroad ceased operations, the equipment was transferred to the United States Potash Railroad
United States Potash Railroad
The United States Potash Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad built in 1930 to carry potash from the mines to the mill. The 16-mile railroad was located just east of Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA, and Carlsbad Caverns National Park....
in Carlsbad, New Mexico
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Carlsbad is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 26,138. Carlsbad is the center of the designated micropolitan area of Carlsbad-Artesia, which has a total population of 55,435...
.
A locomotive from the railroad is at the Borax Museum at Furnace Creek
Furnace Creek, California
Furnace Creek is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 24 at the 2010 census, down from 31 at the 2000 census. The elevation of the village is below sea level....
in Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is a national park in the U.S. states of California and Nevada located east of the Sierra Nevada in the arid Great Basin of the United States. The park protects the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert and contains a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes,...
.