40th Anniversary NNRY Project
The Doodlebug
We are excited to announce the opportunity to acquire a historic Self-Propelled Rail Car, also known as a "Doodlebug." This rail car, built in 1930 by the J.G. Brill
Company and refurbished in 2019, has a passenger capacity of 50 and is available for purchase at
$403,000 with delivery to Ely, Nevada.
Our goal is to raise $403,000 by December 31, 2024.
The History of
Doodlebugs
In the early 20th century, railroads used self-propelled rail cars, known as "Doodlebugs," to serve branch lines with light traffic, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional trains. These gasoline-powered, quirky vehicles played a key role in connecting smaller communities at a time when rail was the dominant mode of transportation
The Nevada Northern Railway Foundation has a unique chance to own one of these iconic rail cars. This comes at an opportune moment, as we’ve secured a $10 million grant to reopen our tracks to the McGill Depot.
We have been working on restoring the depot for years, the restoration is currently 80% complete and funds are in place to finish the project. In the 1930s, the Nevada Northern Railway considered acquiring a Doodlebug to replace passenger trains and reduce costs. However, union opposition to operating with fewer crew members prevented the purchase, leading to the termination of railroad’s passenger service.
Our visitation plummets when a train is not on the schedule. Tourists come here to ride a train, purchasing the Brill Rail Car is the solution to our light ridership days.
The Doodlebug would allow us to offer a train with lower operating costs.
Why a Doodlebug?
Today, nearly a century later, the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation faces two issues. Today, like a century ago, the need to lower operating costs remains critical for us. Our diesel excursion trains need a five-person crew that costs about $435 for paid staff per trip. The locomotives burn, on average, 25 gallons of fuel per hour.
Why so much? Locomotive 204 has a V-16 engine and Locomotive 109 has a V-12. A normal excursion trip takes about 3.5 hours. That’s 87.5 gallons of fuel that costs around $331.62.
The Brill Rail Car is powered by a Chevy 396-cubic inch big-block V8 engine with a turbo 350/400 transmission. This combination should get 10 miles per gallon; a round trip to McGill is 26 miles. That means to get to McGill and back the Doodlebug will burn just 2.6 gallons, costing us just $8.58 per trip! That’s an incredible savings of $323 per trip!
And just like a century ago, using the Doodlebug will eliminate three crew positions per trip, that’s a saving of $261 per trip! The ridership on our mid-week trains is light; using the Doodlebug in place of a train is a win-win! It will save the Foundation $584 per trip, almost $1,752 per week or $36,792 over the course of the season! This reduction in operating costs, will allow us to experiment with new offerings, such as possible commuter service between Ely and Ruth and McGill. Furthermore, it will be a unique attraction that will draw tourists to Ely. Using Nevada Commission on Tourism numbers, last year, tourists who visited the railroad spent $3,000,000 in our community!
Purchasing the Brill Rail Car is a win-win for the Foundation and the community. We invite businesses to support this project through one of the following sponsorship opportunities.
In gratitude, sponsors will be acknowledged across our media platforms and receive complimentary tickets to experience the Doodlebug first-hand thanks to your support!
Individual & Business Sponsorship Levels
We’re halfway to our goal of raising $403,000 by December 31st, and this Challenge
Match is the boost we need to get there. Here’s how it works:
That means
together, we can raise $200,000 to bring the Doodlebug to Ely!
Here’s how YOU can help:
Donate $50 — Receive a ticket to ride the Doodlebug, your $50 becomes $100
Donate $100 — Get two tickets to ride the Doodlebug, your $100 turns into $200
Donate $500 - To operate the Doodlebug, your $500 becomes $1,000
What’s Included with the $50 Sponsorship
– receive a ticket to ride the Doodlebug
What’s Included with the $100 Sponsorship
– receive 2 tickets to ride the Doodlebug
What’s Included with the $500 Sponsorship
– 5 Complimentary Excursion Train or Doodlebug Tickets
– For Individual Donations – an opportunity to operate the Doodlebug
What’s Included with the $1,000 Sponsorship
– 10 Complimentary Excursion Train or Doodlebug Tickets
– Recognition in our newsletter Ghost Tracks
– For Individual Donations – an opportunity to operate the Doodlebug
What’s Included with the $2,500 Sponsorship
– 25 Complimentary Excursion Train or Doodlebug Tickets
– Recognition in our newsletter Ghost Tracks
– Special recognition on the NNRy Doodlebug website
– For Individual Donations – an opportunity to operate the Doodlebug
What’s Included with the $5,000 Sponsorship
– 50 Complimentary Excursion Train or Doodlebug Tickets
– Dedicated social media post about your business’ participation
– Special recognition on the NNRy Doodlebug website, including your company’s linked logo
– For Individual Donations – an opportunity to operate the Doodlebug
What’s Included with the $10,000 Sponsorship
– 100 Complimentary Excursion Train or Doodlebug Tickets
– Dedicated social media post about your business’ participation
– Special recognition on the NNRy Doodlebug website, including your company’s linked logo
– Your business name and logo displayed in the Doodlebug
– Special Nevada Northern Railway press release (optional)
– For Individual Donations – an opportunity to operate the Doodlebug
What’s Included with the $25,000 Sponsorship
– 250 Complimentary Excursion Train or Doodlebug Tickets or a Train Charter
– Dedicated social media post about your business’ participation
– Special recognition on the NNRy Doodlebug website, including your company’s linked logo
– Your business name and logo displayed in the Doodlebug
– Sponsorship Plaque for your Business
– Special Nevada Northern Railway press release (optional)
– For Individual Donations – an opportunity to operate the Doodlebug
What’s Included with the $50,000 Sponsorship
– 500 Complimentary Excursion Train or Doodlebug Tickets or two Train Charters
– Dedicated social media post about your business’ participation
– Special recognition on the NNRy Doodlebug website, including your company’s linked logo
– Your business name and logo displayed in the Doodlebug
– Sponsorship Plaque for your Business
– Special Nevada Northern Railway press release (optional)
– For Individual Donations – an opportunity to operate the Doodlebug
What’s Included with the $100,000 Sponsorship
– 1,000 Complimentary Excursion Train or Doodlebug Tickets or four Train Charters
– Dedicated social media post about your business’ participation
– Special recognition on the NNRy Doodlebug website, including your company’s linked logo
– Your business name and logo individually displayed in the Doodlebug
– Sponsorship Plaque for your Business
– Special Nevada Northern Railway press release (optional)
– For Individual Donations – an opportunity to operate the Doodlebug
To discuss sponsorship opportunities and make a lasting contribution to this landmark project, please contact Mark Bassett, President, Nevada Northern Railway Foundation at (775) 289-0103 or via email at president@nnry.com. The mechanical inspection report is available per request.
BIG Thank You To Our Sponsors!
We love and appreciate the loyal support and contribution you have made to improve the operation of NNRy
