Nevada Northern Railway
National Historic Landmark        Ely, NV


401 in the East Ely Yard.
401 on the hi-line shoving ore up to the mill in McGill
401 - Absolutely ready for the next big road trip!
Inspection paperwork in the cab.
Dont let her get too comfortable in her temporary home.<br>She is needed back in Ely
Wouldn't this make a great addition to any O gauge layout?

NNRY 401 - The Last Empress of Ely

EDM SD-7  b. Aug 7,1952

NN 401 was constructed in August 1952, builder number 16842. She is a type C-C road-switcher, weighs a very attractive 296,000 lbs, and equipped with a 1200 gallon fuel tank. We are proud of the fact that 401 remains the only SD-7 model unit ever purchased brand-new by a shortline railroad. She was particularly well suited for the NN's 60- and 115-pound rail.

For the next 30 years, the 401 would work the Nevada Northern mainline north out of Ely, delivering blister copper  to the transcontinental connections at Shafter and Cobre.  The loads would be interchanged there for shipment to refineries that would eventually finish the process to create nearly pure copper.  For the return trip she would usually have freight with supplies, equipment, and parts for the mine and general goods for the Ely and the surrounding region .  The Nevada Northern Railway was active in TOFL (Trailer-on-Flatcar) service, so 401 saw piggy-back service as well.

Yes, 401 was a very busy lady back in those days, tirelessly running the full-day round-trip up to the transcendental connection points as well as regularly working the mine-to-smelter shuttles day-in and day-out. Then came the sad day in 1983 when the railroad closed its doors seemingly for good.  It was 401 that had the heavy, sad duty to haul the last revenue freight service on the Nevada Northern.  She departed East Ely for Cobre for one last time on the morning of June 20, 1983.  She returned back to Ely the next day, and returned to the engine house.  An era had ended.  Due to this last and final service she earned the title of The Last Empress of Ely.

The line north of McGill Junction was eventually sold to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for a proposed coal-fired power plant.  That power plant was on-again then off-again for the next ten years until plans were finally completely receded.  Unfortunately, the sale of the line included Locomotive 401.  With the termination of LADWP's project in Nevada the fate of 401 was up in the air.  The answer came in 1988 when the 401 moved to the new LADWP power plant in Delta, UT.  She was prepped, sent north to the connection at Shafter and pulled into Salt Lake City.  She was then pulled to Delta, UT and put back in service there where she remains to this day.  (You may be asking yourself what Los Angele's Department of Water and Power is doing with facilities in both Nevada and Utah.  It is a long, complex story, but suffice it to say that Los Angeles is a very large city, with lots of thirsty people)

The locomotive has been promised to the museum as part of the agreement to sell the track north of Ely and 401 back to the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation.  When the time is right, 401 will be repatriated to her home rails where she will live out her days with no worries of ever seeing the scrapper's torch. In the mean time, LADWP is taking good care of her, has kept her inspections current, and has repainted her in the her original NNRY colors, just as you see in these pictures. We are very grateful to them for that! Thank you, LADWP for taking care of our very special lady. 

Stay tuned to this page for news of 401's triumphant return to Ely.  We will post updates here as they happen.

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Jon Cure (Moorpark, California, US) says...

I have really hoped to see the 401 returned to NN rails before I pass away. I made a (for me) a large donation for the moving of the two locomotives to be returned. Now it looks like; from what I read here; that this has been put on hold or tied up in paperwork. It makes me very sad. Don't get me wrong; I love Alcos and was glad to see the unique 201returned, and donation

was for both. But only the one has moved. I have traveled out there to run one of the other Alcos in the past, and would like

to visit them all, and the Baldwin that now runs at some point. Can't visit the SD7 at the power plant; and I've tried. I hope

in this season we get to see some movement of the old girl back to home rails; where we can pose with her and enjoy. God bless

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Anthony Liverani (Ely, Nevada, US) says...

when is 401 coming to elynevada

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Fred (Pocatello, Idaho, US) says...

Arnold McIntosh was the engineer on the 401 for many years. I can still see it rolling across the desert headed for Cobry. What great days.

Admin:

Thank you for the note.  It must have been great to see 401 on active duty.  We are all envious.  Thanks for sharing!