WHO: Avid railroad photographers from around the world come to Ely for the annual photo shoot.
WHEN: Second and Third weekends in February. Three days, Friday through Sunday
WHAT: Most all of our vintage locomotives and rolling stock will be in operation. Organized run-bys, night photo ops, and working equipment demonstrations.
BRING: Cameras, tripod, and warm clothes.
HOW: Reserve your weekend here
Also, keep in mind our
Photo Workshop
If you think you were born one hundred years too late to witness the glory of steam railroading, then
we have good news for you: you weren't.
There still exists a place where steam locomotives rule the rails.
Hidden away in the high desert of east central Nevada is a time capsule like no other, the Nevada Northern Railway National Historic Landmark.
Annually during the first two weekends in February, time travel is possible.
Come to Ely Nevada, set your watch back a century, and photograph railroading as it was in the last century.
The Nevada Northern Railway is not a mishmash of equipment from different railroads or different countries, nor is the equipment prettified or garish. This is the original railroad equipment in the original paint schemes in the original setting,
on the original Nevada Northern Railway mainline.
All of this equipment has been on the property for decades, and some if it more than a century, all of it still operating on the original track that was graded and laid a century ago.
This was the time when steam moved mountains.
The real business of this railroad was copper and copper was king!
It was the reason that the railroad was built in the first place. Ore trains ran day and night, year round.
The demand for copper was insatiable. It was the miracle metal that made all of the newfangled inventions, such as the electric light and the telephone, possible.
Today our trains still move from the mine to the mill—steam powered, of course.
What can you expect during the photo shoots? World-class photographic opportunities, steam locomotives pulling vintage freight and passenger cars that are original to the railroad.
Here, trains are still made up with wooden cars whose origins date back as far as 1872.
The crews will be in period dress, adding to the experience.
So why come to Ely in the winter? If you think that Steam locomotive 93 looks good on an 85-degree day in August but wait till you see it on a frosty February day.
Billowing white clouds of steam plus plumes of black & gray smoke towering above the canyons and valleys.
Snow? Weather here can be capricious! It can range from blizzard conditions to cobalt blue skies sometimes within minutes.
In the past we've experienced every type of meteorological conditions that wintertime Ely experiences, including shirtsleeve weather.
But regardless of the weather, the show goes on.
Participants have won numerous photo contests, recording timeless scenes of a historical railroad that are second to none.
Many of the "Winter Spectacular" photos rival the best that National Geographic has to offer.
Of course locomotives, rolling stock and tracks are a big and obvious part of this railroad.
But its just part of what makes a railroad work. You also need the infrastructure:
Enginehouse, machine shop, carpenter shop, blacksmith shop, depot and dispatcher building.
Oh and don't forget, the locomotives go nowhere without stopping at the coaling tower and water standpipes.
We have those too, the original ones!
Considered by William L. Withuhn, Curator emeritus, History of Technology
and Transportation at the Smithsonian Institution, "Among all railroad historic sites anywhere in North America, the Nevada Northern Railway complex at East Ely is-no question in my view-the most complete, most authentic, and best cared-for, bar none.
It's a living American treasure and a stand-out one. Historic tracks, original depot and office building,
Enginehouse, Freight Station, three original steam locomotives, five historic and rare wooden passenger cars, Kennecott diesel engines, 60 early freight cars, working machine shop, foundry-even the coaling tower and water tower that are icons of the site-everything is still there."
What will we have running for the next photo shoot? It varies from
year-to-year, but in general we have a broad range of original, Vintage
Nevada Northern Railway equipment running out on the main line and in the
East Ely yard.
Take a look at the review written by Robert W. Scott of Trains Magazine.
We are offering "Steam, Steel and Strobes" Scholarships for two applicants, age 18-30. Details here.
Winter Steam Spectacular 2020 | Member | Non-Member |
---|---|---|
Either Weekend | $578 | $679 |
Feb 19-21 or Feb 26-28 2021 |
Members receive discounts. Memberships start at $30.
No other discounts apply to this experience.
You may also want to consider our Photography Workshop held Feb 11-14 2021
Advanced reservations are strongly suggested since this event usually sells out.
Do not drive to Ely unless you have a confirmed reservation.
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Comments (5)
I capped my three days of train photography with driving #40 up Robinson Canyon on Monday. It was my first time in a steam locomotive cab. I learned a lot about how these amazing machines work from my Engineer/Teacher Mike and my fireman, Chris. I highly recommend it.
So, if you love photography and you love steam, NNRY is the place to go in February. I'm headed back for 2020.I've got an album of photos from the weekend here:
https://www.persistentvisionphotography.com/Posts/2019/20190215A