Henderson to Boulder City

Link: http://a-r.us/s6q

• Quick Info:
• States: Nevada   
• Railroads: UP   

The Boulder City Branch

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Point of Interest

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A small sampling of the railroad equipment stored at Boulder City, NV. This property belongs to the Nevada State Railroad Museum, whose main property is in Carson City, Nevada. Photo by Mike Palmer, June 2003.

In 1930, the Union Pacific built a branch line from a junction on its Los Angeles & Salt Lake mainline, just south (west) of Las Vegas, to the construction site for Boulder Dam. The branch passed through Henderson to Boulder City at the end of the line.

A separate US Government railroad was built from Boulder City to the actual dam construction site on the Colorado River. The dam was completed in 1935, and the US Government line was abandoned at that time. Much of the right of way of the Government railroad is underneath Lake Mead.

The UP continued to actively use its line as far as Henderson, and still does today. In 1985, the UP donated the Henderson-Boulder City segment to the Nevada State Railroad Museum. This segment is still in place, although the grade crossing near Railroad Pass is paved over (see photo below). Some of the track has been upgraded, and a station platform and engine shed were built. There are plans to start operating tourist trains within a year or two.

There is a train that takes people from the Railroad Museum in Boulder City to Railroad Pass. The link for more information is : www.nevadasouthern.com

Tim
Las Vegas, NV
11/2/2009

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I was following the whole line on googlemaps.com

Dequante Bazemore
Chesapeake, VA
2/9/2010

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The third photo above indicates that the Boulder City platforms were built in anticipation of future tourist train operations from the station westward. Did such operations ever come to fruition?

Kevin M. Smith
Cicero, NY
5/13/2010

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ya, theres a tourist train that runs from Boulder City to Railroad Pass...probably a distance of 3-5 miles. It only runs on weekends.

Tim
Las Vegas, NV
6/6/2010

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Along the road from Boulder to the Dam you can see many miles of the old right of way and concrete culverts.there is a senic overlook on the Nevada side a little ways from the Dam where you go up a steep hill drive to a good size paved parking area.You look down on the lake from a cliff.Excavated into the cliff is the old ROW and a short tunnel.Inside the turbine room at the dam is an old RR flat car and track imbeded in the terrozo floor.

Dave
southeast, FL
7/8/2010

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The branch is still used today. There is a lot of industry which has popped up in recent years. The track and grade crossings are new at Roysom (where the BC branch spplits from the chemical plant sidings), and there is a yard between Stephanie and Gibson street which sees a lot of action. I have seen large equipment being transferred from a special depressed center flatcar to a giant truck headed for the dam on one occasion. The museum in Boulder City has traded some equipment that used to be seen behind the fence. There are some cosmetically restored steam engines now on display. The shay which sat for years was returned to its home railroad (Oregon?).

Joe Powell
Las Vegas, NV
2/21/2011

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