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 "From Nowhere to Nowhere" by Mike Pearsall |
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 The Inyo Development Company engine No. 1 at work at Keeler in 1904. (Eastern California Museum) |
 Digging out the rails after a flash flood at Keeler in 1919. (George Turner Collection) |
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 Engine No. 18 steaming through the Owens Valley |
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 Engine No. 3 awaits departure time. (Hugh Tolford Collection) |
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 Kearsarge water tank standing as a sentinel in Owens Valley. |
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 Engine No. 8 taking on water at Kearsarge water tower in 1951. (Hugh Tolford Collection) |
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 Engine No. 18 heading north out of Keeler with 14, 495' Mt. Whitney (far right) towering in the distance. (Donald Duke photo) |
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 Engine No. 8 steaming out of Keeler with a short consist. (John P. Carrick photo) |
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 Engine No. 9 steaming home to Keeler with a five car consist in the late afternoon of December 18, 1948. (Donald Duke photo) |
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 Carson & Colorado Railroad pass. |
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 Engine facilities at Keeler, California. (George Turner Collection) |
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 Laws, California, during the regime of the Nevada & California. Originally called Bishop Creek, the community's name was later changed in honor of R.J. Laws. (George Turner Collection) |
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 Engine No. 18 at Manzanar crossing in the Owens Valley. (W.E. Miller, Railway Negative Exchange) |
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 R.J. Laws, memorable superintendent of the Carson & Colorado R.R. (Art Haig Collection) |
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 Engine No. 18 switches at the Limestone Quarry at Dolomite in 1949. (Donald Duke) |
 The Inyo Development Company was formed in 1885 by D.O. Mills to recover soda ash from Owens Lake. In 1902 the firm purchased a Eureka & Palisade 2-6-0 from the Bodie & Benton, and had the Mogul rebuilt by the Virginia & Truckee's Carson Shop. The I.D.C. locomotive (above) is en route to Keeler 1902. (Ken Kidder Collection) |
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 Cerro Gordo aerial tram terminus at Keeler. Built in 1908 by the Cerro Gordo Mines Company, it connected the silver mine with the railroad. (Robert W. Brown) |
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 Built in 1915, the Cerro Gordo tramway was operated until 1927. For the next 33 years, the ore buckets (some still full) quietly hung as silent sentinels reminiscent of the bonanza passed. (George Turner Collection) |
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 Here empty cars await the turning of the tram cable wheels at the Keeler terminus. The tramway was dismantled in 1960 and transported bolt and board to Candelaria, Nevada to participate in a modern day mining promotion. (George Turner Collection) |
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 A portion of the $213,392,000 in silver bullion produced by the Cerro Gordo mine between 1880 and 1948 stacked up on the shores of Owens Lake awaiting shipment to Los Angeles. (Eastern California Museum) |
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 Suspended ore buckets on the Cerro Gordo aerial tram. |
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 The aerial tram in 1939 with baggage car 12 and combine 7. (Al Phelps) |
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 Sagebrush and Sand |
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 Discovered in 1865, the Cerro Gordo Mine and town still boasted many buildings in 1917. The American Hotel is shown at the lower right; the main mine buildings are in the center; the upper tramway terminus is shown at the left center. (George Turner Collection) |
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 On the early runs of the Slim Princess a lot of pinon wood was heaved into the firebox of the engines for producing the needed steam. This picture, taken in 1902, shows the Charley Rose crew and team making a delivery of wood. (Bessie Stevens collection) |
"Narrow Gauge to Nowhere"[pdf]
by Mallory Hope Ferrell
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When the "Little Giant" diesel came on line in 1954 it began to mark the end of an era of steam powered locomotives in the Owens Valley. Nostalgia was heavily in favor of the steam engine, but water towers at very prescribed intervals and the high cost of maintenance of the boilers and steam lines spelled doom to the steam giants. |
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 A "condensed Princess" switches at Owenyo in 1938 (George Turner Collection) |
 The "Little Giant" diesel engine passing Monola Siding (midway between Laws and Keeler) in 1959. (George Turner Collection) |
 The local band played while Engine No. 18 and the new diesel engine were displayed. (Southern Pacific Collection) |
 Engine No. 18 and the new diesel engine on displayed. (Southern Pacific Collection) |
 The "Little Giant" General Electric diesel takes over in the fall of 1954. Formerly called the X-1, the Little Giant was christened with a bottle of talc! (Southern Pacific Collection) |
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 The "Little Giant" heading a long string of cars north of Lone Pine. (Caterpillar Tractor Co.) |
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Early Bishop Residents | |
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Mary Austin | |
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More, Owens Valley - Carson & Colorado Railroad | |
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Saline Valley Saltworks Tramway | |
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More, Owens Valley - Carson & Colorado Railroad |
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High Sierra Pack Stations |
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Willie A. Chalfant |
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 Sign Guest Book |
 The Pigmy Packer |
 View Guest Book |
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This page was last updated on
25 August 2007