Nevada State Railroad Museum, East Ely

09/02/2026

Step into the Finance Office and see the work that kept the Nevada Northern Railway running long after the trains left the yard. 📝

From this desk, the railroad’s Auditor tracked every mile, shipment, and employee. The typewriter, comptometer, and mimeograph machine reflect a time when business depended on precision, patience, and paper.

This office also holds a powerful family story. After railroad worker Carmine Aquafondata was killed in 1923, his son Mike Fondi went to work for the railroad at just 14 years old. He eventually rose through the ranks to become the Auditor, working in this very room.

Here, ledgers, machines, and memories reveal both the daily operations and the people who kept the Nevada Northern Railway moving. 👉 Visit the Nevada State Railroad Museum, East Ely to explore this and other exhibits:
[LINK] https://www.elyrailroadmuseum.org/exhibits/finance-office/
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08/26/2026

The Nevada Northern Railway began with a clear goal. 🚂

To reach a copper mine more than 100 miles from the nearest mainline and connect it to the rest of the world. ⛏️ Construction began in 1905 across the Steptoe Valley, where crews built the line by hand through remote and unforgiving conditions. Progress was interrupted by a harsh winter, but work resumed the following year.

By September 1906, the railroad reached Ely, marked by a celebration that brought trains and visitors from across the region.

What followed was more than a railroad. It was a connection between mining, industry, and community that helped shape eastern Nevada. 🏭

08/21/2026

08/19/2026

Step inside the Traffic Manager’s Office and experience the command center of the Nevada Northern Railway. 🚂

This is where train movements were monitored, orders were communicated, and schedules were kept on track. It was one of the most important jobs in the depot, making sure everything ran safely and efficiently.

Even better, much of what you see here is original to 1907, including the desk, telegraph, and cabinetry that helped keep the railroad moving day and night.

👉 Learn more about the Traffic Manager’s Office:
[LINK] https://www.elyrailroadmuseum.org/exhibits/traffic-managers-office/

08/12/2026

The Nevada Northern Railway was more than just a railroad. 🚂

At its peak during construction, more than 600 employees worked to build the line. ⛏️ Once completed, a smaller workforce kept operations running, connecting a mine, a smelter, and the communities that depended on them.

Together, these systems formed the foundation of eastern Nevada’s mining industry and shaped the region’s growth.

Today, we continue to preserve and share that story. 📜 Learn more about the museum:
[LINK] https://www.elyrailroadmuseum.org/

08/05/2026

Did you know? Pearl Brown served as the Nevada Northern Railway's paymaster for more than two decades. 🚂

Hired in 1924 as a bookkeeper, Pearl quickly earned a reputation for her accuracy, professionalism, and attention to detail. She eventually became responsible for tracking the hours and mileage of every railroad employee, ensuring each worker was paid correctly.

One colleague described her as "gracious and meticulously accurate in every detail," a reflection of the dedication she brought to her work every day.

While locomotives often take center stage in railroad history, employees like Pearl Brown played an equally important role behind the scenes. Her work helped keep the Nevada Northern Railway operating efficiently and serves as a reminder that the railroad's story was shaped by the many people whose contributions made it possible.

07/29/2026

When many people think of White Pine County's history, they think of copper mining. While mining was the foundation of the local economy, it also supported the growth of thriving communities throughout the region. ⛰️

As the Nevada Northern Railway transported copper from the Robinson Mining District, White Pine County continued to grow with schools, hospitals, businesses, recreation, and neighborhoods that served the people who lived and worked here. The railroad became an important part of everyday life, connecting industry with community. 🚂

The story of White Pine County is about more than what came out of the ground. It is also about the people who built homes, raised families, and helped shape eastern Nevada into the community it is today.

07/22/2026

Railroading was demanding work, and with heavy machinery, moving trains, and industrial equipment, injuries were an unfortunate reality. ⚒️

As the Nevada Northern Railway expanded in the early twentieth century, protecting its workforce became an essential part of daily operations. 🩹 Employees received first aid training so they could provide immediate care to injured coworkers using bandages, splints, stretchers, and other basic medical supplies until professional medical assistance arrived.

When more advanced treatment was needed, workers were transported to hospitals in Ely or East Ely for care. These safety practices reflect the railroad's commitment to its employees and offer a glimpse into how railroaders faced the challenges of one of America's most demanding industries.

The tools and techniques may seem simple by today's standards, but they played an important role in protecting the people who kept the Nevada Northern Railway running. 🚂

07/15/2026

The success of the Nevada Northern Railway depended on more than steam locomotives. Behind every train movement, payroll calculation, and company record were office workers whose efforts kept the railroad operating day after day. 🚂

In the railroad's former payroll office, adding machines, mimeographs, and original records tell the story of the administrative work that supported one of the nation's most productive copper railroads. These tools were used to calculate wages, produce company documents, and maintain records for hundreds of employees who built, operated, and maintained the railroad.

As White Pine County's mining industry expanded in the early 1900s, so did the need for careful recordkeeping. While the locomotives moved copper across Nevada, these machines helped keep the business of the railroad on track, making them an essential part of the Nevada Northern Railway's history.

07/08/2026

Completed in 1907, the Nevada Northern Railway Depot was the center of operations for a railroad built to serve the Robinson Mining District, one of the nation's leading copper producers during the early twentieth century. 🚂

Today, the building is home to the Nevada State Railroad Museum, East Ely, where the history of eastern Nevada's mining and railroad industries is preserved and shared with visitors from around the world.

Inside the restored depot, you can step into the original railroad offices, examine historic artifacts, and learn how the railroad connected the copper mines of White Pine County to the national rail network.

The exhibits also recognize the workers whose skill and dedication kept the railroad operating and helped produce the copper that supported a rapidly electrifying nation. More than a century after it welcomed its first passengers and railroad employees, the depot continues to tell the story of the people, places, and industries that shaped eastern Nevada.

Learn more: [LINK] https://www.elyrailroadmuseum.org/exhibits/nevada-northern-railway-depot/