COLLECTION NAME:
NNRy Background and History Information
Record
Title:
Copper Flat
Description:
Nevada Con's Ore Yard and the Liberty Pit entrance were at Copper Flat. After the 1939 completion of the Copper Flat shops and engine house, all of Nevada Con's rail operations originated at Copper Flat. These new facilities at Copper Flat replaced the Star Pointer Shops uptown in Old Ruth.
The Copper Flat Yard was the center of a large wye. The ore trains could come up the Ruth Branch, which was the Ruth leg of the Copper Flat wye. The Ruth Leg of the wye was 1.3 miles long, terminating at the Ruth Depot. A passing track of equal length was owned by Nevada Con. Empty ore trains came up the Ruth leg of the wye, backing into the Copper Flat yard passing track, and dropped the caboose, then backed in through the Copper Flat main into the east ore yard (also called the "New Five" ore yard) and dropped the empties. This usually called for 2 or 3 moves, as an east ore yard track wouldn't hold a full train of 30 empty cars. The 90-class 2-8-0 would hostle the 4-wheel caboose to the inclined caboose track just west of the Copper Flat Ore Yard. This caboose track was off the Kimberly leg of the Copper Flat wye. The Copper Flat Ore Yard was six 30-car tracks and a single engine ore train was 30 cars. The ore line engine would make up its train, complete the air test, turn up 100% retainers, and pull out of the Copper Flat Yard. The caboose would follow by gravity, coupling onto the moving downgrade ore train.
Normally, the Liberty pit only worked two shifts, days and swing, and if production wasn't at its maximum, the pit was down on Sundays. During steam on the ore line, there was always a helper engine on 3rd shift, graveyard shift. Joe Lani said they would doublehead about 42 empties to Copper Flat, the helper would return to East Ely light, fuel and take on water, and then help an ore train to McGill, probably about 40 cars.
The Copper Flat Yard was the center of a large wye. The ore trains could come up the Ruth Branch, which was the Ruth leg of the Copper Flat wye. The Ruth Leg of the wye was 1.3 miles long, terminating at the Ruth Depot. A passing track of equal length was owned by Nevada Con. Empty ore trains came up the Ruth leg of the wye, backing into the Copper Flat yard passing track, and dropped the caboose, then backed in through the Copper Flat main into the east ore yard (also called the "New Five" ore yard) and dropped the empties. This usually called for 2 or 3 moves, as an east ore yard track wouldn't hold a full train of 30 empty cars. The 90-class 2-8-0 would hostle the 4-wheel caboose to the inclined caboose track just west of the Copper Flat Ore Yard. This caboose track was off the Kimberly leg of the Copper Flat wye. The Copper Flat Ore Yard was six 30-car tracks and a single engine ore train was 30 cars. The ore line engine would make up its train, complete the air test, turn up 100% retainers, and pull out of the Copper Flat Yard. The caboose would follow by gravity, coupling onto the moving downgrade ore train.
Normally, the Liberty pit only worked two shifts, days and swing, and if production wasn't at its maximum, the pit was down on Sundays. During steam on the ore line, there was always a helper engine on 3rd shift, graveyard shift. Joe Lani said they would doublehead about 42 empties to Copper Flat, the helper would return to East Ely light, fuel and take on water, and then help an ore train to McGill, probably about 40 cars.
Copper Flat
