Ludlow in San Bernardino County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad Shops
Photographed By Michael Kindig, December 5, 2009
1. Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad Shops Marker
Inscription.
Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad Shops. . Seeking a more efficient way to get borax from his mines on the east side of Death Valley to processing facilities near Los Angeles, and hoping to tap the booms at Rhyolite, Tonopah, and Goldfield, Nevada, Francis Marion Smith built the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. Construction started at Ludlow in August 1905 and proceeded quickly across Broadwell Dry Lake (just north of Ludlow), reaching Dumont by May 1906. However, it took nearly a year to build through the difficult terrain of the Amargosa Gorge. Originally planned to extend from Tonopah to San Diego, the line reached its terminus at Beatty, Nevada in October 1907. While the T&T was a lifeline for the East Mojave Desert residents, it rarely turned a profit. In 1933 the 26 miles of track between Ludlow and Crucero were abandoned, and the trains stopped running June 1940. The tracks were taken up in 1942 and 1943. Only the roadbed remains. The shops and headquarters of the T&T were located here at Ludlow, just south of this marker. Little remains of the facilities that for 18 years serviced the locomotives and rolling stock of the Nevada Shortline.
Seeking a more efficient way to get borax from his mines on the east side of Death Valley to processing facilities near Los Angeles, and hoping to tap the booms at Rhyolite, Tonopah, and Goldfield, Nevada, Francis Marion Smith built the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. Construction started at Ludlow in August 1905 and proceeded quickly across Broadwell Dry Lake (just north of Ludlow), reaching Dumont by May 1906. However, it took nearly a year to build through the difficult terrain of the Amargosa Gorge. Originally planned to extend from Tonopah to San Diego, the line reached its terminus at Beatty, Nevada in October 1907. While the T&T was a lifeline for the East Mojave Desert residents, it rarely turned a profit. In 1933 the 26 miles of track between Ludlow and Crucero were abandoned, and the trains stopped running June 1940. The tracks were taken up in 1942 and 1943. Only the roadbed remains. The shops and headquarters of the T&T were located here at Ludlow, just south of this marker. Little remains of the facilities that for 18 years serviced the locomotives and rolling stock of the Nevada Shortline.
Erected 2007 by Billy Holcomb Chapter No. 1069 of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus in cooperation with the Knoll Family and the Bureau of Land Managament. (Marker Number 133.)
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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1906.
Location. 34° 43.418′ N, 116° 9.802′ W. Marker is in Ludlow, California, in San Bernardino County. Marker is at the intersection of National Trails Highway and Crucero Road, on the right when traveling east on National Trails Highway. Marker is located in front of the Ludlow Coffee Shop. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 68315 National Trails Highway, Ludlow CA 92338, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 2 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Project Carryall (here, next to this marker); Site of Ragtown (approx. 4.4 miles away).
Photographed By Michael Kindig, December 5, 2009
2. Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad Shops Marker
Photographed By Michael Kindig, October 14, 2007
3. Tonopah & Tidewater R.R.Co. The Nevada Short Line
Photographed By Adam Margolis, February 3, 2024
4. Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad Shops Marker
Photographed By Adam Margolis, February 3, 2024
5. Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad Shops Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 9, 2012, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. This page has been viewed 919 times since then and 38 times this year. Last updated on November 3, 2014, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on January 9, 2012, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. 4, 5. submitted on February 12, 2024, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
