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Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum

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Coordinates: 39°14′58″N 121°1′7″W / 39.24944°N 121.01861°W / 39.24944; -121.01861
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Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum
LocaleNevada City, California
Commercial operations
Built byThe Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Company
Original gauge3 ft (914 mm)
Preserved operations
Reporting markNCNC
Preserved gauge3 ft (914 mm)
Commercial history
Opened1876
Closed1942
Preservation history
HeadquartersGrass Valley, California
Website
http://www.ncngrrmuseum.org

The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum is a transport museum and heritage railroad located in Nevada City, California.[1][2]

Background

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The museum was founded in 1983.[3] It is owned by the City of Nevada City and operated by the Nevada County Historical Society.[4]

It offers a collection of railroad artifacts, photographs, and documents related to the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad, the 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railroad that operated in Nevada and Placer Counties from 1876 until 1942. Exhibits include Engine No. 5, which appeared in many movies, and various pieces of restored rolling stock.

Engine No. 5. operating in 2025

In 1875, the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelpia made two identical 26 ton 2-6-0 Mogul locomotives for the Carson and Tahoe Lumber and Fluming Company in Carson City, Nevada which was then developing the Lake Tahoe Railroad to haul lumber. One of those locomotives is The Glenbrook, currently operating at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City. The other is Engine #5, called "The Tahoe" which was later sold to the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad in June, 1899. The locomotive was damaged in a fire in Grass Valley, California on August 30, 1915, losing its wooden cab and running boards.[5][6]

When the railroad shut down in 1942, Engine #5 was sold to Frank Lloyd Productions in Hollywood. It appeared in movies such as The Spoilers and Rails Into Laramie. The locomotive later was owned by Universal Studios in Hollywood before being returned to Nevada County, renovated, and being put back into service at the museum.[7][3]

Antelope & Western Porter locomotive No. 1

The museum also has the Antelope & Western Porter #1 locomotive in its collection.[8] This small industrial steam 0-4-0 tank locomotive was built by H.K. Porter, Inc. in 1889 for the Sacramento Brick Company.[9]

Passenger car being renovated at the museum

The museum operates its own renovation shop which rebuilds historic equipment. [3]

Railbus transporting passengers

Short excursions on board a variety of railroad equipment including a railbus are offered in the museum's rail yard.

View of the museum's rail yard from the railbus

The county's first steam automobile and displays of local aviation history are also presented.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum". Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  2. ^ "Preserving Nevada County History Since 1944". Nevada County Historical Society. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Nobles, Jennifer (February 21, 2025). "Two new additions to Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum: Nevada City's old snow plow and a flat car make their debut". The Union. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  4. ^ "Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum (NCNGRR) - Railroad Ave". Nevada City, California. Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum (NCNGRR) [a subdivision of the Nevada County Historical Society], which operates a museum, workshop, and rail yard located at the City owned transportation museum at 5 Kidder Court in Nevada City.
  5. ^ Drew, Stephen E. (2016). Lake Tahoe's Railroads. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781439657683.
  6. ^ "Engine #5 Restoration". Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  7. ^ Chalmers, Claudine (2006). Grass Valley. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738546971.
  8. ^ "NCNGRR Museum Celebrates Anniversary With Steam on May 19". YubaNet. Nevada City, California. May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  9. ^ "Sacramento Brick Company 0-4-0T No. 1". SteamLocomotive.info. The Steam Project. Retrieved May 12, 2025.

39°14′58″N 121°1′7″W / 39.24944°N 121.01861°W / 39.24944; -121.01861


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