Historical Timeline
1904
- F. M. “Borax” Smith, head of Pacific Coast Borax Company, plans a rail line from Ludlow, California, to Tonopah, Nevada.
- Goal: Replace expensive mule teams and connect borate mines to markets.
- Construction begins north from Ludlow.
1905
- Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad Company is incorporated.
- Smith intends to connect with Tonopah through the Amargosa Valley.
- Clark’s Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad blocks the T&T’s planned route near Beatty.
- Construction halts near Saratoga Springs.
1906
- Smith changes plans, reroutes the line east through Death Valley Junction.
- Construction resumes northward using labor crews and mule-drawn graders.
1907
- Line reaches Death Valley Junction and connects to the Lila C. borate mine via a spur to Ryan.
- The track extends into Nevada, reaching the Gold Center near Beatty.
- T&T connects with Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad (BGRR), gaining access to Goldfield and Tonopah.
1908
- A formal agreement allows T&T to run trains through to Goldfield via the BGRR tracks.
- Passenger and freight service expands.
- Trains begin hauling borax, ore, equipment, and passengers across the Mojave Desert.
1909–1914
- Peak years for the railroad.
- Regular trains serve stations including Crucero, Silver Lake, Tecopa, Shoshone, Death Valley Junction, Gold Center, and Beatty.
- Freight mostly consists of borax and mine supplies.
1915–1920
- Borate mining expands in Boron, California, reducing reliance on the T&T.
- T&T continues service but faces growing competition from trucks and other railroads.
1921
- Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad begins to decline, weakening the T&T’s northern connection.
- Traffic volume drops steadily.
1928
- BGRR is abandoned. T&T loses its through route to Tonopah.
- T&T ends service north of Beatty.
- Remaining operations focus on borate hauling near Death Valley Junction.
1930s
- The Great Depression cuts traffic further.
- Tourism to Death Valley resorts helps slightly.
- Limited borax shipping and small freight business continue.
1940
- T&T files for abandonment.
- June 14: Interstate Commerce Commission approves closure.
- Track is removed and salvaged for scrap, used during World War II.
Post-1940
- Portions of the old grade are used for roads and ranch access.
- Death Valley Junction survives as a small outpost, later home to the Amargosa Opera House.
- T&T’s legacy lives on in ruins, railbeds, and museum displays.
Let me know if you want a separate list of station stops, mile markers, or depots next.