The Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad was a twenty three miles long railroad which connected Searchlight, Nevada to Barnwell California and the larger rail network of the Mojave Desert. Between 1907 and 1910, the gold mines of Searchlight produced $7 million dollars in gold and boasted a population of 1,500. Ore is shipped to Barnwell via the Barnwell and Searchlight rail service. In order to reduce costs, the Quartette company constructed a twenty-stamp mill on the Colorado River. The new mill utilized a 15 mile narrow gauge rail is constructed down to the mill in an attempt to further reduce costs.
Following the discovery of gold in Searchlight in 1897 a gold rush brought industry into the high desert of the Mojave. In 1900, the Quartette Mining Company formed and within a short years a population of 5000 people works the area.
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad is formed in April 1906 at the height of the gold rush in Searchlight, Nevada. The twenty three miles of track are laid down between May 1st, 1906 and March 31st, 1907. On April 7, 1907, just seven days after construction is completed the railway was leased by the California, Arizona and Santa Fe Railway
By 1919 trains travelled over the B. and S. Railroad only twice a week. A severe washout on September 23, 1923, halted traffic completely. Train service was never restored when the track is abandoned February 18, 1924. By this point, the population of Searchlight plummeted to just fifty people. Like many railroads, the valuable track was removed and recycled in other lines across the county.
Today, the rail route is a popular route for Mojave explorers and mountain bikers. The townsite is Juan is located along the route at the base of the Castle Mountains.
Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad
Railroad Summary
| Name | Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad |
| Location | San Bernardino, California Clark County, Nevada |
| Length | 23 miles |
| Gauge | Standard Gauge – 4 feet 8.5 inches (1,435 mm) |
| Date of Operation | April 16, 1906–December 28, 1911 |
References
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