HISTORIC RAILROAD TRAIL
Fun Facts
The Tunnels
The Tunnels
"This is the only remaining section of Hoover Dam Railroad system that is not highly disturbed or under water. All tunnels are approximately 300 feet in length, and 25 feet in diameter. The tunnels were oversized to fit penstock sections and large equipment being transported to Hoover Dam. Nine steam and four gas locomotives and 71 peop
"This is the only remaining section of Hoover Dam Railroad system that is not highly disturbed or under water. All tunnels are approximately 300 feet in length, and 25 feet in diameter. The tunnels were oversized to fit penstock sections and large equipment being transported to Hoover Dam. Nine steam and four gas locomotives and 71 people were used to operate the system. It was a standard-gauge, 90-pound rail construction that used Oregon fir ties. This section of the railroad was used in the motion picture "The Gauntlet" starring Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke for a sequence in which they were on a motorcycle being chased by an assassin in a helicopter." - Historic Railroad Trail (2022) "Plan Your Visit" nps.gov/lake
The Tunnels
The Tunnels
The Tunnels
"Tunnel 1 has eight sections of vertical supports, five of which have horizontal planks to prevent the fall of loose rock on to the tracks so there would be few delays during the 24-hour dam building schedule. Weight from the rock has damaged the outermost, eastern arch. Tunnel 2 burned in an arson fire in 1990. You can see it looks diff
"Tunnel 1 has eight sections of vertical supports, five of which have horizontal planks to prevent the fall of loose rock on to the tracks so there would be few delays during the 24-hour dam building schedule. Weight from the rock has damaged the outermost, eastern arch. Tunnel 2 burned in an arson fire in 1990. You can see it looks different from the other tunnels. It was sprayed with shotcrete to fortify the now looser rock. Rocks excavated from the tunnels were undoubtedly used for the fills. The outermost east arch was deformed by pressure of the rock in tunnel 3. Tunnel 5 was burned in 1978 and was then sealed. The tunnel was restored, sprayed with shotcrete and reopened in July 2001. The trail continues to Hoover Dam and the visitor center parking structure." - Historic Railroad Trail (2022) "Plan Your Visit" nps.gov/lake
History
The Tunnels
History
"As you stand in the trailhead parking lot below the Lake Mead Visitor Center, it is hard to believe that in the 1930s during the Boulder Dam Construction, that this was a busy railroad switch yard. If you look hard you can still see remains of the railbed. The trail from this parking lot going east to the dam is built on the spur going t
"As you stand in the trailhead parking lot below the Lake Mead Visitor Center, it is hard to believe that in the 1930s during the Boulder Dam Construction, that this was a busy railroad switch yard. If you look hard you can still see remains of the railbed. The trail from this parking lot going east to the dam is built on the spur going to the the “Himix” site above the dam. The trail going west under the road, the River Mountains Loop Trail, follows the old rail bed 3.5 miles uphill into Boulder City. The original rail line ran 10 miles up into Boulder City, meandering through Hemenway Wash to keep the grade at or below 4 percent. Most of the line within Boulder City has been consumed by development. Lawler Junction was also known as "U.S. Government Junction." - Historic Railroad Trail (2022) "Plan Your Visit" nps.gov/lake