# Trona Railway > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Trona_Railway > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Trona_Railway.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trona_Railway > Source revision: 1353587430 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Short-line railroad in eastern California Trona Railway Overview Headquarters Trona, California Reporting mark TRC Locale Mojave Desert, California Dates of operation March 12, 1913–Present Technical Track gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Length 30.5 miles (49.1 km) The **Trona Railway** ([reporting mark](/source/Reporting_mark) **TRC**) is a 30.5 mi (49.1 km) [short-line railroad](/source/Short-line_railroad) owned by [Searles Valley Minerals](/source/Searles_Valley_Minerals_Inc.). The TRC interchanges with the [Lone Pine Subdivision](/source/Lone_Pine_Subdivision) of the [Union Pacific Railroad](/source/Union_Pacific_Railroad) (former [Southern Pacific Transportation Company](/source/Southern_Pacific_Transportation_Company)) at Searles, California. ## History The railroad was built by the [American Trona Company](/source/Searles_Valley_Minerals#American_Trona_Company) in 1914, to bring the mining company's [potash](/source/Potash) to an interchange with the [Southern Pacific Railroad](/source/Southern_Pacific_Railroad).[1] The company and its Trona Railway has had various subsequent owners, including American Potash & Chemical Corporation, [Kerr-McGee Corporation](/source/Kerr-McGee_Corporation), [IMC Global](/source/IMC_Global), [Sun Capital, LLC](/source/Sun_Capital_Partners), before the current ownership of Searles Valley Minerals, Inc. On Dec. 27 2007, Karnavati Holdings, a subsidiary of Nirma Limited, acquired all of Searles Valley Minerals, Inc.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In the 1920s, the [Epsom Salts Monorail](/source/Epsom_Salts_Monorail) delivered [epsomite](/source/Epsomite) to the Trona Railway at Magnesium Siding, about 11 miles (18 km) south of Trona. This unique system extended 28 miles (45 km) eastwards into the [Owlshead Mountains](/source/Owlshead_Mountains), was in use from 1924 to 1926, and was dismantled in the late 1930s.[2] ### Construction Route in 1930 The idea of building a standard gauge railroad to replace mule-drawn wagons came from Stafford W. Austin, the receiver of the American Trona Corporation. The railroad would connect Searles Valley with a lower cost connection to the markets within the United States and to ocean ports for exports. On 27 September 1913 the wife of Joseph Hutchinson broke ground with an old fashioned plow, to start the construction of Trona Railroad. The work force of 400 included American, Chinese, Greek, Hindu, Mexican, Irish, Norwegian and Swedish workers. They finished the task within 6 months despite battling occasional sandstorms. The construction was event-free, apart from one runaway tank car down the track from Searles Station. This struck the construction train and derailed several cars without causing injuries. The construction of the 31-mile-long (50 km) track was completed by end of March 1914, and the first excursion was conducted in May 1914.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*][3] ### Steam locomotives Baldwin steam locomotive of Trona Railway The operation began with two new oil-fired Baldwin 2-8-0 steam locomotives. The locomotives weighed 104 tonnes each and their boilers produced steam at 200 pounds pressure. When they were coupled together, they had a combined pulling capacity of 500 tons.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] This 24"-gauge engine was owned by the West End Consolidated Mining Company, and used at its facility in Trona, California. The engine is now on display at [Knott's Berry Farm](/source/Knott's_Berry_Farm) in Buena Park, California. Number Builder Type Date Works number Notes[4] 1 Baldwin Locomotive Works 2-8-0 1914 41157 purchased new, scrapped by 1949. 2 Baldwin Locomotive Works 2-8-0 1914 41158 purchased new, scrapped by 1949. 2701 American Locomotive Company 2-8-2 1914 54395 built as Union Pacific Railroad #2701; purchased from Six Companies, Inc. at Hoover Dam about 1936, scrapped by 1949. ### Passenger service In addition to carrying inbound fuel oil and outbound fertilizer and chemical products from the new chemical plants in Searles Valley, the Trona Railway also carried passengers to and from Trona. Regular passenger services continued until 1937. A self-propelled coach for pupils of Westend, South Trona and Borosolvay to attend the school in Trona ran up to 1941. This coach was sold in 1941 to the [California Western Railroad](/source/California_Western_Railroad) as their number M-200 for the [Skunk Train](/source/Skunk_Train) from [Willits, California](/source/Willits%2C_California), to [Fort Bragg, California](/source/Fort_Bragg%2C_California).[4] It was sold to the [Niles Canyon Railway](/source/Niles_Canyon_Railway) in 1975.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ### World War I In 1914 Searles Lake was one of only two known potash deposits outside of Germany. By 1916 potash was transported via the Trona Railway to farmers, who needed fertilizer, to feed the nation during World War I.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ### Three Elephant Route The name *Three Elephant Route* was created, because many of the railroad's employees were British and did not understand why the company should hold on to its heritage of 20 mule teams. As the story goes, they felt that three elephants could have done the job as well, if not better, than a herd of mules. The slogan was used as a brand and logo, which adorned Trona Railway equipment into the late 1940s.[4] ### Diesel locomotives Four diesel locomotives of Trona Railway, 2017 In April 1949 the Trona Railway purchased two new [Baldwin DT-6-6-2000](/source/Baldwin_DT-6-6-2000) locomotives (numbered 50 and 51) to replace the three steam locomotives that were operating at the time. These weighed 180 tons each and had 2000 hp motors. These locomotives were unique in that they had center cabs, not the traditional cabs in the front.[4] Six of the Diesels heading into Trona, captured from the main road. Some have now been repainted into TRC Livery (Plain black) September 2022 Locomotive No 52 was a smaller Baldwin AS 616 that only developed 1,600 hp. Eventually, two more AS 616 locomotives were added to the fleet to bring the total to five. A small diesel-electric locomotive called *Dinky* was used for switching in the rail yards. A crew car was used for safety inspections of the rail track and to bring employees to the site of track maintenance.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] The Baldwins were sold in late 1992, replaced with six leased [EMD SD45-2](/source/EMD_SD45-2)'s, all painted in red and silver similar to the earlier Baldwins. These in turn were replaced in 2004 by the current fleet (as of February 2021) of seven [EMD SD40-2](/source/EMD_SD40-2) and [EMD SD40T-2](/source/SD40T-2) locomotives, all of which remain in the faded color schemes of their former owners, Union Pacific and Southern Pacific, in which one of these locomotives still wears the SP's "Kodachrome" scheme from the [attempted merger](/source/Santa_Fe%E2%80%93Southern_Pacific_merger) between the SP and the [Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway](/source/Atchison%2C_Topeka_and_Santa_Fe_Railway).[5] At least one [EMD SW1200](/source/EMD_SW1200) switcher was also on the roster.[6] SW1200 #2000 was scrapped in 2021 and SD9E #2001 was scrapped in 2023. In 2025, as a result of the company downsizing their roster, SD40-2s #2007, #2008 and #2009 were scrapped, and their components were shipped off to South Korea. SD40T-2 #2006 was sold to SPTX in 2025 and as of 2026 is awaiting a prime mover change-out. The two SD40Rs #2002 and #2003, along with the remaining two SD40T-2s #2004 and #2005 are awaiting retirement and disposition. ## Operations The main line runs from Trona to the interchange with the Union Pacific's Lone Pine Subdivision at Searles, a distance of 30.6 miles (49.2 km). It has a maximum grade of 1.9% and has gentle curves, which permit a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h). The railroad handles 18,000 cars annually (1996 estimate). Commodities hauled include: - [Sulfuric acid](/source/Sulfuric_acid) - [Soda ash](/source/Soda_ash) - [Potash](/source/Potash) - [Salt cake](/source/Salt_cake) - [Borax](/source/Borax) - [Coal](/source/Coal) - [Minerals](/source/Minerals) - Material for the U.S. [Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake](/source/Naval_Air_Weapons_Station_China_Lake) ## Jobs and OPS Trona runs twice a day. Both going on duty at 1330 PST ## See also - [United States Potash Railroad](/source/United_States_Potash_Railroad): a potash railroad in New Mexico ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-svtimeline_1-0)** [Searles Valley Historical Society.org: Searles Valley History Timeline](http://www1.iwvisp.com/svhs/SVTimeLine.htm) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Jahns, Richard H. ["The Epsom Salts Line - Monorail to Nowhere"](http://www.dzwirner.ch/resources/Eisenbahn/Monorail/Epsom.pdf) (PDF). (Republished in *[Trains and Travel](/source/Trains_(magazine))*, October 1951) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Myrick, David F. (1992). [*Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California*](https://archive.org/details/railroadsofnevad0002myri). Vol. II: The Southern Roads (Revised ed.). Reno, Nevada: [University of Nevada Press](/source/University_of_Nevada_Press). p. 802. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-87417-194-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-87417-194-6). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-wrr_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-wrr_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-wrr_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-wrr_4-3) Fickewirth, Alvin A. (1953). "The Three Elephant Route". *The Western Railroader*. **16** (161). Francis A. Guido: 1–7. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Trona Railway – TRC"](http://www.trainweb.org/rosters/TRC.html). *TrainWeb*. 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2022-02-06. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Lawrence, E., "Trona - Jurassic Park for old EMD's," *[Trains](/source/Trains_magazine)* Locomotive annual 2021 - [California portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:California) - [Railways portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Railways) ## Bibliography - Fickewirth, Alvin A. (1992). *California railroads: an encyclopedia of cable car, common carrier, horsecar, industrial, interurban, logging, monorail, motor road, shortlines, streetcar, switching and terminal railroads in California (1851-1992)*. San Marino, CA: Golden West Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-87095-106-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-87095-106-8). - Stindt, Fred A. (1996). *American Shortline Railway Guide* (5th ed.). Waukesha, Wisconsin: [Kalmbach Publishing](/source/Kalmbach_Publishing). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-89024-290-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-89024-290-9). - Walker, Mike (1997). *Steam Powered Video's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America - California and Nevada* (Post Merger ed.). Kent, United Kingdom: Steam Powered Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-874745-08-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-874745-08-0). v t e Railroads of California Common carriers Class I BNSF Railway Union Pacific Railroad Class II Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad Class III Arizona and California Railroad Baja California Railroad California Northern Railroad Goose Lake Railway Merced County Central Valley Railroad Northwestern Pacific Railroad Sacramento Valley Railroad San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad San Francisco Bay Railroad San Joaquin Valley Railroad Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Santa Maria Valley Railroad Sierra Northern Railway Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad Trona Railway Ventura County Railroad Yreka Western Railroad Terminal railway Central California Traction Company Los Angeles Junction Railway Modesto and Empire Traction Company West Oakland Pacific Railroad Pacific Harbor Line Quincy Railroad Richmond Pacific Railroad Passenger carriers Inter-city rail Amtrak California Zephyr Coast Starlight Southwest Chief Sunset Limited Texas Eagle Amtrak California Capitol Corridor Gold Runner Pacific Surfliner Commuter rail Altamont Corridor Express Caltrain Coaster Metrolink 91/Perris Valley Antelope Valley Arrow Inland Empire–Orange County Orange County Riverside San Bernardino Ventura County North County Transit District Coaster Sprinter SMART Mass transit BART eBART Metro Rail Muni cable cars Market Street Railway Muni Metro SacRT San Diego Trolley VTA Under construction Brightline West California High-Speed Rail OC Streetcar Private carriers Edwards Air Force Base Southern California Railroad USG Corporation West Isle Line, Inc. Heritage railroads Calico and Odessa Railroad California Trolley and Railroad Corporation California Western Railroad Disneyland Monorail Disneyland Railroad Ghost Town & Calico Railroad Niles Canyon Railway Napa Valley Wine Train Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Poway–Midland Railroad Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway Sierra Railroad Sacramento RiverTrain Sacramento Southern Railroad Western Pacific Railroad Museum Western Railway Museum Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad See also Former carriers in California List of United States railroads by political division --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Trona Railway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trona_Railway) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trona_Railway?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.