Bringing up the rear of a heavy Nevada Northern freight, the beefy Consolidation #93 provides a mighty push that will be needed for the climb from Ely to McGill via the Hiline. For most of its length, the Nevada Northern Railway is flat as a pancake. The exceptions are two short branches, one of which extends from Ely, southwest to Keystone, where most of the mines are. The other branches off the main line north of Ely and climbs a hill to the location of the smelting plants at McGill. It is documented in historical photos that when heavy freights were run on the grades, the Nevada Northern did indeed employ pusher engines (vs. double heading) as seen here. As far as anyone can remember, this 2015 photo freight is probably the first time since the original railroad shut down, that such a freight has been recreated, and they picked a gorgeous day in February to do it!
