Tucked away at the back of the East Ely Engine House are a couple of pieces of the Nevada Northern collection that haven't been out much lately. On the left is the Alco RS-3 Locomotive #109. Until the last couple of years, this piece was quite active during the annual Winter Photo Shoots, hauling hopper trains and serving as the yard goat, to make up trains. Alas, this engine needs some mechanical work, and while it is technically operable, it is sidelined until the funding, parts and shop time can be allocated to get it done. The museum considers the 109 to be an "honorary steam locomotive", because it produces more black smoke than Baldwin #40.
On the right, is the museum's 1907-vintage, Alco-Cooke Rotary Snow Plow, which is designated "Rotary B." Inactive for many decades, this plow sat derelict in a corner of the engine house, looking very run down. A couple of years ago however, the museum crew was able to perform a cosmetic restoration, replacing much of the wooden siding and painting and lettering it as it appeared when in service. The wheels, bearings and brakes are such that the unit can be run on a train, but there are still some clearance issues with intake and flanger blades that keep it restricted to the yard for now. It has ventured out on recent photo shoots and in a snowstorm, it looks very convincing. Unfortunately, it would take a fair amount of money and work to make its machinery operable, so it could actually plow snow. Given that the museum doesn't operate much in the winter time, and that Ely seldom receives heavy snowfall, it is unlikely that a mechanical restoration will happen anytime soon.
