Nevada Northern Keystone Branch (Ch. 84, 161.370 MHz)
In its heyday, the Nevada Northern connected to the Southern Pacific at Cobre and the Western Pacific at Shafter, running roughly due south across the desert to reach a wye on the east side with the short branch to McGill, at McGill Junction (MP 128.4). The track north of McGill Junction is now owned by a shortline, and is out of service south of Currie (MP 63.0). From McGill Junction, today's Nevada Northern heads south, single track, Yard Limits, Train Orders, maximum speed 15 mph, turning curvily just west of due south, past J&M Spur, where the line turns south-southwest, HiLine (MP 135.4), junction with the Adverse Branch trailing in on the east side, where the line turns southwest, and Mosier.
The line turns just west-northwest, past East Ely junction (MP 138.7), where the stub of the erstwhile line through Ely departs on the south side, with four yard tracks to the north of the stub line, a wye on the south side connecting to an even shorter stub, s grade crossing with wigwag signals, two sets of three yard tracks on the north side the large stone East Ely depot (MP 139.1), on the south side, a wooden freight house on the south side, the coaling tower on the north ayrd, and the engine house on the north side. along with many other smaller yard buildings.
The Bypass Track, to the north of the stub to the depot and yard, has two tracks at the former Ore Yard, a road to the north, Calumet, where the line turns southwest, the road turning across the Lackawanna grade crossing, two wooden loading docks on the north side, a Yard Limit sign, housing (Ely) to the east and a hillside to the west, a dirt road grade crossing on an embankment, and two dirt track grade crossings, after which the line turns west, past a dirt road grade crossing, a wooden platform to the south, where the erstwhile line once trailed in on the south side, and a road (US 50) alongside to the south, through 370 ft. Tunnel 1 (MP 140.5), curving slightly to the northwest with a retaining wall to the south, and then west again through a 345 ft. Tunnel (MP 140.7), within which US 50 crosses to the north side
The line turns west-northwest, with US 50 to the north, past MP 143, a dirt road grade crossing, another dirt road grade crossing at the east end of the siding on the south side at Lane City (MP 143.8), the rim of a copper mine pit well above the line to the south, a turn north-northwest, extra track to the south, and MP 145, and then southwest, to Keystone (MP 145.8), where there is a wye on the south side, with a cemetery on the south side of teh east leg of the wye, and a road bridge overhead on the west leg of the wye.
The wye leads to a track heading just west of due south, now owned by the KGHM mine, Lone Tree Road, where an erstwhile track to Copper Flat, the Liberty Pit, and Veteran once left on the south side, and the line turns just north of due west, past Ruth (MP 147.3), the Tripp Pit off to the south, and the end of the line at Sunshine (MP 148.3), just short of Riepetown, with the Veteran Pit off to the southwest.