2014 Nevada/Mojave mines, ghost towns

[Ray Dunakin]

I finally finished posting a report on my latest adventure, exploring old mines and ghost towns in Nevada and the Mojave desert:

http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Nevada_Trip_2014_Part_One.html

Lots of good modeling reference here, especially mines, mills, etc. Railroad-related items of interest include a cabin made from a narrow gauge box car at Buckhorn Mine, and a wooden Las Vegas & Salt Lake RR caboose at Rhyolite. I also got detailed photos of a Skagit B-20 Logging and Loading Donkey, which was being used to operate a steep aerial tram at the Gray Eagle Mine.

Sites I visited this year include:

Viking Mine, CA
Buckhorn Mine, CA
Saline Valley, CA
Gray Eagle Mine, CA
Bunker Hill Mine, CA
North Star Mines, NV
Black Hawk Mine, NV
Silver Gulch Mine, NV
Belleville, NV
Reward Mine, NV
Warner Corral, NV
Gunmetal Mine, NV
Turquoise Bonanza Mine, NV
Simon, NV
Rawhide Ranch, NV
Illinois Mill, NV
Illinois Mine, NV
Quartz Mountain and the San Rafael Mine, NV
Broken Hills Mine, NV
West Lodi Mine, NV
Victory Mine, NV
Buffalo Summit, NV
Knickerbocker, NV
Ione, NV
Pigeon Springs, NV
Sylvania Mountain Mine, NV
Log Spring, NV
Olsen's Folly, NV
Willow Spring, CA
Bonnie Claire, NV
Thorp's Well, NV
Rhyolite, NV
Death Valley Junction, CA
Danby, CA

I've also added a lot of new photos to my Modeler's Resource pages:

http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Modelers_Resource.html

These are images of weathered wood, metal, steel drums, and much more -- all great reference for modeling and weathering.

[Chuck Doan]

Thanks for posting Ray. Another good trip, at least you didn't need the satellite radio this time!

[finescalerr]

Thank you for providing a good modeling resource. -- Russ

[mabloodhound]

More great photos Ray.   I enjoy reading about your trips and looking at the photos.

[Ray Dunakin]

BTW, one of the more amusing things I saw on this trip was an open-air toilet made from a small steel drum (looked like about 20-30 gallons), with a toilet seat bolted to it, and handles made from horseshoes:





I can't help wondering why it needed handles -- perhaps to keep the user from "blasting off"??

[finescalerr]

Good one. Other possibilities: Hold here in case of earthquake. Hold here in case of Alzheimer's. Hold here in case you're too small.

And the most obnoxious of all: If you are thirsty, hold here and pour ....

Don't blame me. You started it.

ssuR

[Ray Dunakin]

After thinking about it a bit, my guess is that the handles are so it can easily be moved when the shallow hole fills up. (The bottom of the can is cut out.)