Railroad Valley is a large basin in east-central Nevada. Approximately 80 miles (130 km) in length and up to 20 miles (32 km) wide, it generally runs in a north-south direction, with some southern areas running southwest to northeast. The southern end of the valley begins near Gray Top Mountain (7,036 feet) and stretches north all the way to Mount Hamilton (10,745 feet). To the east are the Quinn Canyon, Grant, and White Pine Ranges, while to the west are the Pancake and Reveille Ranges. Most of the valley lies in Nye County, but it crosses into White Pine County at its northern end.
The central portion of Railroad Valley, looking southwest from the summit of Troy Peak.
The Railroad Valley is home to four separate Wildlife Management Areas, all named "Railroad Valley WMA". Several small communities are located in the valley, including Currant, Crows Nest, Green Springs, Lockes, and Nyala. Most of Nevada's oil production (totalling about 553,000 barrels during 2002) comes from several small oil fields in Railroad Valley, including Eagle Springs, Trap Spring, and Grant Canyon oil fields.
References
Nevada Atlas & Gazetteer, 2001, pgs. 47, 55, and 61
Further Reading
"A History of Railroad Valley Nevada",
by Robert D. McCracken and Jeanne Sharp Howerton
(1996),
ISBN 0-9639119-6-1
Encyclopedia
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