The Coaling Tower: A Monument to Steam and Change

In the early days of the Nevada Northern Railway, keeping steam locomotives fueled was no easy task. Coal had to be hand-shoveled into each engine—a slow, backbreaking job, especially with a roster of over a dozen locomotives. But progress was on the horizon.

By 1914, World War I had erupted in Europe. While the United States remained neutral at first, tensions were rising fast. Behind the scenes in Ely, big changes were underway. On July 31, 1916, internal communications began to appear in the railroad’s records—initial steps toward building a coaling tower that would revolutionize how locomotives were fueled.

On August 5, 1916, Purchasing Agent J.K. MacGowan submitted plans to build the structure out of concrete rather than steel, which had become prohibitively expensive due to the war. Over the next two years, a flurry of letters, proposals, and engineering challenges delayed the project.

A letter dated September 12, 1916, noted that construction would be delayed until spring due to weather and concerns about protecting the structure during the build. And when the spiral staircase was ordered—65 feet tall at a cost of $5 per foot—it arrived five feet short, prompting yet another round of correspondence in October 1916 as a solution was worked out.

Meanwhile, the Nevada Northern was preparing to expand. Around this same time, Locomotive #81 was ordered to meet the growing wartime demand for copper. It arrived in Ely on April 5, 1917. The very next day, the United States officially entered World War I.

Despite the global upheaval, construction pressed on. On October 30, 1917, the towering coaling structure—standing 74 feet tall—was completed and placed into service. It quickly became a vital part of the yard, streamlining operations and symbolizing the railroad’s evolution into the modern age.

Over the decades, the tower was modified to accommodate slack coal and sand, adapting to the changing needs of steam operations. Today, it remains one of the most iconic structures in the East Ely Railyard.

More than just concrete and steel, the Coaling Tower is a monument to innovation, industry, and resilience. When you visit the railyard, look up—and remember that this century-old giant once powered the locomotives that helped fuel a nation at war.

Want to dig deeper?
Explore our online archives for original letters, blueprints, and photographs from the Coaling Tower’s incredible history.