Kennecott Copper Corp #81

General Electric was no stranger to electric locomotives. Starting in 1904 with a prototype locomotive for the New York Central at Grand Central Terminal, GE became one of the primary builders of electric locomotives in the United States for the first half of the 20th Century.

Into the 1930’s, both the Nevada Northern and Nevada Consolidated Copper Co, predecessor to Kennecott, were 100% reliant on steam locomotives to power their trains across the railroad. However, the first electric shovels appeared in the Liberty Pit in 1931. These shovels were capable of saving Nevada Con $100 per 8-hour shift. Very quickly, electric shovels began taking over in the pit, powered via the power plant at the McGill Smelter.

In 1937, Nevada Con (now a subsidiary of Kennecott) began electrifying the railroad yard for the rotary dumper and crusher at the end of the Hi-Line. The small electric district was electrified at 750 volts DC, and a single 75-ton electric locomotive was purchased, #80. Eventually, it was decided to acquire a second electric locomotive to assist #80 at McGill.

Chino, New Mexico was home to the Chino Copper Company, which had merged with Ray Consolidated Copper in 1924, and then with Nevada Con in 1926, and became part of Kennecott in 1943 as the Chino Mines Division. Electrification of Chino’s pit operations began in 1939, and 7 locomotives were purchased. An additional locomotive came in 1940, and between 1941 and 42 five more numbered #58-62 were delivered. These were 85-ton locomotives.

#58 was transferred from Chino Mines to McGill in 1963, and was renumbered to #81 to correspond with #80 already at work. When the McGill facility was shut down in 1983, both electrics were placed in storage. In 1993, #81 was part of the last train to leave McGill as part of equipment being donated to the Nevada Northern Railway Museum.

Currently, #81 is stored here at the Nevada Northern, while #80 is on display at the White Pine Public Museum.