Mojave National Preserve
California
Kelso Depot Visitor Center

Poised halfway between Barstow, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, the Kelso Depot was constructed at the start of a long uphill grade that rises 2,500 feet—a hefty climb for a steam locomotive. Kelso was the perfect place to house helper engines, which would pull locomotives up the hill toward Cima, remove their payload, then turn around and do it all over again. Nearby Cornfield Spring was an excellent source of water, a crucial ingredient in the operation of coal-fired steam engines.

Union Pacific Railroad used a Mission Revival style on their depots, like the one in Kelso, which housed a restaurant called the Beanery to serve passengers and the railroad’s crews.” On the second floor, office space and bedrooms were used by railroad employees; downstairs, public areas gave weary travelers a place to relax and play billiards. Church services were held on most Sundays.

In the years between World War I and World War II, Kelso was a hub of activity. The Vulcan Mine provided iron ore during WWII, yielding the raw materials for steel produced at a mill in Fontana, California, where the Victory ships were constructed. Growing industry boosted the city’s population to a peak of 2,000.

But when the war came to an end, Kelso’s prosperity soon followed. Another mine in the region was found to yield higher-quality iron ore. Steam locomotives gave way to diesel engines, which didn’t require water, could climb hills without assistance, and were so reliable there was no need to house mechanics at every stop. The city’s population slowly declined and the depot finally shut its doors in 1985. Union Pacific made plans to demolish the structure.

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Copyright © 1995 - 2007 Steve Schmorleitz. All rights reserved.
Revised: June 24, 2008.
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