Bluestone Mining & Smelting Co. #1. Visiting from the Roots of Motive Power Museum in Willits, CA is this 47-ton, 2-Truck Heisler Locomotive, built in 1916. Although she looks out of place at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, she did in fact spend some of her working life in Nevada, having worked for the Bluestone Mining and Smelting Company and the Mason Valley Mines Company, from their mines to the railroad’s connection with the Nevada Copper Belt Railroad Company at Mason, Nevada. After passing through several owners, she was acquired by a private owner and is now on long-term loan the Roots of Motive Power Museum, which restored her to operation. A standard guage, oil-burner, this locomotive operates periodically at the museum, and came by truck to NSRM for the Great Western Steam-Up in July, 2002, where she pulled passenger excursions almost every day of the event. Interestingly, if you look closely, this engine operates without any boiler insulation or jacket, and apparently has done so since she was restored.
