Southern Pacific Railroad, Carlin Shops, Foot of Sixth Street, Carlin, Elko County, NV

Significance: The Central Pacific First Transcontinental Railroad is a segment of the western half of the first transcontinental railroad, built from Sacramento, California to Promontory Summit, Utah between 1863 and 1869, where it joined the Union Pacific Railroad which had built west from Omaha. For the purpose of the current project, the first transcontinental railroad was found likely to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places at the national level of significance under Criterion A for its significance in transportation history, in uniting the East and the West, and in the development of the West. The railroad's period of significance is 1869 to 1945, from the line's completion in 1869, through the years of its role in the settlement and development of the West, to the conclusion of the railroad's achievements in World War II. The Carlin Shops, a contributive component of the larger historic property, also appears to meet National Register Criterion A at the local level for its association with the founding and subsequent development of Carlin. The Carlin Yards and Shops were the headquarters of the railroad's Humboldt Division, and are significant for their continuity of railroad focus. From original construction in 1869 until the present, Carlin has remained an important facility, providing running repairs to locomotives, crew changes, re-icing of refrigerator cars, machine shop services, and rail yard services.
Survey number: HAER NV-26
Building/structure dates: 1868-1925 Initial Construction