While not a contender for the absolute most original fabric left an often overlooked example would be the Kentucky & Tennessee Railway in Stearns, KY. Many of the Stearns Coal & Lumber structures are still standing including the office building, freight station, coal scales and outlaying buildings.

Plus the yard is more or less in its original arrangement with one of the few steam backshop buildings in the country that's still standing and there's a diesel shed (that served an ALCO S1 fleet after steam passed) that is almost like a time capsule. Then the rail line itself down to the mine areas hasn't changed with the exception of whats been pulled up past Yamacraw.

Over the years had the place been operated with proper investment and in the hands of a group that was properly interested in preserving what was there rather than just "shaving off the top" of the revenue produced by their train ride (and scamming some investor they sucker into dumping 6-7 figures into the place every few years just to leave them high and dry) the place could have rivaled the Nevada Northern.

Folks,
As a fan of Interurban railways let me add the Shore Line Trolley Museum which operates over the outer end of the Connecticut Company line to Short Beach, CT. They also own many cars from the line. And they are on the National Register of of Hsitoric Places.

The Western Railway Museum operates on a five-mile segment of the Sacramento Northern Railway. It contains the original 70 pound rails that were laid in 1913. The overhead wire is new. The museum owns a number of SN Interurbans, locomotives and work equipment. The whole 22 mile line is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Nevada Northern has already been mentioned. It is both on the National Register of Historic Places and a National Historic Landmark; indicating sites with exceptional historic value to the nation.

Ted Miles, Retired NPS and WRM Volunteer for 30 years

A corollary question might be how one gauges the importance of maintaining the railway line’s original fabric. Things wear out and decay. Obviously, nobody can keep the original crossties in track forever. Our line had a stretch of original 70 pound rail rolled in 1902 and laid in 1903. The rail wasn’t too bad but most of the joints were terrible. We considered cropping the rail and replacing the joint bars, but ultimately decided to upgrade it with newer 80 pound rail in much better condition. Most of the 70 pound rail was scrapped. We think we made the right decision. Your mileage might vary.

/s/ Larry
Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.

On an unrelated note:

Thanks in part to the dry desert climate and its relatively light traffic, the Grand Canyon Railway has plenty of locations where both original rail dating back BEFORE the line's construction (relay rail) and rail dating to the 1900-1901 constructrion time frame can be found.

As for ties, it is still possible to find ties in good enough condition on the GCRY to still have either actual date nails or holes where scavengers have removed date nails. The oldest date nail I have personally laid eyes on is 1955. The GCRY does undertake tie replacement regularly based on need, so eventually these will all disappear, but......

WOW I never knew that working at GCR. I did not realize 1910 rail dated to 1901. Also the earliest date nail found was 1909. I guess you learn something new everyday.

Robby Peartree

While not original equipment to the line, the Virginia Truckee Carson City line sure provides one of the most historic feeling rides. 1869 right of way, and 1900’s built Pullman Coaches and a steam locomotive from the same era. Quite the site!

I still think Durango gets the award, I’m not sure any other museum is still operating a route that was used in regular daily passenger service.

I was hoping the Stewartstown would be nominated, it's one of my favorite places to visit. And it is indeed like a time capsule, just look at how it meanders through the countryside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V61LheTUUk

As I understand it, most of the original RR was maintained on-site when the Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown, CA was created.

Three of the buildings on the WRM campus are related to the story of the Sacramento Northern, although none were owned by the railroad:

1. The barn which housed a connecting bus which transported rail passengers to the towns of Rio Vista and Isleton.

2. Christian Blakemore's house - he operated three storage warehouses along the SN where local farmers could store their grain and then ship it out by rail.

3. One of Blakemore's warehouses.

While it's been several years since I was last there, the South Carolina Railroad Museum in Winnsboro, SC runs over the original Rockton and Rion, with mostly original rail, ties, and lots of the original buildings still standing (albeit many are empty).

The Yakima Valley Trolley has original rail, overhead and a couple of its original cars.

The North Shore Scenic Railroad (Duluth-Two Harbors) has original rail, both depots, plus DM&IR locos and passenger cars.

Fox River Trolley Museum runs on original Aurora, Elgin & Fox River rail with a car native to the line.

Fraser Valley interurban line in BC runs on the original BC Electric with three original interurbans.

Mount Washington Cog is still original except for the diesels.

You have to also count the San Francisco cable cars and the New Orleans streetcars.
Aaron Isaacs, editor
HeritageRail Alliance

In New Mexico from Raton to Lamy and beyond, the majority of the mainline is jointed rail. Majority of the line still has the original telegraph poles running live wires, along with a impressive number (40 plus) of operational semaphores. Wood trestles, original stations, and still standing Santa Fe water towers. It truly is a main line stuck in a time warp from the 1920's.

A few years ago the answer would have been East Broad Top.

-Hudson

Not a contender but worth mentioning, if you could go back 30-40 years, was the Ohio Railway museum, track laid on the Worthington bypass of the Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway, using some rail that was uncovered during laying track, and you could ride in CD&M parlor car #501, original to the line.

Bob

Others can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe these railroads, rail facilities, and heritage sites might qualify:
-Iowa Traction
-Chicago South Shore and South Bend
-Belfast and Moosehead Lake
-Sierra Railroad (Not just the Jamestown terminal operated by the CA State Parks)
-California Western
-Eureka Springs and North Arkansas
-New York Transit Museum

Partially original stuff with operating trains:
-Virginia and Truckee, particularly in Gold Hill, NV
-Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven CT (some original mainline still in use)
-B&O Railroad Museum
-End-O-Line RR Museum
-Sioux City Iowa roundhouse at Souixland Historical Railroad Museum
-(probably some other roundhouse museums, or railroads with them, could qualify)
-Boone and Scenic Valley (Fort Dodge Line interurban remnants and high bridge)

Non-operational displays worth mentioning (equipment can move around a little):
-Laws terminal of the SP narrow gauge division
-Mining facility yards of the Quincy and Torch Lake
-Death Valley Baby Gauge mines and tracks
-Southern Forest Heritage Museum