This one came through on my Flickr feed. She is certainly in a very dry location.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/donbrr/3155154535/

The locomotive ran within the area of Death Valley National Monument (and later Death Valley National Park); but, never in the actual valley. It was used to haul borax from Ryan to Death Valley Jct. on the Tonopah & Tidewater for eventual shipment to the processing plant in the Los Angeles area. Both of these railroads (Death Valley and the T&T) were owned by the U. S. Borax company.

After the mining operation at Ryan was closed down the two locomotives and the cars went to U.S. Potash at Carlsbad, New Mexico. When that operation was shut down it had three locomotives and all were presented for preservation. The #1 (also from the DV) was placed on display at Carlsbad, NM, the #2 to the Furnace Creek Ranch complex at Death Valley, the #3 -- and outside frame 2-8-0 one used at Morenci, Arizona -- was given to the Southern California Chapter, R&LHS, and diaplayed at Los Angeles County fairgrounds (Pomona) with the other locomotives and cars.

The Death Valley purchased a Brill motor car in the late 1920s when the Borax company was developing tourism to Death Valley. That car went to Carlsbad and then to the museum at Laws, California.

The Borax company was the original constructor of the Furnace Creek Inn back in 1927. It also converted its ranch below it into a lower cost tourist accommodation.