Curious if anyone knows if the roadbed and track are still in place. The run from Inyokern to Lone Pine ran right along the base of the Sierras. It's stunning to see. Would be a nice tourist attraction if a sight seeing train could operate from these two cities.

It is obvious that you are only partially familiar with the location and the railroad.

The trackage north of Searles (point of connection with the Trona RR) was removed several decades ago. Bridges removed. Some portions of the right-of-way near the dry Owens Lake bed were eradicated when the 395 highway was widened to four lanes total.

The line is/was too close to the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada range to provide any view of that range. It goes through a semi-arid portion of the geological region known as the "Great Basin."

Inyokern (population 1,000 ±) is a small community near the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The nearby small city off Ridgecrest (pop. 28,000) is the support community for the Naval Station and location of regional hospital and higher education facilities.

Lone Pine is located in the southern part of the Owens Valley and has a population of about 2,000. Like other towns in the Owens Valley, its economy is primarily based on tourists traveling through the region. Some of these travelers are headed all the way north to Reno/Sparks/Carson City while others are going to the ski resort community of Mammoth Lakes.

I travel though this area several times a year to get from the Los Angeles are to Reno or Carson City. I was just though the area this last week.