The entire remaining town of Ralston.	Old Bullfrog Goldfield RR Car at Ralston. Former grade (present road) in background.

In March 2001 I explored this northernmost segment of the old line. Just north of Lida Junction I found a good graded dirt road branching east from Highway 95 into the Ralston Valley along what was once the railroad grade. This segment is quite spectacular, with a backdrop of snow-covered mountains to the east, a dry lake in the middle distance, and the entire valley sprinkled with Joshua trees. Ralston itself is marked by some battered piece of former BG rolling stock that must have served as a station building of some sort. Alongside the grade there is also another (collapsed) wooden building and a large water tank which may well date from railroad days. Ralston is reachable by low clearance sedans on a graded road, but from there north the route is very unfrequented and degenerates into a 4WD road strewn with a lot of sharp rocks.
 

Picturesque Ralston Valley. Vehicle partly hidden by RR grade berm crossing center of picture from left to right.	Climbing out of Rallston Valley; RR berm on right.

Continuing north, the road travels alongside the old railroad berm as it approaches the low hills southeast of Goldfield. Meandering through many miles of rough, rocky terrain, it uses the old grade itself at times, while at others it pursues its own route parallel to the grade. Nearer Goldfield as you wind through the hills, large sections of the grade are very well preserved as it goes through cuts, rockwork and across huge berms. There are very few if any ties in evidence here, but a sprinkling of old spikes remain. These are well preserved, not rusted away like those on the Beatty-Bonnie Claire section near the salty Sarcobatus Flat. Somewhere in this area I managed to get a blowout in a front tire due to a sharp rock piercing the sidewall.

Finally, the 4WD road meets a more well-travelled section which runs atop the old grade itself and heads northwest into the Goldfield mining area. Driving along this section, which is a smooth and well-graded road, it is easy to imagine trundling onto Goldfield on the train and passing by the many active mines. Numerous headframes and mine dumps remain in this area. These, along with the substantial earthworks of the old railroad grade crossing deep ravines and mountainsides make for a spectacular entrance to Goldfield.
 

The road uses the railroad berm for some sections. A flat tire from a sharp rock (probably hit while passing through a very rough section in a cut to the south), was experienced about here!	Approaching Goldfield, the grade is in excellent condition and is used as a mining road. Large fills cross some very deep gullies.

The entire segment from Ralston to Goldfield is very remote and rugged. Explorers of this and other segments reported on these pages should bear in mind that no tow service will come and retrieve you here, so go prepared with plenty of water, spare parts, and more than one vehicle.
 

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