Tucson, Cornelia & Gila Bend #401

The Tucson, Cornelia & Gila Bend #401 motorcar was built by the Edwards motor Car Company 1926. It ran on a railroad out of Gila Bend Arizona. After retirement it spent some time at a museum in California, then it was rented out to the revived tourist Virginia & Truckee in Virginia City. It was painted red and given the name "Washoe Zephyr", and operated there for one year, 1976. Later it was purchased by the Nevada State Railroad Museum and returned back to its Tucson, Cornelia & Gila Bend colors.

Date Uploaded: September 24, 2026

Permanent Link: http://wnhpc.com/details/fb1692166529582689

Contributor: Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City on Facebook

Source: Facebook: Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City

Source URL: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1692166529582689&set=a.553812393418114

Source Caption: We are getting excited for the Motor Car Rally during Labor Day weekend when we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the construction of motor car No. 401! The museum will be highlighting a motor car that will be featured at the Motor Car Rally for its Wayback Wednesday posts now until the week of Labor Day.Today, we will be featuring the reason for the Motor Car Rally: Tucson, Cornelia & Gila Bend No. 401 Edwards Motor Car. The TC&GB No. 401 was built by the Edwards motor Car Company of Sanford, North Carolina, in 1926. The total cost of the motor car was $10,465, which would be just over $195,000 in 2026 dollars. The 401 operated between the Phelps Dodge copper mine at Ajo, Arizona, and the Southern Pacific Railroad connection at Gila Bend, Arizona. The original Continental gas engine was replaced with a larger White engine in 1943. The TC&GB discontinued regular passenger service on December 31, 1947 and No. 401 was taken out of service. No. 401 was used on occasion until 1955 when it was finally retired, having logged over 783,000 miles on the TC&GB.Phelps Dodge donated No. 401 to Travel Town at Griffith Park in Los Angeles in 1956. In 1963, Travel Town traded No. 401 to collector Lindley Bothwell for two Los Angeles horse cars. Bothwell sold No. 401 to Short Line Enterprises in 1975 who restored the car to operation. It was lettered “V&T No. 50 Washoe Zephyr” and used on the new V&T during the 1976 operating season. In January 1985, the Friends of the Nevada State Railroad Museum purchased No. 401 for operations at the museum. In 1997, a Diesel engine and hydraulic driver was installed. Later, in 1999, the museum restored No. 401 to its TC&GB livery. No. 401 is used during motor car operating weekends at the museum, as well as for school and group tours.We hope to see you at Motor Car Rally! Don't miss out on this unique event and your chance to ride in some amazing motor cars.Tickets for the event can be purchased at: https://www.carsonrailroadmuseum.org/event/motor-car-rally/Photo of No. 401 from 1946 taken on the Tucson, Cornelia & Gila Bend. Photo by Gerald Best.#WaybackWednesday #MotorCarRally #NevadaStateRailroadMuseum See less

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