Jawbone Branch

With the construction of the L.A. aqueduct in 1908, the Southern Pacific took the opportunity to build a long sought after standard gauge connection with Mohave and Los Angeles. Phil Serpico has out a wonderful book on the route entitled Jawbone.

The Jawbone branch was in service to Lone Pine until 1982 when a tunnel fire at Searles resulted in the northern portions abandonment. The rails between Searles Junction and the Owens Lake were finally torn up in 2000. Some of those rails are now owned by the CCRW.