TRONA, Calif. — The remote, unincorporated town of Trona is used to earthquakes. But not the type that hit on Feb. 3.
Searles Valley Minerals President and CEO Dennis Cruise announced in a company-wide letter that the soda ash mining company would reduce its workforce by about half. Included will be many of its railroad workers who haul the product to the Union Pacific Railroad interchange at Searles. The layoffs are scheduled to begin in early April.
The economy of Trona, established in 1913, is almost exclusively dependent on mining and SVM’s plant produces soda ash, boron, and salt. It is also known for its industrial landscape, extreme heat, and proximity to the unique Trona Pinnacles. Just west of Death Valley National Park and about 25 miles northeast of Ridgecrest, Calif.,Trona had a population of about 1,800 as of the 2020 census.
Cruise’s letter explained the company was fighting stiff competition from other sources both in the U.S. and abroad. He stressed this was not a prelude to a full closing, but hopefully only temporarily until world markets improved.
Railway to continue operation
The SVM-owned Trona Railway, owned by SVM, is a magnet for railfans. The railway will continue to operate, but on a reduced schedule with reduced carloadings; visiting fans will be far less certain of seeing a train.
Known for trains with four or more second-hand, six-axle EMD locomotives and 80-plus cars, the railroad will now operate much shorter trains multiple times per week. Unit trains of exports for the Port of Long Beach will operate on a much lower volume, if at all. A planned order for new Tier 4 six-axle units has been put on hold.
— To report news or errors, contact trainsnewswire@firecrown.com.
Share this article
