Virginia and Truckee Railroad -- July 7, 2022

Gold Hill Daily News, 17-July-1872

The Virginia and Truckee connected Carson City and Virginia City in Nevada. At the time of this 1872 advertisement, the line from Carson City to Reno was still being built. Passengers for Reno connected with stage coaches to Reno at Steamboat Springs.

Virginia and Truckee Railway -- November 17, 2020

 

Gardnerville Record-Courier, 05-November-1920

The Virginia and Truckee connected Reno with Carson City and Virginia City in Nevada. A branch ran from Carson City south to Minden. The railroad was very profitable while the Comstock Lode was producing silver and gold. 

National Train Day 2015 -- May 9, 2015

Happy National Train Day, everyone.  I took this photo of Dayton, Sutro and Carson Valley locomotive 1, the Joe Douglass, a narrow gauge Porter 0-4-2T, built in 1882.   I took the photos when we visited the Nevada State Railroad Museum in 2011. 

National Train Day #2 -- May 12, 2012

Today is National Train Day:
http://nationaltrainday.com/

I took the photo of McCloud River #18 in July, 2011 when we rode the recently extended Virginia and Truckee from Carson City to Virginia City, where the engine poses. 

Train Station #44 -- March 6, 2012

Reno's Southern Pacific Freight House. The trench with the tracks is visible to the left of the Freight House. The Freight House district is a redevelopment project that includes the ballpark of Reno's AAA Pacific Coast League team, the Aces.

I took the photo during our visit in July.

Train Station #42 -- January 6, 2012

The Southern Pacific built this depot in 1926. The Virginia and Truckee shared the depot until 1950. In the late 1970s, my family took the California Zephyr from Oakland 16th Street to Reno. We arrived at this station. A few years ago, the ReTRAC project eliminated grade crossings by putting the tracks into a trench. At the same time, the station was expanded. The new Amtrak addition has many relics that archaeologists dug up during the project.

I took the photo in July, 2011, but the sign over the door advertises National Train Day in May.

Train Station #41 -- December 9, 2011

The Southern Pacific's former Wabuska depot now sits on the grounds of the Nevada State Railroad Museum (http://nsrm-friends.org/) in Carson City.  It serves as ticket office and waiting room for the steam train and motor car rides around the grounds. Here is the platform with Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend motor car 401. I took the photo during our visit in July.

Train Station #40 -- November 7, 2011

The current Virginia and Truckee depot in Virginia City is a combination car. The train on the left is waiting to leave for Eastgate on the edge of Carson City. The track between the train and the station will hold the short-run train when it gets back from Gold Hill.

The original Virginia City passenger depot is a private home which I forgot to photograph. Its successor was beyond Tunnel #6 which is not presently open. That depot burned many years ago. The freight depot still stands, but I did not get to visit it.

Train Station #39 -- October 8, 2011

Gold Hill Depot on the Virginia and Truckee Railroad opened in 1869. It was in terrible shape when I first saw in the 1970s. Note the sign for the "Gold Hill Depot Rehabilitation Project."

 I took the photo during our visit in July. McCloud River engine #18, which was pulling our train from Eastgate to Virginia City, is just visible beyond the depot.

Train Station #38 -- September 12, 2011

The current Carson City terminal of the Virginia and Truckee Railway is Eastgate Station. Eventually they hope to extend the line into the canyon of the Carson River. Porta potties are hiding behind the false front in the background. The end of the line waiting for the train is just visible.

I took the photo during our visit in July.

Firehouse #47 -- September 8, 2011

Liberty Engine Company #1's Nevada State Firemen's Museum. Virginia City hosts a big firemen's muster every summer. I took the photo during our visit in July.

Door #13 -- August 14, 2011

The main entrance to Harrah's Reno, where we stayed during our visit last month.

Alley #22 - August 11, 2011

Douglas Alley, shown here from South Virginia Street, was the site of many of Reno's earliest clubs when Nevada legalized gambling in 1931. I took the photo during our visit in July.

Nevada State Railroad Museum -- July 30, 2011

The day after we rode the Virginia and Truckee Railway (http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2011/07/virginia-and-truckee-july-29-2011.html), we returned to Carson City. We had breakfast at Heidi's Family Restaurant (excellent French Toast), went to mass at Saint Theresa of Avila, then went to the Nevada State Railroad Museum, which we had not visited since the late 1990s.

The main building of the museum had been rearranged to offer more interpretation of railroad history than railroad equipment. I think there were two locomotives, a box car, a coach and a combination car. I think they did a better job of explaining what happened to the Central Pacific than did the California State Railroad Museum.

The other building had more equipment, some unrestored, including the Inyo and the recently restored McKeen motor car seen above. It was an impressive sight. We talked to a volunteer about the impression it must have made on people who saw it roaring down the line towards Minden.

We rode the Edwards motor car around the line. It is no longer painted as the Washoe Zephyr.

Virginia and Truckee -- July 29, 2011

We drove from Reno (http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2011/07/reno-july-28-2011.html) down to the western edge of Carson City, near the garbage dump and Mound House to take a ride on the Virginia and Truckee Railway, which last year began running from Carson City to Virginia City, mostly along the historic right-of-way. The three coach train was full and the weather was hot. McCloud River #18 had to work hard on the way up to Virginia City. There was a long stop for oiling and inspection at Scales. Here 18 rests at Virginia City. The short-distance train to Gold Hill left just as we pulled in.

We had from about 11:30 to 2pm in Virginia City. It seemed a bit long. We saw the beautiful restoration work done in Saint Mary's in the Mountains, and the museum downstairs.

On the trip down, we saw wild horses.

Read more about it in September in my Park Trains and Tourist Trains page:

http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ptrain/

Reno -- July 28, 2011

After Disneyland (http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2011/07/mickey-mouse-pancakes-july-27-2011.html), we made an epic 12-hour drive (including stops) to Reno. I think we covered parts of I-5 that I had never before seen. We had a nice view from the 15th floor of Harrah's.