Virginia & Truckee RR


montanan

montanan

Whiskey Merchant
While attending a bowling Tournament at Reno, NV, we took a trip over to Virginia City, NV where the Virginia & Truckee RR has an operating railroad. Any time I get the chance to see any live steam, it's a no brainer. They were nice enough to let me ride in the cab of this consolidation. It's not a long ride, but it's a live steamer. I have some more pictures but apparently they are too large for this format.
 

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I wanted to do that when we went out in June for my wife's tourney (really neat facility...can't wait to bowl there myself), but we just didn't have the time. Looks cool, and most excellent that you got a ride in the cab!
 
Virginia & Truckee

It's not a very long trip unfortunately, but they are working to lengthen the line, but the history of the railroad is very interesting, and any time the opportunity arises to ride on a steam train arises, I will jump at it. I have had the opportunity not only to have had trips on steam trains as a kid, but have also made it a point to ride on as many as I can get to here in the states. The Cass, the Durango and Silverton and a trip behind the UP challenger among the many trips. LOVE steam !
 
I know this is off the topic but i thought you might like it!!!

We have a tourist railroad up by me That runs on CN main line on the weekends. back in oh i think it was like 98-99 we had the "Steam fest in the valley" weekend. we had the Soo line #1003 and the Soo line @2719 also the Northern pacific #328.

The last day we had a tripple header form Osceola to Marine on the st. croix

2963.1221424858.jpg
 
I had heard that the NP locomotive was going to under go restoration, but this is the first picture I have seen of it. Being in the mid west, I don't get too much of an opportunity to chase steam. Thanks for the pictures and information.
 
montanan said:
They were nice enough to let me ride in the cab of this consolidation.
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That is really nice. My son and I were some of the last "public" to be allowed in the cab of the Union Pacific 844. My son (about age 5) was blowing the whistle and turning on and off the headlamp. About an hour after we left some one was playing with the firebox doors and they came open, it back drafted and burnt everyone in the cab. After the law suits because of that the cabs of UP loco's have been off limits.
 
I have seen the 844 in action, but never got to ride behind it, but did have the opportunity to ride behind Challenger 3985 a while back.
Someone definitely did something wrong to get the firebox doors open. I had heard something about it, but never followed it up.
While riding this little consolidation, when the throttle was increased for a grade, the old firebox did get a bit animated, but that is to be expected, but from previous experience, when I saw the throttle being increased, is did take a giant step back. The fireman got a kick out of that, but he did admit that I knew what was going to happen.
 
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We're very blessed to have a lot of operating steam here in western Washington. Lots of geared logging locos and small rod locos. I think there's still an operating 2-6-6-2 mallet at Snoqualmy but I'm not sure. This economy has taken a toll of available money and volunteer time. Gotta love the steam.

Steve
 
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I was watching Tracks Ahead on PBS this morning and they had a piece on the V&T. Very interesting. Pam informed me that this was something she wanted to do. We met in Carson City 27 years ago.

Steve
 
I must say...in these much too politically correct times...a little smoke and noise never hurt anyone.....and I am for leaving some of the life in life. :)

Mike
 
Politically correct. Funny that should come up. I will tell you about a local issue up here in Montana. The closest town to us is Bozeman, MT. It used to be a very conservative area (with the exception of Montana State University) until we had a great influx of people moving into the area from who knows where. We now have a bunch of "greenies" in the area. One issue that has come up is that they don't want coal trains coming through town. The BNSF/MRL mainline comes right through town, and the "greenies" are worried about the posibility of coal dust coming from the trains. Geeze, if it weren't for the Northern Pacific Railway building this line, Bozeman wouldn't even exist ! What's with these people. I doubt that any coal dust would be left after a coal train has traveled hundreds of miles out in the open. What is this country coming to ????
 
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V&TFAN said:
Hey, there any V&T Modelers out there?

Charles
Click to expand...

I haven't heard of any, but after riding on the tourist train, and talking with the train crew, there's quite a lot of interesting history linked to this railroad and would be a very interesting railroad to model.
 
I am a Modeler that has some V & T Equipment. I model western Railroads. I have been to Virginia City many times. What do you need? What scale are you in? Rivarossi/Trix made alot of V&T stuff in HO. I kind of expect them to do it again since they are doing the Westside Lumber stuff again now. Aster made a Live Steam Reno in 1/32 for guage 1 45mm track.
 
Hi, I'm modeling in HO scale, I'm just looking for someone to commiserate with.

Hopefully, I'll build a two level layout with Virginia City to Mound House on the upper level, modeled in July 1876, with the lower representing Reno to Carson City on December 7th 1941.


Charles
 
V&t rr

Well Charles,
Sounds like a big project. I don't know where you live or what access you have to going to Virginia City but there is a ton of History and information out there. For instance. the population was alot more in1876 than it was in 1941 or even now. Back in the Comstock Days there were more Banks in Virginia City than any other City west of the Mississippi. The lunmber to build the mines and the city came from the trees at the south and west side of Lake Tahoe. Carson City has a very nice State Museum and has so much history you can research there. Today, the City is basically a tourist trap but still has the charm of the old buildings narrow streets and being built on the side of a big hill. They have annual events like the Camel races, etc. And of course the Railroad, which now just runs between c
Carson and V.C. There were some books written back in the 50' and 60's with Model Railroaders and Railfans in mind that you may find around. I don't know of any recent ones but there may be. Good Luck
 
V&TFAN said:
Hi, I'm modeling in HO scale, I'm just looking for someone to commiserate with.

Hopefully, I'll build a two level layout with Virginia City to Mound House on the upper level, modeled in July 1876, with the lower representing Reno to Carson City on December 7th 1941.
Click to expand...
I always liked the locomotive house that wasn't round even though it was served by a turntable. I've got all the AHM equipment for the railroad that I started accumulating in 1967 (4th grade). Have never made it to layout construction though. Something else always comes up.
 
I know this is an older thread but I have two books I can recommend for people who are interested in the V&T. The first is "The Silver Short Line" by Wurm & Demoro, and "Virginia & Truckee The Bonanza Road" by Mallory Hope Ferrell. Enjoy
 
I had read these books and when I found that we were going to head to Reno for a bowling tournament, there was no doubt that a visit to the V&T was going to be on the list of places to visit. A very interesting history.
 
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