Vol. 6, No. 19
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August 1, 2009
Nevada's Online State News Journal-- Serving Informed Nevadans Since 2003
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COPYWRITING
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Feature Story:
The Return Of
A Queen
The V&T To Roll Through
Silver Hills Again
by Johnny Gunn
There’s history in the making and you’re invited. The return of the Queen of the Short Lines, the Virginia and Truckee Railroad is about to open its steam cocks and roll from Carson City to Virginia City once again. You will experience more hills, curves, and tunnels than you thought exist, and relive the glory days of the Comstock as the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway open the Silver Hills of the Comstock to rail passengers once again.
A little history
The Comstock Lode was discovered in 1859, and as its extent became more and more apparent, it became a necessity to find some means of transportation to get the ore to various mills. Adolph Sutro thought he had the answer by drilling a tunnel from what is known as the Carson Plains four miles underneath the Virginia City mines to drain the hot water and move ore to a mill he was planning.
At the same time, William Sharon, working for the Bank of California was building mills along the Carson River, and Darius Ogden Mills, William Ralston, William Sharon and the mighty power of the Bank of California prevailed. The final charter for the V&T came on March 5, 1868, and ground was broken on February 18, 1869. The road went on past the Carson River mills and into the capitol city.
The original Inyo V&T Engine is on display at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City (Nevada State Railroad Museum)
The V&T laid rail north to Reno and joined with the Central Pacific, and for the first time, a passenger could get on a railroad car in New York and travel to Virginia City. The V&T was a success from the driving of the first spike, but the mines began to decline and so did rail traffic. Until finally, the rails went empty as first the mills along the Carson River closed, then the mill in American Flats. The last train left Virginia City on June 4, 1939.
The V&T ran rails south to Gardnerville and Minden, and north to Reno, and those lines lasted until May of 1950 when the V&T officially closed its doors. During its long run, the service included hauling ore, timber, dry goods, and passengers. Trains were a way of life in the 19th and early 20th Centuries, and, while numbers might be available somewhere, it is safe to say that hundreds of thousands of people came to and left from Virginia City on the V&T.
Future prospects
Sales taxes, room taxes, grants, and gifts have brought new life to the V&T, and on august 14, an engine pulling a train will leave from Carson City for the journey to the Comstock.
McCloud Engine #18, originally ran for the McCloud Railway near Mount Shasta. She’s a Baldwin, built in 1914 and burns oil to make steam. (V&T RR)
The McCloud #18, according to Christopher DeWitt, supervisor of Restoration at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, is entirely black, except for its brass bell and silver letters on the side. With water and fuel, the McCloud weighs in at 258,700 pounds. When that whistle blasts for departure, there will be enough smiles to light the darkest night. The reconstructed railroad will run from Carson City, along the Carson River, across a railroad bridge at Mound House, through tunnels and around American Flats, across the Crown Point Ravine, and chug to a stop at the Gold Hill Depot.
It’s at that point that the V&T will join track that has been operating for the past 20 years by Robert Gray and family. The track runs from Gold Hill into Virginia City. Future plans call for the old tunnel in front of St. Mary’s in the Mountains church to be reopened, and a final depot stop at the original freight depot along E Street.
What all of this will mean to Carson City and Virginia City is of course speculation, but those behind the effort believe that thousands of people will ride the rails and enjoy the history of the area. Virginia City is responsible for there being a State of Nevada because of its vast silver and gold mines, and Carson City has been the capitol from the day of statehood, October 31, 1864.
The chairman of the V&T Railroad commission, Dwight Millard, expects to see 80,000 passengers next year, with more than 100,000 in following years. One could drive or fly to Reno, drive to Carson City, get a hotel room, take the train to Virginia City and enjoy all that exists, and ride the rails back to the capitol without even thinking about DUI for one second. Or, leave the car in Carson City, take the train to Virginia City and spend two or three days at facilities in Nevada’s Queen City, and take the train back to your car.
Economically, the rebirth of this railroad could mean tens of millions of dollars to the economy of the two counties. And tickets are available for the first time in more than half a century. Go to http://www.visitcarsoncity.com. The August 14 ride is for VIPs and dignitaries, and public rides begin on August 15. Trains will leave Carson City at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Trains from Virginia City will leave at 3:30 pm. and 4:30 p.m. For more information on the restoration, go to http://www.vtrailway.com/.
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