Family Fun at Carson City's Nevada Rail Museum
Shiny Engines, Passenger, Freight Cars Reflect State's Past Glory
Aug 8, 2009
The engine Inyo – showcased at the Nevada State Railroad Museum (2180 S. Carson St, Carson City) – first hauled cars full of silver ore on the V & T Railroad from Virginia City’s legendary Comstock Lode. After that, it appeared on Hollywood’s silver screen in 29 movies and the Wild Wild West television series. Then, in 1983, the Inyo returned to Nevada to become star of the .new rail museum.
Assemblage of Engines and Rolling Stock is Impressive
Although the Inyo may be the best known, it’s not the only reason to visit this repository of rolling stock. Either on display or awaiting renovation – the museum’s restoration program is ongoing – are both standard- and narrow- gauge engines, a caboose, boxcars, passenger cars and a caboose. They were formerly property of the Galveston, Harris & San Antonio, Nevada Copper Belt, Southern Pacific, Tonopah & Tidewater, Tonopah & Goldfield and Western Pacific railways, The most famous of the passenger cars is an 1868 private car which was owned by financier Charles Crocker, one of the “Big Four” San Francisco backers of the transcontinental railroad.
Part of the Nevada Division of Museums and History, the museum also contains extensive collections of late 19th and early 20th century railroad-related artifacts. One of the museum’s most interesting collections focuses on lanterns. Produced during a number of time periods, the various styles of lanterns served as brakemen’s signal lights, tail lights on the last car of trains, and engineers’ lanterns.
Model Railroad Exhibit Centers On 20th Century Nevada Railroads
The HO-scale (1/87th actual size) model railroad layout focuses on Nevada railroads during the 20th century. Locomotive and railroad-car models were donated by the family of the late Kel Aiken, a long-time member of the Friends of the Nevada State Railroad Museum. The hundreds of models include passenger and freight cars and steam as well as diesel-electric locomotives of the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific and Western Pacific railroads. . Incorporated into the display are more than a dozen highly detailed, HO-scale models of Virginia & Truckee, Southern Pacific and Nevada Copper Belt equipment that had been in storage for as many as twenty years prior to the bequest.
Latest Attraction Feature Virginia and Truckee Railway Rides
With the recent completion of the rail line between Carson City and Virginia City, the V & T steam train will commence running between the two cities on August 15, An inaugural run carrying VIPs, dignitaries and politicians along a 12.8-mile reconstructed portion of the 16.7-mile original route will take place on the previous day. The train will also run on consecutive Sundays from August 16 through October 31. Two trips a day, lasting from 60 to 90 minutes will be offered. Roundtrip tickets are $48 per adult, $36 for children 12 and under and $40 for seniors over 65. One way tickets will be available for $29 adults, $23 for children and $25 for seniors.
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