V&T Railroad Makes Debut During Railfest
Carson City NV Celebrates the Return of the Virginia City Railway
Jul 29, 2009
As a railroad lover, a Nevada history buff, or a ghost town enthusiast, the Virginia & Truckee Railroad is probably familiar, even treasured and admired. Completed in 1870, the line ran between Virginia City and Carson City, bringing in supplies and equipment for the miners, and taking out gold and silver ore from the mines. Later, the line expanded to Reno, and was a major transportation hub in the region. The line shut down for good in 1938, (although it continued operations between Carson City and Reno until 1950), and it's been absent ever since.
Carson City Railfest Celebrates V&T's Return
The Railfest, which is open to the public on August 15 & 16 in Carson City, is a celebration of the official return of the V&T. Investors and legislators have been working on rebuilding the line, in hopes to bring in more tourist traffic and rail enthusiasts to the area, since 1992. While the final depot in Carson City is not yet completed, an interim depot is in place, and the V&T will officially begin service on August 14, with a special run just for dignitaries. The V&T has not released a regular schedule for the trains after the Railfest weekend, but they are expecting the permanent depot on Drake Street in Carson City to be available sometime in 2011.
V&T Hollywood History
The V&T has a special connection to Hollywood. After the line shut down, many of the cars and engines made their way to Hollywood, where they appeared in many films, television shows, and commercials, including "The Harvey Girls" starring Judy Garland, the television show "Wild, Wild West," and other films such as "Union Pacific," and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." Today, several restored cars and engines are on display in the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, and the California State Railroad Museum, located in historic Old Sacramento.
Carson City Railfest Schedule of Events
The Railfest takes place August 15 and 16, when the public can ride the newly recreated V&T for the first time. The steam train leaves the Eastgate Siding Depot on Flint Drive at 10:00 a.m. and arrives in Virginia City at 11:30 a.m. The return train leaves Virginia City at 3:30 p.m. and arrives at Carson City at 4:30 p.m. both days. There will also be music and films to enjoy during the event. These will take place at the Nevada State Railway Museum, located on South Carson Street in Carson City.
Carson City Railfest Costs and Tickets
The movie and music at the RailwayMuseum is free. One-way rides in either direction are $29 for adults, $23 for children 12 and under, and $25 for seniors over 65. Roundtrip rides are $48 for adults, $36 for children 12 and under, $40 for seniors over 65. For ticket information, call 800-NEVADA-1 or visit the Carson City website. For all other information, call 775-687-6953.
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