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Nevada State Railroad Museum

• 2011
• Return to Park Trains and Tourist Trains

Nevada State Railroad Museum sign. It lists distances to the three ends of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad. July, 2011.

The day after we rode the Virginia and Truckee Railway, 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.

Virginia and Truckee coach 4 was built in 1872 by Kimball in San Francisco. July, 2011.

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.

A beautifully crafted door on Virginia and Truckee caboose/coach 4, which was built in 1873 by Kimball in San Francisco. The coach has been restored to its 1885 appearance. July, 2011.

A link and pin coupler on Virginia and Truckee caboose/coach 4, which was built in 1873 by Kimball in San Francisco. July, 2011.

This model ten wheeler, built by students at the Mackay School of Mines, was displayed at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. July, 2011.

Virginia and Truckee locomotive 27 is a Baldwin ten wheeler, built in 1913. July, 2011.

Dayton, Sutro and Carson Valley locomotive 1, the Joe Douglass, is a narrow gauge Porter 0-4-2T, built in 1882. July, 2011.

Porter labelling on the boiler front of Dayton, Sutro and Carson Valley locomotive 1, the Joe Douglass. July, 2011.

The HK Porter builder's plate on Dayton, Sutro and Carson Valley locomotive 1, the Joe Douglass. July, 2011.

The Baldwin builder's plate on Virginia and Truckee locomotive 25, a Baldwin ten wheeler, built in 1905. July, 2011.

The restoration shop building had a clutter of equipment that was more congenial to my tastes.

After World War Two, a grateful France sent each of the then-48 states a Merci car, a Quarante et huit (40 and 8) boxcar, decorated with symbols of French departments and full of gifts. The gifts from the Nevada car are in the state museum. July, 2011.

The nose of the recently restored McKeen motor car. July, 2011.

The highlight of the restoration shop was the recently restored McKeen motor car 22, which the Virginia and Truckee had purchased new in 1910. It mostly ran between Carson City and Minden. After the railroad shut down, the car was made into a diner. I remember driving by it on 395 when it was part of a plumbing supply shop. The museum received it in 1996. It was unveiled on 09-May-2010. There aren't many surviving McKeens, and this may be the only one that is operable.

The rounded rear of the recently restored McKeen motor car 22. July, 2011.

I had a nice chat with a volunteer about the shock that farmers along the Minden Branch, accustomed to the Virginia and Truckee's regular equipment, which was old fashioned in 1912, must have felt when they saw this streamlined 70-foot-long monster.

The builders plate on recently restored McKeen motor car 22. July, 2011.

Virginia and Truckee locomotive 22, Inyo, is a 4-4-0 built by Baldwin in 1875. It was undergoing maintenance when we visited. July, 2011.

Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend motor car 401 was built by Edwards in 1926. We took it for a ride around the museum. It was full of passengers. July, 2011.

Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend motor car 401 gives rides on a loop around the museum grounds from Wabuska depot.

The motor car 401 left Wabuska depot and headed into a tail track, where the conductor threw a switch. July, 2011.

After backing out of the tail track, the engineer reversed direction and ran twice around the loop. Here is a view of the main building from the car. July, 2011.

On the second pass, the car stopped by the armstrong turntable and the conductor talked about the volunteer program at the museum. The restoration shop is in on the left and the main building is on the right. July, 2011.

Back at Wabuska depot, passengers climb down from the car. Little kids get to blow the whistle. July, 2011.

Wabuska's 1906 Southern Pacific depot was moved to the museum in 1983. July, 2011.

The freight end of Wabuska's Southern Pacific depot. July, 2011.

The passenger end of Wabuska's Southern Pacific depot. July, 2011.

The platform of Wabuska's Southern Pacific depot with Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend motor car 401. July, 2011.

We left the museum and found some lunch, then did some shopping. I tried to go by the Virginia and Truckee depot, but I hadn't brought good directions and the changes to the highways had me confused.

Reno's Southern Pacific depot seen from the garage at Harrah's. July, 2011.

We went back to Harrah's in Reno and I stopped to take some photos of the train station. The Southern Pacific depot was built 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.

Reno's Amtrak depot seen from the garage at Harrah's. July, 2011.

Reno's Amtrak depot and the Southern Pacific depot. July, 2011.

Looking down into the trench behind Reno's Amtrak depot. July, 2011.

The back of Reno's Southern Pacific depot. Harrah's is visible in the background. July, 2011.

Reno's Southern Pacific depot. The sign over the door advertises National Train Day, 2001, which had taken place in May. July, 2011.

Reno's Amtrak depot. July, 2011.

Reno's Southern Pacific Freight House. The trench with the tracks is visible to the left of the Freight House. July, 2011.

The Freight House district is a redevelopment project that includes the ballpark of Reno's AAA Pacific Coast League team, the Aces. July, 2011.

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