Virginia & Truckee Railroad News Summary

March 14, 1992

The Virginia and Truckee Railroad, Queen of the Short Lines, and once known as
the Silver Short Line when it was the richest railroad in the United States,
was re-started 26 years after abandonment by Mr. Robert Gray in 1976 and ran
its first train in 1979.  Running on a shoestring budget between Virginia City,
Nevada, and Tunnel Number 4, it hauled about 10,000 passengers a season and
barely broke even.

In 1989, Tunnel Number 3 was holed through, and it appeared that the railroad
was on its way at last out of Virginia City and on to Gold Hill.  The fractured
rock above the tunnel soon collapsed, however, and it took another year to
build a shoe-fly around Tunnel Number 3.  Finally, in May, 1990, the track was
laid around the shoe-fly and approached the highway crossing at Gold Hill.
After a 6 year wait, the State of Nevada built a grade crossing at Gold Hill
and the track crossed the highway for the first time in March of 1991 -- 122
years after it did so the first time.

Ridership soared to 62,000 last year as tourists coming up the highway could
see the train, and naturally wanted to ride it.

The track now ends just past the Gold Hill station.  One mile below the station,
down Gold Canyon, the giant Overman Pit blocks further progress down the grade
to the West and the Gold Hill Cemetary blocks progress to the East. Considerable
time or funds are required to fill in the entrance to the Overman Pit so that
track work can continue.

Now, with the potential of Federal, State and County grants and loans, the
railroad is poised to work its way along the remaining 19 miles of original
right of way to Carson City.  As possibly the most historic railroad in the
world, the employees are anxious to continue track work at the expense of any 
personal sacrifice.  With or without funding, the railroad will trace its 
historic right of way down the grade to Carson Canyon and on either to Carson
City -- if funded by the State -- or on to Dayton and then to Fort Churchill
to join with the Mina Branch of the Southern Pacific (if the employees get
their way).  Track workers consist of railroad employees and occasional
volunteers, ranging from unemployed electric power line maintainers to
aerospace executives, a United States Senator, Sheriffs Deputies, and even the
deputy fire marshall from the adjacent county.

Motive power is 100% steam.

Visitors to the Reno/Lake Tahoe area are advised to visit the V&T between 
Labor Day and Memorial Day.  The historic town of Virginia City is the terminus
of the line.  It is about 28 miles from Reno and 42 miles from the South Lake
Tahoe casinos.

For more information, send a message to Steve Stough, 75065,1202.