trains

He was Virginia City’s first goodwill ambassador and he died 41 years ago this week. Born Arnold Fryk in Wisconsin in 1912, Fryk headed west at an early age and found work in Hollywood as a stunt man and horse wrangler. He later worked at Death Valley, Calif., where dressed as a prospector, people would often pay to have their picture taken with him.

It was here at Bad Water Basin in Death Valley that Fryk became Bad Water Bill, a moniker that stayed with him for the rest of his life.

From harvest trains to harvest fairs and festivals, the Nevada state capital was alive with the sights, sounds, colors and activities of autumn Saturday.

When’s the last time you attended a wedding aboard a train? Or has your business ever broken the mold to conduct a rolling meeting? Brides, grooms and meeting planners searching for a memorable venue for upcoming events need look no further than the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. The historic train has expanded its unique rental offerings for weddings, corporate events, family reunions and other special occasions.

Head to bed early tonight, the Great Reno Balloon races are best enjoyed by early risers. Not to be outdone, Virginia City has discovered that camels and emus are even more hilarious to race. You’ve got plenty to look forward to this weekend, but don’t discount today. Jimmy Mallett will sing you back to yesteryear at Living the Good Life. You’ll get your motor running at Battle Born Harley Davidson’s weekly bike night.

THURSDAY:

Climb aboard the Virginia & Truckee steam train as it ventures into the scenic Carson River Canyon for a special dinner and melodrama from 6 to 8 p.m. this Saturday, August 12.

CARSON CITY — The Office of Science, Innovation and Technology together with Nevada Enterprise IT Services today encouraged high school juniors and seniors, and community college and college students from Nevada to try CyberStart.

‘We hold these truths to be self-evident…’ With those few powerful words, the Declaration of Independence set a few east coast colonies on a path to becoming ‘the land of the free, and the home of the brave.’ Less than 100 years later, the great ‘Battle Born’ state of Nevada would join the fold. Let us celebrate our great country today with family, friends, and neighbors. You’ll find fireworks displays in Carson City, Virginia City, Reno, Sparks, and both the North and South shores of Lake Tahoe.

It may just be the third of July, but our country’s birthday celebrations have already started. You’ll find the annual RSVP Carnival at Mills Park with games, rides, cotton candy, and hours of skateboarding feats of daring-do. It’s an old-fashioned Fourth of July Party at the Senior Center in Dayton, complete with a show-n-shine and yummy bar-be-que. Head up to Kings Beach in Lake Tahoe for the early-bird fireworks show and beach bash.

Let the good times roll. Head over to Mills Park in Carson City for the annual RSVP Carnival and catch some high-flying skate-boarding action. You’ll find the historic Wungnema House open for tours at the very east end of the park. One price gets you unlimited rides at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, and plenty of photo opportunities with their historic steamer. The classic thriller, Jaws, plays on the big screen at the Galaxy Theater, just in case you forgot what might be hiding in the water. Here's what's happening today:

The Nevada State Railroad Museum (NSRM) in South Carson City kicked off weekend Fourth of July festivities with a parade of engines event Saturday morning around the museum complex.

It’s wine walk weekend, and depending on what kinds of days off you get, potentially the beginning of a four-day weekend. We will be celebrating the birthday of the United States of America on Tuesday, but there are some fun events to enjoy now. Catch the Parade of Trains at the Nevada State Railroad Museum or the RSVP Carnival at Mills Park. Keep reading for all the exciting options in Carson City and beyond.

SATURDAY:

Fourth of July celebrations abound in the Carson City area. Fireworks can be found in Carson City, Virginia City, Reno, Sparks, and at both north and south shore of Lake Tahoe. There are several daytime events going on, so grab the kids, friends, and family and have a great four-day Independence Day weekend!

Saturday, July 1

On a star-spangled Fourth of July weekend, the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City will be showcasing an all-star lineup of its rolling stock and giving visitors discounted rates for unlimited train rides.

It is never too early to think about Christmas and the holidays and this last week of June is no exception with the launch Monday of ticket sales aboard the 2017 Polar Express via the V&T Railway.

The weekend hasn’t even started, and I’m already exhausted just trying to decide what to do first! Live music, races, activities, and much more await you downtown as part of the Carson City Off-Road. Stewart Indian School is awash in bright colors, beadwork, and dancers from all across the country during their annual Fathers’ Day Pow Wow. Congratulations to the Show Tree Brewing Company by the Carson Hot Springs; their big grand opening bash includes multiple bands. Keep reading – this weekend has a whole lot to offer.

SATURDAY:

Fashions and steam technology of the Victorian Era collided Saturday with those of science fiction fantasy, creating a steampunk revival on the grounds of the Nevada State Railroad Museum (NSRM) in South Carson City.

Planes, trains, and automobiles take over Carson City this weekend. Steampunk ‘N’ Trains at the Nevada Railroad Museum features train rides, fun costumes, food trucks and more. You’ll find two car shows in town – the Party at the Pavilion as part of the Nevada State Fair and the Carson City Downtown Revival Car Show at the Carson Nugget. The Carson Airport Fly-In and Open House has plenty of aeronautic fun in store. You’ll have to keep reading for all of the fun options in Carson City and the surrounding valleys.

SATURDAY:

Six students graduated May 25 from the Professional Institute of Technology and Accounting (PITA), a Las Vegas-based vocational school that recently opened its newest campus in Carson City.

This weekend will bring a fusion of Steampunk, trains and brews to the capital city. Steampunk ’n’ Trains will run 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, then the Capital City Brewfest kicks off 5 p.m. in downtown.

Speaker Jim Clark will present his program, “Trains in the Westerns”, in a free presentation at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Saturday, June 17, at 10:00 am.

Jim Clark, known to many as “The Train Man”, will cover some of the 250 films he has worked on. Clark is an engineer and train coordinator who is associated with several of the biggest films with trains and their Hollywood stars. Some of those films include "The Lone Ranger", "Wild, Wild, West" and "Into the West".

Science fiction fantasy and historic reality will come together this Saturday and Sunday at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City. Or to put it simply: Steampunk meets steam trains.

The weekend is behind us, but there is so much to look forward to this summer.

There will be a nearly complete solar eclipse of the sun on August 21st this year as the moon aligns itself so as to cast a giant shadow onto the earth. Ely will be about 90% in the moon's shadow, which will make it almost as dark as night, in the middle of the day. Join us for a special journey on the Solar Eclipse Limited as we head up toward the old Ruth Mining District. We arrive at the end of the line just before the eclipse is at its maximum effect. On the way up things will be getting darker. On the way back they will be getting lighter.

June 3rd, July 1nd & 29h at 4:30 pm
Travel back in time to enjoy a classic railroad experience. The Steptoe Valley Flyer was the train that carried 4.5 million passengers from 1906 to 1941 to White Pine County.

The Steptoe Valley Flyer will be departing from the original depot, using the original First-Class Passenger Car 5 (built in 1882), the original Baggage/Railway Post Office Car 20 (built in 1906), and pulled by their original Steam Locomotive 40 (delivered here in 1910).

Join us for an evening trip up the hill and back. We stop the train at a perfect viewing location to see Ely's Fourth of July fireworks display. Either watch from the train, or bring your own lawn chairs. It's a fun way to celebrate this Independence Day evening as a group with your train friends.
$39 Adult $20 Child.
Go here for information: http://nnry.com

Join us for a wild-west evening aboard a steam train, complete with cowboys and horses. Hold on to your wallet! Those horse-thieving robbers have been known to hold up the trains running through these parts. We guarantee the train will get back to Ely one way or another, and we sure hope you make it back as well to tell your friends all about it.
$39 Adult $20 Child. Go here for more information: http://nnry.com.

For those of you who aren't fortunate enough to live up here in the inter-mountain rural West, you are missing our breathtakingly beautiful night sky. For those of you who live in these parts, you may not have taken the time lately to stop and gaze at the Heavens. Either way, plan a special night out with those beautiful stars of ours.

Historic steam engines from the V&T Railway and the Nevada State Railroad Museum (NSRM) were awakened from their long winter slumber Saturday morning to mark the start of Carson City's summer season on the rails.

A lively presentation by a local geologist talking about Northern Nevada Railway railroad in Ely, mining history, and a show and tell of ore samples. All of this as the century-old steam engine is pulling your train through the great geological "museum" right outside the window of your coach.

Snacks and beverages are available for purchase on-board. See http://nnry.com
$39 Adult $20 Child

Spend a week this Summer workin' on a National Historic Landmark railroad in Ely, and the best preserved standard gauge railroad in America. Experience what it was like during the golden age of railroading. Become an integral part of the preservation in-progress.

As part of the crew you will help get a train over the hill and back again safely. In the shop, you will have hands on experience maintaining the locomotives and cars. It is dirty, oily, greasy work. Without it, trains don't run. As part of the track crew, you will see up close what it takes to keep the railroad running.