The summer season for the V&T Railroad opened Saturday with nearly 190 excited people boarding three historic passenger cars lined up behind the V&T No. 18 steam engine.

A 60-second radio spot sung by the Sierra Nevada Children's Choir will be used as part of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad 2013 advertising campaign.

This Mother’s Day, give Mom a window seat back in time with a tour of the Wild West aboard the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, Sunday, May 12.

This special edition train ride from Nevada's capital, Carson City, to the 1860s boom-era mining town of Virginia City, will provide Mom with a long stem rose, Old West history, storytelling, shopping and dining in Virginia City to go along with the spectacular scenery.

Time is running out for you to submit your photo or photos for the “Carson Memories” contest. The deadline is Friday, March 22, 2013. Photos selected will become part of an historic mural exhibit on display at the Carson Nugget. The mural is being painted by renown Gardnerville artist, Beverly Caputo.

The three top submissions selected will win prizes; 1st is $500; 2nd is an iPad; 3rd is a Kindle Fire.

It is time to welcome spring with good friends, good wine, good food and a great Train Ride on the Comstock! The V & T Wine, Cheese and Dessert Train, sponsored by the Carson Tahoe Health Auxiliary, will be held on Saturday, April 6, departing Carson City Eastgate Depot at 10 a.m. for a trip through the Comstock to Virginia City.

The board of the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau will meet today to discuss, among other things, hiring an interim executive director. The board began its search for the interim director after Candace Duncan retired in December.

The white walls on the second floor, outside the banquet rooms of the Carson Nugget, are in the process of being transformed. Right now they contain the mural paintings of Kit Carson, V&T Railroad, Dat So La Lee, the Carson Mint, Carson Nugget, Roosevelt’s Speech Capital Building, Carson Brewery and Capital Building; but soon those walls could contain so much more.

“The hope is to show Carson City’s uniqueness as well as the love and pride we have for our home and community,” said Gardnerville artist Beverly Caputo.

The 2012 Polar Express train aboard the historic V&T Railway in Carson City has sold all of its tickets, officials said. The all-ages train ride is set for 15 different dates, Nov. 23 through Dec. 23. The V&T officially sold all 10,794 of its tickets as of Thursday, said Candy Duncan, executive director of the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Weeks away, the 2012 Polar Express train is on the fast track Carson City countdown, with 80 percent of the coach class and nearly 99 percent of the VIP Parlor Car tickets sold. This time last year, 39 percent of tickets had been purchased.

Perhaps if Carson City wasn't so quick to give million-dollar tax breaks to move car dealerships down the street; and spend millions more on a tourist train the public doesn't even want, the city might not have to resort to divisive bond elections to fund basic services like libraries.

It's sad to see so many people unwilling to give something back to a community they claim to love. Unfortunately you're about as likely to get a good deal on a car from those grateful dealerships as the new V&T is to pay for itself.

After 21 years serving as executive director of the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, Executive Director Candy Duncan has announced her retirement.
She will officially retire on Jan. 1, she told the board in a letter. During her tenure, Duncan oversaw the transformation of Carson City as a travel destination, changing the tourism paradigm by highlighting the area's rich history and modern amenities as attractive attributes to luring visitors to the capital city.

All aboard the V&T Railroad for an unforgettable Halloween train ride where the living spirits of Northern Nevada can lift and embolden cancer patients and their care givers.
The Oct. 27 Halloween V&T train is a fundraiser for the nonprofit foundation Empowered Lives through the Cancer Journey, an organization established to support, encourage and empower both the patient and their caregivers throughout their cancer treatment.

Nevada Day festivities will celebrate the 148th year since joining the union with the theme, “Honoring Our Military and Families Past, Present and Future” Oct. 25-28.

Pre-sale tickets for the popular 2012 Polar Express™ train aboard the historic Virginia & Truckee Railroad are now available. Be sure to purchase your tickets now to this officially licensed event, as last year's 7,500 Polar Express sold out before the inaugural ride.

Back by popular demand, the historic Virginia & Truckee Railroad will pour out and dish up its popular Toast of the Canyon wine and appetizer round-trip train rides from Carson City to the canyon on Saturdays through September 1.

Since posting the City Center aka Nugget Project ballot question on Friday, I've had several calls about why the question is advisory.

After all, according to Nevada Revised Statutes 377A.030, the Carson City Board of Supervisors must seek a majority vote of the people to implement the quarter cent sales tax to fund the project. So why is it advisory?

This Mother’s Day, take mom on an historical train excursion via the Virginia and Truckee Railroad Sunday, May 13.
This special edition train ride from Carson City to Virginia City will provide mom with a long stem rose, Wild West history, storytelling, shopping and dining in Virginia City to go along with the spectacular scenery. The train features a 1953 ALCO heritage diesel locomotive leading 100 year-old Pullman coaches displaying the distinctive yellow and green of the V&T.

Prior to the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau board voting last Monday to continue running the V&T Railway for an additional three years, Project Coordinator Kevin Ray said this:

The good news is that the V&T Railway is expected to make a profit of $164,132 on their popular Polar Express event for the coming year.

The bad news is the railway's main runs between Eastgate Siding and Virginia City is projected to lose $108,192, even with an expected $67,250 in donations.

The resulting $56,000 in projected profit is almost enough to pay for the $60,000 shortfall in the previous season's sales tax revenue that pays for the bonds that helped rebuild the historic railway. That is a shortfall that is expected to continue and grow larger.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors will consider accepting the recommendation of the Open Space Advisory Committee to purchase 497 acres in Carson River Canyon at their meeting next Thursday.

Part of this property is slated be used for the extension of the V&T Railway.

The board will also consider purchasing eight new vehicles for the Carson City Sheriff's Office.

The full agenda is below:

Six weeks after tickets went on sale, The Polar Express™ has officially sold out, according to the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau.
More than 7,500 riders will board the magical holiday train on the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, the only officially licensed Polar Express event in the region this holiday season.

Local schools are celebrating Veterans Day this week. Yesterday, students at Seeliger Elementary talked to Sgt. Brent Peden via Skype from Afghanistan. Peden's daughter Makayla is a second-grader at the school. Today, Carson High School will have a Veterans Day ceremony in Senator Square at 10:30 a.m.

****

The Mallory Foundation has given $200,000 this month to Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center to construct a triage lobby and remodel treatment areas in the hospital's emergency department. According to CTRMC, the money is “appreciated now more than ever” due to treatment provided to uninsured patients.

****

Tickets for the V&T Polar Express are nearly sold out, so get yours now.

****

A local foster mother is organizing a boot and shoe drive for American Indian youths and foster children. Donations can be dropped off at Rupert's Auto Body, 2800 S. Curry St., or at Stewart Head Start, 429 De Lah E Deh.

The enchanting appeal of The Polar Express™ has spread to Carson City and has families planning ahead for the holiday season. After merely three weeks, 3,000, or 40 percent of Virginia & Truckee Railroad’s Polar Express™ tickets have been sold, with 4,500 tickets remaining.

The Virginia & Truckee Railroad is one of a handful of officially licensed Polar Express Train Ride events nationwide this holiday season, Nov. 25 - Dec. 18.

In an effort to lure more visitors to the capital city to spend the night and drop tourist dollars, officials are looking into providing a shuttle service between Carson City's downtown and the V&T...