The V&T Railway: Riding the train back in time
Submitted by editor on Wed, 10/24/2018 - 3:31pm
CARSON CITY — In the years since Tom Gray first set foot in his dad’s V&T Railroad shop in 1974, the world has seen many changes. “They’re paving over all the dirt roads, old buildings are crumbling,” he observed.
Inside the Virginia City shop on a recent afternoon, where crews were servicing Engine No. 18, a steam engine built in 1914, it can seem as if time has stood still.
“I was wearing green Levi’s the first day I came to Virginia City,” Gray recalled. “I’m wearing green Levi’s today.”
The impulse to preserve the past runs in his genes. His father, Robert Gray, as a 17-year-old rode on the final run to Virginia City in 1938.
A lifelong railroad enthusiast, the elder Gray traveled from his Sacramento home to rebuild track between Virginia City and Gold Hill, after purchasing the right of way in 1972.
Gray, just out of high school, was working with his dad from the beginning, and was there celebrating when the first tourist train ran in July, 1976 as part of the bicentennial celebration.
“This was a big deal to get it going,” Gray recalled.
The rebuilt portion of track brought back to life the train built in the 1870s to carry the ore from the mines to the mills along the Carson River for refining. It was also used to transport lumber from Lake Tahoe to Virginia City.
At first, the restored train ran with leased equipment. They bought their first engine, No. 29, a 1916 Baldwin, in 1977.
Since then, more than 2 million passengers have taken a ride on the train’s historic route, which runs four miles roundtrip daily from Virginia City to Gold Hill.
The long route, added in 2010, runs from Carson City to Virginia City on the weekends, with a 3.5-hour layover to explore the historic town.
“People come from all over the world to ride the train,” Gray said.
The railcars have been restored true to the time period they were built, with vintage luggage and decor adding to the ambiance.
A poster from 1876 hangs in the historic Virginia City car, advertising the Lightning Express, which ran from Virginia City to San Francisco.
“It catered to mine owners who had to do business in San Francisco,” Gray explained. “If they found a gold strike, you could go to San Francisco and buy up stock before anybody else. Those guys had if figured out.”
Historic photos line the inside walls of the cars, and Gray can point out where all the old landmarks would be today. Passengers learn the history of the area as they ride the train.
Gray took over daily operations of the train as vice president of the company after earning a master’s degree in business from the University of Nevada, Reno.
His father, now 96, continues as president.
In addition to the historic engines that continue to operate on the line, they also have a collection of significant pieces, including old cars featured in “Gone With the Wind ” and Johnny Depp’s “Dead Man.”
While Gray can recite the history of the V&T and of the area it covered in full detail and color, he readily admits it’s not merely the train that draws the tourists.
“It’s pretty exciting when you see the steam train,” Gray said. “But there’s so much more to see. It’s Nevada. We have wild horses and these big, monstrous open spaces. It’s a pretty spectacular view. That’s why we have these big windows — so people can see the scenery.”
To learn more about the V&T Railway or to purchase tickets, go to virginiatruckee.com.
- Carson City
- Advertising
- Afternoon
- along the Carson River
- Buildings
- Buildings.
- Business
- car
- cars
- carson
- Carson River
- celebration
- City
- Community
- day
- equipment
- gold
- Gold Hill
- historic
- home
- Horses
- July
- Lake
- learn
- life
- lightning
- Nevada
- Old Cars
- photos
- Preserve
- President
- railroad
- Riding
- run
- school
- STEAM
- Steam Train
- tahoe
- University of Nevada
- university of nevada reno
- V&T Railroad
- V&T Railway
- Virginia City
- weekends
- wind
- history
- Lake Tahoe
- high school
- reno
- san francisco
- V&T
- Wild Horses
