The Virginia & Truckee Railroad (V&T) has launched its 2012 summer season and is now offering roundtrip train rides between Carson City and Virginia City, Nevada.
Steam and diesel engines ply the same 16-mile route made famous by the Comstock silver boom of the 1860s.
The season runs through Oct. 21 with weekend excursions – Friday on diesel and Saturday and Sunday via steam on roundtrip and one-way rides from Carson City to Virginia City.
Visitors short on time, can forgo the V&T’s Sisters in History 16-mile excursion, and instead join a four-mile, 35-minute Historic Route loop through Virginia City and Gold Hill.
Railroad fanatics can also stop in at the Railroad Museum in Carson City which offers rides on the Historic Virginia and Truckee No. 25 steam locomotive. Outdoor exhibits and displays include the 1910 McKeen Motorcar and the French National Merci boxcar.
The V&T Railroad’s 16 miles of track reopened in August 2009 after 70 years of non-operation. Each 90-minute ride provides a glimpse back in time to the area’s rich history. The ride offers scenic vistas of the Carson River and majestic Sierra Nevada mountains with an adventure through two tunnels along abandoned mine shafts and old cemeteries, highlighted with occasional sightings of wild mustangs.
The V&T, one of the richest short lines in history, travels the same silver route paved by the miners of the infamous 1860s Comstock. It put the area on the map as an adventuresome, hell-raising city of the first order, where rough and tumble and high culture co-existed.
About Carson City
Located 30 minutes between Reno, Nevada, and Lake Tahoe, California, Carson City boasts an array of fine restaurants, challenging golf courses, historical attractions, museums and gaming opportunities. Visitors will find plenty of open space, fresh mountain air and friendly residents.
The Details
Visit Carson City
800-638-2321
www.VisitCarsonCity.com
The Virginia & Truckee Railroad
775-847-0380
www.virginiatruckee.com
