Dayton's delivery to VC delayed

The Dayton locomotive must wait a little longer before it can return to Virginia City.

The Virginia & Truckee No. 18 steam engine was scheduled to depart the Nevada Railroad Museum and head up the hill to Virginia City this week, but the trip was delayed until late September because the 38-ton locomotive doesn't have a completed home.

The Comstock History Center, 20 N. E St., is still under construction, which was delayed by harsh winter storms.

The Dayton isn't the only one waiting on the move. Burt Bedeau, district administrator for the Comstock Historic District, is anxious to have a little more office space.

"Our office now is 300 square feet including the bathroom," he said Thursday. "If you put me and my assistant in here there isn't enough room for much else. We're going to a new facility that has enough room for all our equipment, our library, our files, all the plans we have. It will be very nice indeed."

Workers broke ground on the project in November. Then the storms hit and they couldn't get back to work until April. The new completion date is mid-September.

"We were delayed over winter because of the snow, but once we got the project back on track it's been going well," said Miles Brothers Construction Project Superintendent Jim Sundstrom.

The $830,000 center has 1,500 square feet for storage and another 1,500 square feet for the museum, which will feature the prominent black locomotive.

Carson City architect John Copoulos, who designed the building, said creating the space for the locomotive was one of the most interesting aspects of the project. The Dayton will roll through a replica of the original V&T doors. Inspiration for the design came from a train shed that used to be on the site.

"We've put more glass in it than a museum because we want people on C Street to be able to look down and see it," Copoulos said. "And at night we will have it lit so people can view the engine from the outside."

Teresa Moiola, spokeswoman for the state department of cultural affairs, said the engine and 12.5-ton tender will be returned to the Comstock by truck. The height of the highest point of the engine is 13 feet 9 inches. The trailers transporting the engine and tender are 10 feet wide.

-- Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.