V&T Railway project gaining steam

While no contracts have been submitted and no dirt has been moved we are thrilled the Nevada Department of Transportation is seeking bids for the reconstruction of the V&T Railway between Carson City and Gold Hill.

Without a host of true-believing volunteers, donors, dedicated commission and foundation board members and a big stash of cash from the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, the project would never have gained steam.

In 2003, the visitors bureau added an additional 2 percent to its room tax to support the project. Bonding against those revenues gives the commission the funding for filling in Overman Pit and laying the rails - bringing the train 1.3 miles closer to Carson City.

The visitors bureau for a decade has donated money each month for staff and office space and has added about $6 million to the project coffers - thus far.

Storey County residents donate a 1/4 of 1 percent of their sales tax.

The Nevada Commission on Tourism has awarded the project $1 million.

The federal government through its transportation funding has added $2.7 million for engineering, construction and acquisition of rights of way. Granite Construction Co. has donated 4 miles of rail.

Another $90,000 has come rom the Atlantis Hotel and Casino, Ted and Contry of Contry Construction, the State Historic Preservation Office, the V&T Railway - a nonprofit company formed to raise money for the commission - and the Carson Nugget.

Ray Masayko, former chairman of the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway, reminding us the CCCVB has added $4 million since 2003, said the revenues from the visitors bureau "have gotten us this far. Let's hope this progress inspires others to get on board."

Support may also come from the federal government in the form of the Transportation Spending Bill. Supported by all of Nevada's Congressional delegation, the bill, with $8 million for the V&T project, has been stalled in Washington, D.C., for more than a year.

"It's politics as usual in Washington, D.C.," Masayko said.

While that may be true, we will be optimistic that Congress will one day set aside the differences and vote on a bill, but Northern Nevada should not just sit and wait.

Commission members aren't waiting. They are already making plans for engineering the next few miles of roadbed

The train adds to Northern Nevada's lure as a tourism destination. It's another reason to visit - a reason to rally the troops - the casinos, the hotels, the restaurants, the shops - to get "on board."