V&T construction bid awarded; new steam engine purchased

A $420,000 steam locomotive will chug to Virginia City on track laid by Granite Construction, Virginia & Truckee Railway officials said Wednesday.

The Nevada Department of Transportation awarded the $3.8 million bid to a Carson City construction company to reconstruct 1.3 miles of V&T Railway across Overman Pit in Gold Hill.

In addition, the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway recently purchased a steam locomotive to run on the tracks.

Crossing the pit is one segment of a 17-mile project to lay track between the Comstock and Carson City along the historic rail route.

"Granite Construction is the low bidder, and they will start work in April," said Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Magruder.

The groundbreaking ceremony should be in mid-April, he said. The long-awaited project has hit several bumps over 14 years, but many local officials predict the historic railway project will blow the horn on the regional economic machine.

Kevin Ray, project coordinator for the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the V&T Railway, said the local economy will see a $40 million boost during the construction phase, and $16 million is expected to be brought in annually after the railway is completed.

Project powered by 1914 locomotive

Carson City Mayor Marv Teixeira said the steam locomotive purchase lets everyone know the goal is near.

"In the past, we've been selling a ghost," Teixeira said about fund-raising for the railway. "But now we are selling the tangible. We now have something to fund-raise for."

He said the commission will finance the $420,000 locomotive through a bank over five to 10 years. The mayor recently returned from Washington, D.C., where he petitioned for grant funding for the railway. He said there are many uncertainties concerning federal funding, but he'll know in the next several months if any money will come from Congress.

John Flanagan, V&T commission chairman and Storey County commissioner, said the steam locomotive was bought from a tourist line in Northern California which is going out of business.

"We discussed (the purchase) at two meetings, and after doing research on rail steam engines in the whole country this sounded like a very good deal for us," he said. "It's close by and the fellow who owns it now will store it for us until we're ready for it. It'll be a couple of years until we have track to run it on."

The locomotive is certified to run for another 15 years. Christopher DeWitt, supervisor of restoration at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, said it is an excellent engine for the V&T.

DeWitt was contracted to survey the black-and-silver-lettered engine and conduct the engineering analysis for the California owner.

"Even though it's not a Nevada engine it'll serve the V&T's needs well," he said. "It'll be excellent. And the price is really good considering the condition it's in. It has been really well taken care of over the years."

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

McCloud

no. 18

Manufactured by: Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia

Date completed: October 1914, purchased in 1915

Owned and operated by: McCloud Railway Co., which runs it near Mount Shasta in Northern California

Weight: 187,000 pounds, with water and fuel it weighs 258,700. It is a 282-wheel configuration Mikado

Description: The locomotive is entirely black, except for its brass bell and silver letters on the side.

Other notes: Its original bill of sale still exists. It burns oil to make steam.

Source: Christopher DeWitt, supervisor of restoration at the Nevada State Railroad Museum