Riding the rails on the V&T Fall Foliage trip

Chugg-a-chugg-a-chugg-a - there's nothing like the sound of a steam engine. And there's nothing more fun than riding the V&T train with Engine 18 at the lead. The V&T Commission has been working diligently to rebuild the route between Virginia City and Carson City.

In October, they offered a Fall Foliage trip that left the East Gate Depot near the dump in Carson City and wound through the hills behind Moundhouse almost to the Carson River. The plan is to complete the remaining section of track that will take riders along the Carson River similar to the same path during the Gold Rush days. The growth of Carson City will prevent them from being able to bring the train all the way into town due to the difficulty in obtaining land rights from the various private and business land owners.

The Fall Foliage trip was something new this year and was only offered on Saturday evenings during October. At a cost of $15 per person, it was a great bargain packed with fun and history. We rode in the front car on the way into the canyon and then that car becomes the last car on the return trip. With train master Tim McCarthy, a few of us were able to ride on the small platform outside the car. Tim gets excited talking about the project and the people involved in bringing this dream to reality. It was obvious that everyone involved truly enjoy their work.

Most of the track is the same as the original. As we rounded the bend and entered the last canyon, the colors of the aspens along the river were a stark contrast to the surrounding hillside. Waiting for the engine to be moved to the other end of the train for the return trip at the end of the run, they blow the whistle so you can hear the echoes bounce around the canyon, sometimes as many as nine. Each trip is accompanied by one of those little rail cars whose job is to watch for stray sparks that might ignite a brush fire.

If you've never ridden a train, this one will get you excited about the possibilities. If you have taken a train trip, you can relive those memories and create a few new ones along the way. There are three cars that transport the riders back in time. Ruhenstroth resident Doug Johnson rode the train with his family to Virginia City and said there are always mustangs along the path. Kevin Ray, project coordinator, said that the train trips between Virginia City and Carson City have completely sold out every weekend during the season from May to the end of October. "Many of the passengers have come to Carson City just to ride the train," Ray continued.

Information on the train scheduled trips and prices at 687-7410 or www.virginiatruckee.com

Have a ramblin' good week.

Reach Gail Davis at RuhenstrothRamblings@yahoo.com