I have long been a big fan of the V&T. I lived in Reno in the early 1980’s. A good friend of mine, Dale Darney past away recently and he was a noted V&T expert. I am toying with the idea of building some V&T models or even a V&T model railroad partly in his honor. Anyone else out there modeling the V&T? - Nevin
Nope, but if you’re looking for craftsman-quality V&T models, you might try Rio Grande Models - they make some nice stuff.
I started modeling the V&T when I was in the third grade, because that was the first “new” locomotive I ever got (An AHM Reno). At first I thought Virginia meant the state! Took me a while to figure it out … Then I switched to N-scale in 1969 and all the V&T stuff went into boxes where it still is today (somewhere).
Fascinating little railroad though.
i’ve been gathering suitable examples of their locomotive power, and scratchbuilding their rolling stock for a few years now.
this is not because i am intentionally modeling the V & T, but because they had good stuff for modeling purposes.
you might want to check with the nevada state railroad museum in carson city. they’re in the process of modeling the V & T in 1:1 scale to virginia city.
What is V&T?
Virginia and Truckee - a small railroad that connected Carson City, Minden, and Virginia City with the Central Pacific (later the Southern Pacific) at Reno, Nevada. Famous for its role in boom times, for its prolonged survival, and its ancient equipment.
Its SURVIVING ancient equipment…while I’m not sure if any of them still actually run, a lot of the V&T wood-burning steamers are still around at museums because the V&T went broke and couldn’t modernize, and because they got a second lease on life being used as props in cowboy movies. There are three V&T locomotives at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, and more at the Nevada state railroad museum. Great stuff, although it can be hard to get the models these days…there is always brass, I suppose.
I suppose I technically “modeled” the V&T–a diorama I built representing a generic roundhouse and turntable had V&T locomotives added to it.
Nevin,
This is an excellent V&T web site, enjoy
some of their locomotives still run: they provide rides around museum property during holiday occasions, and the “inyo” is rated to run at 40# of boiler pressure (originally 80#).
the V&T never went broke: it was built and run by the richest men in the world which made them even richer. after the comstock went bust, there was enough money laying around that they could keep it going for sentimental reasons up until around 1938, when the last heir that cared for the railroad had died. the film industry is responsible for any surving equipment after that.
rivarossi produced two versions of the “reno” from the early seventies (in 0 scale) through the '90’s. the early version is called the “genoa”, and the later, the “reno”. out of production, they are generally available on auction sites for less than $200… everything is available in H0. the V&T used a lot of moguls, and a consolidation or two. both are commonly available to model.
Rivarossi produced 3 V&T models back in the 'sixties, the “Reno,” “Inyo” and “J.W.Bowker.” The first two were 4-4-0’s, main difference was in the stacks, the third was a 2-4-0. The models all seem to be available from time to time on E-Bay. All are tender-driven, but have rather smooth mechanisms–at least for their time. All three locomotives became famous movie stars beginning with 1939’s UNION PACIFIC, when they were rented to Paramount Pictures for the big-screen railroad epic. There are 3 V&T locos at the California State Railroad museum in Sacramento, and about 4 more V&T locos at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, NV. The Carson City site also has a number of V&T freight, passenger and MOW cars. Plans are afoot by the state of Nevada to re-lay the track from Carson City to Virginia City over the original roadbed.
The V&T did own one 2-8-0 late in its career, it was an ex-Nevada Copper Belt Consolidation, but for the most part, their locos were 2-6-0’s and 4-4-0’s, most dating from between 1869 to 1900.
I was in High Sierra Models in Reno NV a couple of weeks ago, and they seemed to carry a fairly large stock of V&T equipment in HO scale. You might check the hobby shop listings in MR and give them a call.
Tom
It is good to see there is at least some knowledge and interest in the V&T. It seems to have been more popular to model in the 60’s and 70’s than in the past 10 years. Almost all of the brass seems to be from that era. I may give high Sierra Models a call. - Nevin
Nevin–PFM imported several brass V&T locos during the 'sixties and 'seventies, I can’t remember exactly which locos they were, but I think one was the straight-stacked “Reno”. They also imported a “Golden Spike” set representing the Central Pacific (“Jupiter”) and Union Pacific (#119) locomotvies that met at Promontory Summit in 1869. If any of these sets are still available, they could be adapted to look like V&T locos (“Genoa” and “Reno”, specifically). But they’re probably pretty pricey. I know that Bachmann made the same set in plastic in HO, but as to their running qualities, I have no knowledge. Walthers used to make the V&T ‘Blacksmith Car’ as part of one of their MOW sets, but again, how available that is anymore, could be anyone’s guess. For passenger equipment, right now, the best bet would be to go with Roundhouse’s 1870’s coaches, they’re still available in V&T lettering, and look fairly authentic. Since the V&T interchanged with SP in Reno, freight equipment could be from almost any railroad. Depending on which era you choose to model (V&T started in 1869, ran until 1950 or so), there’s a pretty good selection out there, especially from Roundhouse for the early turn-of-20th century cars. The main problem will be finding the locos.
Tom
Thanks for the more detailed information–I was under the impression that after the Comstock lode slowly petered out they just ran the equipment they had without upgrading, much to the delight of Lucius Beebee decades later. I used to have a plastic “Bowker” when I was a kid, it slowly got wrecked and part of it lives on in the aforementioned diorama.
jetrock,
your impression is correct. the second boom of the comstock finished with the 1870’s, but that was just the “glory days”. for the next thirty years the mines produced, just not at the level of uncountable profits as before.
the V&T management; although sympathetic for their railroad, were not stupid (not completely anyway - the C & C is another story). with the mines fading, and rail traffic down, they wisely switched to a maintenance attitude and stopped most new acquisitions. having a good crew, the V&T kept more labor than they should have, and when times are slow, a lot of maintenance takes place.
on a side note: a friend of mine recently retired from the mining union, and his last job was closing the mines at virginia city.
nevin,
high sierra models is a fine store and one of my favorites; i hope you find all you are looking for. unless they have moved to china, Roundhouse (the H0 train manufacturer) operates out of carson city and they sometimes produce V&T sets outside the normal channels of distribution. they are very pretty and sometimes hard to get. it probably wouldn’t hurt to ask.
-rrick
Hello?
The SP bought the C&CRR, and within a year or two, recovered its investment (and handsome profits for some years after), because of the Tonopah and Goldfield mineral rush. So, don’t give me any of that “C&C was a waste of money.” The railroad lasted until 1960! I’d define that as success, not failure.
At the time it was built however, they did say it was “built either 300 miles or 300 years too soon” . - Nevin
Athearn released a number of exMDC items in V&T. You can get a set of Overton & Overland passenger cars. The excellent 2-8-0 Consolidation will pull them. THey have also released the wood caboose. You may find other olt time MDC freight cars in the Athearn line.
Jetrock:
Rick Bonfiglio is right about the V&T keeping their equipment in top form clear up to the abandonment–around 1949 my cousin and I paralleled the Reno-Carson City main on (old) US 395 and caught up with a train. The loco was in really PRIME condition, and so were the cars. And this was the year before it was torn up. The railroad was a class act from conception to abandonment.
Tom
tom,
traveling north, were the tracks on the right side of the road, or the left. by the time i came upon the scene, all that was left were the ruins of the franktown water tower.
what about washoe city; has it changed any in the last 60 years?
-rrick
Rick–on old 395 north from Carson City, the tracks were on the left. Crossed the highway near Franktown and continued on the right into Reno. As I remember–and I’m going back a ways–best close-up view of the right of way was from Carson City to Washoe lake. After the crossing, the tracks angled off to about a mile away from the old highway. If I remember correctly, we stopped at Franktown to watch the train go by.
Unfortunately, I’ve only traveled to Carson City a few times in the past 30 years, and have only hit it coming over from Tahoe on US 50. I understand that the new freeway 395 is on a different grade than the old one. I don’t know how much of the old roadbed is visible anymore, except for the cut on the sidehill leading down into Carson City.
I really should take another trip up that way before I get TOO old, LOL! Evidently the plans to re-rail the Carson City-Virginia City portion of the line has gotten a go-ahead by the State of Nevada–the main job will be filling in for an embankment over the old open-mine pit near Gold Hill. Last time I was in Virginia City, the tracks had been laid down into Gold Hill, and evidently the roadbed from Gold Hill down through American Flats is in pretty good condition.
It will be interesting to see if the project gets going.
Tom
PS: Do you happen to have a relative named Gregory who is a Jesuit Priest? Reason I ask, is that Gregory Bonfiglio is the President of the high school where I teach here in Carmichael. Just wondered.
Tom