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Virginia & Truckee McKeen Car designated National Historic Landmark
The designation is totally deserved. I was fortunate to be able to ride in the beautifully restored McKeen car earlier this year. It really is a unique gem in the railroad world. Every true railfan should make the pilgrimage to Carson City!
There is also a McKeen car trailer that lives at the Illinois Railway Museum.
In my opinion, this is the coolest machine ever built.
Amazing! It looks like something out of a Jules Verne novel! Well done NSRM, well done indeed!
Congratulations to the museum. I toured this car years ago when it was buried deep inside a plumbing supply business, its seating area filled with racks of faucets and pipes. The transformation is miraculous.
I remember seeing the car sitting in a grassy lot in Carson City and I started thinking, "What a great thing it would be to see the car restored. That was in 1988.
Wonder of wonders, my wish came true. Well done NSRM. When I lived in Portola I visited your facility at least once a year until 2004 (now disabled and can’t drive) I was deeply involved with the Portola Railroad Museum as the Superintendant of Train Operations!
If I remember correctly that went the TRAINS group visited several years ago they were rebuilding it . It was stated that some parts out of an Old Chicago Great Western McKeen car that they had in the back area. Great to hear that it is completed and running.
I had the opportunity to tour this car in September along with a docent who provided many interesting details. Glad to hear it’s now an historic landmark - well deserved.
TRAINS Preservation Award
NRHS Heritage Grant Program
Charity Search Engines
Grocery Stores Fundraisers
Incredible! Not sure if this is the same one but I remember 1 as a rusted out hulk, maybe a restaurant in Carson City in the early '70’s.
NSRM did a marvelous job on restoring that beautiful car. My late wife (bless her soul) thought the car looked good and she called McKeen cars “trailer butts”.