End of the Line?

The V&T Railway’s Long, Slow Goodbye

There once was a time when the Virginia & Truckee Railway puffed its way across Nevada like a proud old-timer telling tall tales—some true, some exaggerated, but all worth the price of admission. Today, however, the yarn it spins is one of dwindling dollars, political hand-wringing, and the ever-present question: What do you do with an expensive relic that refuses to pay its way?

Like a physician breaking bad news to an aging patient, Carson City Mayor Lori Bagwell informed the Nevada Assembly Committee on Growth and Infrastructure last week that the railway had failed to live up to the grand promise of self-sufficiency. It may come as a surprise only to those who believe that money grows on sagebrush.

Flanked by Storey County Commissioner Clay Mitchell, Bagwell requested a study to determine whether the railway should be saved, sold, or left to fade like an old miner’s ghost. One option on the table is to dissolve the commission that oversees the railway and auction off its assets to the highest bidder—though one suspects the highest bidder will be in no hurry to lay hands on a business that leaks money like a sieve.

The situation is as follows: Without financial backing from Carson City and Storey County, the railway would lose between $100,000 and $150,000 annually. With that support, it can puff its way into the black by about $140,000—a thin profit margin that would make a prospector weep.

The railway is best known for its Christmas-themed excursions, wherein it transforms into the Polar Express, ferrying wide-eyed children and their weary parents into a winter wonderland of nostalgia. It is one of the few times the train makes any real money. Unfortunately, the V&T Railway Commission only owns the engine, not the passenger cars, nor the facilities required to maintain them—akin to owning a horse but not the saddle, stable, or oats.

In the spirit of practical governance, Bagwell pointed out that Carson City has potholes to fill, roads to pave, and the endless demands of modern infrastructure to meet. Nostalgia, she implied, is a fine thing—but it won’t fix a broken street.

Storey County, on the other hand, seems less inclined to let go. Mitchell noted that Virginia City sees the most direct benefit from the railway, with visitors rolling into town with pockets full of cash and an enthusiasm for historic charm. He suggested that, even if the railway were doomed to “tread water,” it would remain a beloved fixture.

No decision was made, no fateful spike driven, and no whistles blown—save for the weary sighs of officials wrestling with the age-old problem of keeping history alive while balancing the books. The Virginia & Truckee may yet chug along, but one gets the impression its next stop may be the auction block.