Nevada State Railroad Museum facts for kids
The entrance to the main building
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Carson City, Nevada |
| Reporting mark | NSRM |
| Locale | Carson City, Nevada |
| Dates of operation | 1980–present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 4.8 mi (7.7 km) |
The Nevada State Railroad Museum is in Carson City, Nevada. It helps keep the history of Nevada's railroads alive. The museum has many old trains and cars. Some of these trains were even used in famous movies and TV shows!
The museum is run by the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. It first opened in 1980. Back then, it was called the Virginia & Truckee Railroad Museum. In 1985, its name changed to the Nevada State Railroad Museum.
At the museum, you can ride historic trains. They have both standard size tracks and smaller narrow gauge tracks. You can also try riding a handcar! The museum offers talks about railroad history. They also have special events and changing exhibits.
The museum works to research and fix up old trains. One special exhibit celebrates 150 years since the First transcontinental railroad was finished. It shows V&T Coach No. 17. This train car carried Leland Stanford to the important Golden spike ceremony in Utah.
The old Wabuska Depot building was moved to the museum. It used to be a train station in Wabuska, Nevada. Today, it's still used as a working station. This is where you buy tickets for the museum's train rides.
Cool Trains at the Museum
The museum has a large collection of old trains. These include steam locomotives, which are trains powered by steam. They also have motor locomotives and motorcars.
Steam Locomotives
The museum has many steam locomotives. These are some of the most interesting ones:
- Virginia & Truckee #18 "Dayton": This train was built in 1873. It was used until 1938. The museum got it in 1978. It is currently on display.
- Virginia & Truckee #22 "Inyo": This train was also built in 1875. It was used until 1926. The museum got it in 1978. It is currently being rebuilt.
- Virginia & Truckee #25: This train was built in 1905. It is still working today! The museum got it in 1971.
The museum also has some narrow gauge steam locomotives. These are smaller trains that run on narrower tracks.
- Carson & Tahoe Lumber & Fluming #1 "Glenbrook": This train was built in 1875. It is still working! The museum got it in 1981.
Other Cool Vehicles
The museum also has other types of trains and vehicles:
- Motor Locomotives: These are trains powered by engines, not steam. The museum has NSRM #99 "Dinky" and Tidewater Oil Co. #1005. Both are operational.
- Motorcars: These are smaller vehicles that run on train tracks. They are often used for inspections or carrying a few people. The museum has a special one called Virginia & Truckee #22. It is a McKeen Motor Car built in 1910 and is operational.
More to Explore
- Nevada State Railroad Museum Boulder City – This is another railroad museum in Boulder City, Nevada.
