Page 23 - 2006 DT 12 Issues

Railroads, continued from p. 1 tiny frontier outpost named Las Vegas Nevada State Railroad Museum
with a population of a few hundred. 2180 South Carson Street
Railroad entrepreneur William Clark Carson City, Nevada 89701
greedy partner.” The Central Pacific and his company bought the Las Vegas Tel: (775) 687-6953
had acquired over five million acres in ranch, with its vital water supply, as 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
grants from the Federal Government, a staging point for $55,000. In 1905, Weekend train rides, seasonally.
and they did not hesitate to extract the rail link was completed by the
punitive prices in selling off the best San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Not long ago, I took a journey
locations. Their freight rate practices Railroad. There were other rail benefits by Amtrak sleeper. There were real
were particularly outrageous. It cost for Las Vegas, too. A big silver strike tablecloths and fresh flowers in a din-
$600 to ship a carload of machinery at Tonopah in 1900 led to a spur line, ing car that served real food. I wasn’t
from New York to San Francisco, but the Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad. in a hurry—it was just good to read a
the cost to ship it to Reno was $818, Supplies were needed there as well as bit and watch the passing countryside.
and even worse to Winnemucca at in mining strike towns like Goldfield And at night, what a treat to fall asleep
$996. In 1881, Nevada Congressman and Rhyolite. In those days, you only in my compartment listening to . . . yes
Rollin Daggett declared, “Nevada is had to dig about 20 feet to hit water . . . that “lonesome whistle.” 
an orange which for ten years these in Las Vegas. And then there was the
railroad vampires have been suck- creek. Las Vegas was a good choice
ing in silence . . . we are bleeding at for a rail hub. Desert Trumpet
every pore.” Today, those rail lines to many of Editor
Nevada’s future looked cloudy the gold and silver strike towns have Barbara Wolin
as the great silver and gold strikes ran been abandoned. They Contributing Writers
are ghost towns now, but Louis C. Kleber
Jack Ryan
Courtesy, Nevada State Railroad Museum “lonesome whistle” on The Desert Trumpet is published month-
still attract tourists . . .
H. Dan Wray
by car. There is no more
Barbara Wolin
Publishers
the way to Beatty, Gold-
Norm Kresge
field or Tonopah from Las
Barbara Wolin
Vegas, but the rail line to
Key Grip
Salt Lake City from Los
Norman Wolin
Angeles and across the
Great Basin in the north
opinions and points of view expressed by
position. Freight is big
writers are their own and do not necessarily
Engine # 22, the Inyo. Virginia and Truckee Railroad.
reflect those of FORRC. Please submit all
business. Talk continues
out, especially the Comstock Lode. prove Nevada’s strategic ly by and for FORRC members. Statements,
articles, photos and artwork NLT the15th of
However, mining, including copper, about a passenger rail link between Las each month by calling 515-5350. If you are
interested in becoming part of the Desert
did not die out, and the 20 century Vegas and Los Angeles. Will it hap- Trumpet staff, contact Editor at 256-8043 or
th
saw a renaissance of the railroads that pen? . . . you hear all sorts of stories. forrcnews@cox.net
gave life to many towns . . . and still As for history, the Nevada State FORRC is a non-profit 501 (c) (3)
do. The Southern Pacific rebuilt roads, Railroad Museum in Carson City is a organization dedicated solely to the welfare
installed standard track and set up new railroad gold mine. They have locomo- of the Red Rock Canyon National Conser-
vation Area. FORRC provides volunteers
machine shops, and moved people to a tives and cars from the storied Virginia and funding for projects including envi-
new location east of Reno. It was the & Truckee Railroad, including the ronmental education, teacher workshops,
birth of Sparks, and by 1910 it was brass beauty, Engine #22, the Inyo. natural resource protection, cultural resource
monitoring, hike programs and other services.
the fourth largest community in Ne- Many are from Hollywood, where Annual individual membership is $25.00.
vada with 2,500 people, behind Reno, they appeared in films, but they are the General meetings are held four times a
Goldfield and Tonopah. genuine article. There are 65 locomo- year; Board meetings are held on the second
Tuesday of each month at the Visitor Center
When a decision was made to tives and cars, and most were built unless otherwise posted. Messages may
link Utah with California by rail, there before 1900. If you are a railroad buff, be left at 255-8743. Visit our website at www.
friendsofredrockcanyon.org
was only one logical route—through a here is the contact information:
FORRC/March 2006 Page 7