First Train in Decades Through Tunnel 2 on Virginia and Truckee Reconstruction Project

Shot in HD for the upcoming video: Unauthorized Biography of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad.

This video was shot in 2008 while the tracks through tunnel 2 in American Flat were under construction. This is the very first train to run through the tunnel since the salvage run in 1941.

I have recently posted other shots of the actual ballast work, with trains going through the tunnel. This is the first shot. Standing to my left, off camera with his own camera and tripod, was Gare Luce or Geocon, someone who should "just work here" but who instead gets politically involved in indefensible things. More on this in the upcoming Unauthorized Biography of the Virginia and Truckee Blu-Ray / DVD coming out in the next few months.

Then we see the owner of the REAL (private company, not government project) Virginia and Truckee Railroad, Tom Gray, walk up to see his train make the first tunnel run. Tom is not paying attention, I have to bug him to get out of the shot. We've all gotten mad at railfans in our shots, but I can't hold this one against him.

For more info as the upcoming video progresses, see www.trainarts.com and/or www.virginiaandtruckeerailway.com, my sites dedicated to the process. You can also contact me at jim@virginiaandtruckeerailway.com.

The Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the Virginia and Truckee Railway is the government agency charged with rebuilding the tracks from Gold Hill to Carson City. Originally budgeted at $10 million, the construction budget is now over $70 million. Their official site is the vtrailway.com site. See their site for a good example of propaganda.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• virginia
• truckee
• reconstruction
• tunnel
• d-1
• diesel
• ballast
• tracklaying
• tom
• gray
• gold
• hill
• american
• flat
• railroad
• railway

[00slippy]

is it true that thay are going to re open Tunnel 3?

[virginiatruckee]

It's unlikely, but depends on how much money they can come up with. With the Gray's (real) V&T Railroad operating the long runs to Carson City, the Commission (for now) is not moving to buy them out using eminent domain. The Commission will focus on raising the 15-20 million needed to get through the Carson River Canyon.

In addition, project engineer Ken Dorr once told me their biggest mistake was rebuilding tunnel 2. The original plan was to daylight the tunnel, and costs were very high.

[DL2045]

Will any freight run on this line?

[virginiatruckee]

No, for three reasons. The line doesn't connect to UP in Reno, so they'd have to bring rail freight to Reno, put it on a truck, drive 35 miles and reload it on railcars.

Second, there is almost zero demand for freight in Virginia City, it would all be less-than-carload, and a truck can drive the same distance in 20 minutes vs. one-two hours on the rails.

Third, the line is too steep and curvy, so trains can only run about 15mph.

Plus Reno to VC is much more direct.

[TheDeputation]

why is there a "reconstruction" project? it may sound stupid to ask but what happened to the line that made it need one?

[2008Sameoldfitup]

nice

[MsRudekid]

stupid Tom get the hell out the way!!!

[CoastStarlight11]

WOW!

[thethemeisfreedom]

@LordoftheKaty YOU SAID IT! The theory behind this tourist line is that by spending up to $70 million and providing an annual operating subsidy, it will bring so much extra business into Carson City that it will pay for itself. Good luck, the truth is that a few railfans with connections to Harry Reid have successfully sucked lots of federal funds and about $25 million out of the Carson City economy to get halfway done.

It's cool from a railfan perspective, though! Thanks for the comment.

[LordoftheKaty]

Why would they bother spending the money to reopen this line if there is no freight traffic running along it?