Saturday, September 28, 2013

V & T R.R.

Carson City, NV   High 68  Low 46

We stayed in Carson City a few years ago and had a great time exploring but the one thing I really wanted to see was the Railroad Museum and it was closed when we were there.

Monday we headed to Carson City hoping the museum would be open. We saw THIS on the way. Yes, that’s a four letter word up there.

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Carson City was founded in 1858 and named for Christopher “Kit” Carson. It is the capital of Nevada and has some beautiful old government buildings.

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church was completed in July 1868 at a cost of $5,500.

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Train Museum

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This museum was well worth our drive up to Carson City. Both of us really loved seeing all the old trains.

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Jim just has to know how things work.

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Just look at this beautiful passenger car.

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I took so many pictures it’s really hard to just pick a few of them.

This car took 11 years to restore. There are several engines and cars that are in the process of being restored.

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The Merci Car  serves as a memorial to the Allies’ participation in WWII. In the winter of 1947-1948, in the aftermath of WWII, American citizens contributed more than 700 boxcars of relief supplies to aid the French people. In gratitude, French citizens organized a private effort to give thanks to the people of the united States. This effort resulted in 49 French railroad cars filled with gifts weighing a total of 250 tons. This car reached Carson City on February 23, 1949.

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This bike was made to be ridden on the rails and was used to bring supplies to railroad line workers and also to take maintenance men out on the track.

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I know this museum isn’t for everyone, but it is one of the best train museums we have seen and I highly recommend it to anyone with any interest in trains.

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11 comments:

  1. Wow, looks like a great place to visit. Was Jim making a repair to that train?:-)

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  2. What a wonderful museum. Jim looks like he could be the conductor...hehe

    Love the bike. How inventive people are.

    Seems like the four-letter word is showing up all over the country. Seems a bit early to me.

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  3. We have visited that Museum and were very impressed. Also have seen about three of those Merci cars, the one you showed, one in Oregon, and another somewhere else in the hazy mists of memory.

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  4. very nice. to me, there's just something very romantic about trains. the passenger trains. I can remember going to our HUGE train station in Texarkana where I grew up to fetch my Aunt. The smells and hustle and bustle.

    Union Station has fallen into such shameful disrepair. Amtrak took over a small part... gorgeous marble interior..

    anyway ... I remember taking the train from Dallas to Texarkana many times before the 'old' trains closed forever.

    great memories. this is a museum, I would love to visit.

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  5. There's not many things more fun for me than to visit an old train museum and to be able to climb up on the old iron horses. The feel, the smell and the looks are awesome. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. Wow, looks like a super train museum. Great pictures. Never saw a Merci car. Just another thing to add to that list. We need another lifetime to do all on the bucket list.

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  7. Sorry I missed the museum while I was in the area. If you have time be sure to take a ride on the V&T RR to Virginia City.

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  8. What a neat place to visit, explore and learn!! Glad things worked out this trip and you were able to visit!!

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  9. Would love to visit that museum. Very interesting. The "bike" is actually a draisine. In Europe you can book tours along old railway tracks with a draisine.

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  10. That does look like a great museum. I'm surprised my father didn't tell me about it. (He's a train nut.)

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  11. What a great museum, have to add to our list.

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Thanks for visiting today. I look forward to reading your comments. Have a beautiful day.