Virginia & Truckee Railroad
Train Ride From Carson City to Virginia City...
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| Our diesel locomotive |
| Mine Tailings |
| Entering Tunnel #2 |
| Scenery on train ride to Virginia City |
| Yellow Jacket headframe ore chute |
| Train arrives in Virginia City |
The Virginia & Truckee Railroad offers fun train rides for the entire family. They offer train trips
between Carson City and Virginia City Nevada, and also have roundtrip train rides between Gold Hill
and Virginia City. Schedules change from time to time so be sure and check their website, but when I
last checked the diesel locomotive runs on Friday and the steam locomotive runs on Saturday and
Sunday.
Our family took the Sisters in History Route, which is a 28-mile roundtrip train ride from Carson City to
Virginia City. Our train consisted of a diesel locomotive and two passenger cars. In addition to the
engineer and others involved in driving the train we had a conductor and train attendant who were
dressed in 1850's garb and pointed out significant landmarks and narrated the trip along the way.
between Carson City and Virginia City Nevada, and also have roundtrip train rides between Gold Hill
and Virginia City. Schedules change from time to time so be sure and check their website, but when I
last checked the diesel locomotive runs on Friday and the steam locomotive runs on Saturday and
Sunday.
Our family took the Sisters in History Route, which is a 28-mile roundtrip train ride from Carson City to
Virginia City. Our train consisted of a diesel locomotive and two passenger cars. In addition to the
engineer and others involved in driving the train we had a conductor and train attendant who were
dressed in 1850's garb and pointed out significant landmarks and narrated the trip along the way.
| View from Carson City Train Depot |
| Passenger car |
| Interior of Passenger Car |
| Train leaving Carson City Depot |
This route takes about 1.5 hours each way and goes through two tunnels, passes the ruins of
American Flat, and passes high above the Overman mining pit. It continues on through Gold Hill and
picks up the Historic Route past many of the historic Comstock mines. This ride passes by eight
mines. These include the Hale & Norcross, Savage, Potosi, Chollar, Julia, Yellow Jacket, Crown Point
and the Ward Bullion mines. Here are some pictures that we took on the train ride up to Virginia City in
the summer of 2011.
American Flat, and passes high above the Overman mining pit. It continues on through Gold Hill and
picks up the Historic Route past many of the historic Comstock mines. This ride passes by eight
mines. These include the Hale & Norcross, Savage, Potosi, Chollar, Julia, Yellow Jacket, Crown Point
and the Ward Bullion mines. Here are some pictures that we took on the train ride up to Virginia City in
the summer of 2011.
| Scenery on train ride to Virginia City |
| Rock formations along the way |
| Train car on siding |
The Yellow Jacket headframe is located
right as you get to Gold Hill. I was sitting
on the left side of the train going up to
Virginia City so I had a good view of this,
but had to look across the car at Gold Hill
and most of the mines between there and
Virginia City. On the way back I rode on the
left side of the train so that I could take
pictures of these, and you will see shots
of these further down on this page.
right as you get to Gold Hill. I was sitting
on the left side of the train going up to
Virginia City so I had a good view of this,
but had to look across the car at Gold Hill
and most of the mines between there and
Virginia City. On the way back I rode on the
left side of the train so that I could take
pictures of these, and you will see shots
of these further down on this page.
The town of Gold Hill is located between Carson City and Virginia City along the train route. It is the site
of the original gold claims that were discovered here. Just north of the Gold Hill train depot is a huge
open pit that was once a mound-like hill where gold was extracted from. As miners dug deeper they
eventually struck silver for which the Comstock Lode is more famous. The train ride between Gold Hill
and Virginia City is particularly interesting and takes you past some of the most famous and historic
Comstock mines and mills. The pictures that follow include many of the shots that we took on the return
trip to Carson City and capture much of this part of the trip. We even got a special treat to see a small
herd of wild mustangs that hung around pretty close to the tracks so that we could get some good
pictures of them. Enjoy!
of the original gold claims that were discovered here. Just north of the Gold Hill train depot is a huge
open pit that was once a mound-like hill where gold was extracted from. As miners dug deeper they
eventually struck silver for which the Comstock Lode is more famous. The train ride between Gold Hill
and Virginia City is particularly interesting and takes you past some of the most famous and historic
Comstock mines and mills. The pictures that follow include many of the shots that we took on the return
trip to Carson City and capture much of this part of the trip. We even got a special treat to see a small
herd of wild mustangs that hung around pretty close to the tracks so that we could get some good
pictures of them. Enjoy!
| Train departs Virginia City |
| Mining millsite outside Virginia City |
| Return trip through Gold Hill |
| Return trip through Gold Hill |
| Gold Hill train depot |
| View coming back into Carson City |
| View coming back into Carson City |
| Old millsite |
| Scenery along the way |
| Gross brothers mine |
| Gold Hill Hotel |
| Gold Hill cemetery |
| Wild mustangs |
| Train heading into tunnel |