Traveling by train is all about the journey not how long the ride is or what the destination might be. Everyone that rides the train has a story and for a brief time you are sharing their journey even though the experience might be different. Traveling by plane or car might get you to your destination quicker however taking a train allows you to see sights that can’t be seen by other modes of transportation. Trains tend to meander up and down mountains and be exciting, as you approach the next bend cause you don’t know what you will see next.
I took the V&T Railroad (Virginia & Truckee Railroad) from Carson City to Virginia City and found the folks that road the train were really interesting. There was a family who takes the train every year because they met on the train and later married. An older gentleman was a train buff and was just retired. His plans were to visit train museums and only take trains to go across the country. It was interesting to meet a couple that had planned on staying in Virginia City for a few days and was using the train instead of driving. Not only were the other passengers interesting but each of the train staff had their own stories. One person was retired and road the railroad during the weekend sharing stories and history about the railroad.
While traveling on the train we passed one of the original train stations that is no longer of use but played an integral part in the early mining days that brought so much history to the area. Seeing one of the largest mining pits was interesting however today looked like a really big hole in the earth that had been excavated so much that it looked like someone was getting ready to put in a dam. For me, the highlight of the day was seeing all of the wild horses running free. No fences that held them in one place where they could be put on exhibition. On a sad note, there was an area that had some captured wild horses and from the train they looked to be in poor health. It’s my understanding that some of these horses have been confined for years.
The destination of the V&T Railroad maybe to Virginia City however the experiences on the train is what it’s all about.
Sandy Moniz Traveling By Train, Sandy Moniz Traveler / Author / Imagineer, Sandy Moniz, Carson City, Virginia City, V&T Railroad
