Nevada Train Rides And Excursion Trains

Nevada train rides do not include elegant dinner trains or long excursions in comfy, restored passenger equipment. However, they do offer incredible history, particularly regarding the state's once vast mining industry. The recently restored, and venerable, Virginia & Truckee Railway is the most widely regarded with a history that dates back to the 19th century hauling vast quantities of silver. The V&T has only been a tourist railroad for the past few years since its restoration and currently offers guests rides between Carson City and Virginia City. Similarly, the Nevada Northern Railway, and museum, preserves the history of a railroad once vitally important to the Ely area. If you may be interested in learning more about Nevada's railroad museums as well please click here.

Nevada Northern Railway

The Nevada Northern Railway looks to generally preserve the history of the state's once profitable copper industry. The railroad has been in operation on and off since 1905 although it has not hauled freight since 1986 when the Kennecott Minerals Company turned over much of the property to the White Pine Historical Railroad, which today operates it as the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. They offer several different dinner and special trains including BBQ trains, wine trains, charters, the Chocolate Express, and holiday specials. Also, between the Nevada Northern and the museum they own nine steam locomotives, five of which are operational (and two of those are original Nevada Northern locomotives). For more information please visit their website by clicking here. Also, for a further history of the railroad please click here.

Nevada Southern Railway

The Nevada Southern Railway is based in Boulder City, Nevada in the southern region of the state. It operates on trackage once owned by a railroad known as the Nevada Southern Railway, a government sponsored operation built to help construct the now-Hoover Dam in the late 1920s through the 1930s. Today the railroad offers a number of special excursions and events throughout the year and their coaches are fully climate controlled. For more information please visit their website by clicking here.

Virginia & Truckee Railway

The Virgina and Truckee Railway began when it was chartered in 1869 and meant to provide transportation services to the Reno and Carson City areas. While the V&T provided a means of moving out the vast quantities of silver ore being mined it also offered a way to ship in lumber, men, and other materials needed to extract the ore. The railroad ceased to exist as a freight line by 1950, long after the silver mines had dried up (much of which was due to the Sherman Act of 1893). It gained a new purpose soon after its closing to shoot countless Hollywood western films, and it was then that the railroad earned its popularity. However, this too played out by the 1960s at which point most of the rails were taken up. They began to be relaid by the 1970s although the railroad's true rebirth began in the early 1990s when a major push began to rebuild much of the line as a tourist attraction. Today, about fifteen miles of the line are operable although rebuilding of the route is not yet complete along with additional restorations of locomotives and equipment. For more information please visit their website by clicking here. To visit their official website please click here.

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