Truckee, California Railroad
Served by both the California Zephyr and Amtrak’s, “thruway motorcoaches” Truckee is an Amtrak train station located in Truckee, California.
Interesting Facts About Truckee, California Railroad
• In 2012 Truckee was recognized as one of the California’s busiest Amtrak stations by way of passenger traffic.
• The Virginia and Truckee Railroad was originally built to serve the mining communities located in northwestern Nevada.
• At its peak, the railroad’s mainline ran south from Reno to Carson City where it divided into two segments. One line continuing south to Minden and the other to Virginia City. The first section from Virginia to Carson City was built in 1869 to transport lumber, and other mining supplies.
• After years of loss in revenue the railroad was finally abandoned 1950 resulting in the sale of many of the buildings, locomotives, and railcars.
• In the 1970s, and marking the growth in public interest in railroad history a group of private investors hoping to re-open the railroad rebuilt the old lines. The group later known as the privately owned Virginia and Truckee Railroad Company today operates the 22.7 km heritage railroad in Virginia City.
• In 2009 the public Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad Company ran the first train in 68 years on the line rebuilt from Gold Hill to Carson City
• In 2010 the railroad bought an operational ALCO S-4 Diesel engine numbered D-2 from Montana. The railroad that year also reinstated it’s No. 18 steam locomotive for revenue service after it was featured in the Hollywood film, Water for Elephants.
• In 2013 the Virginia and Truckee Railroad bought the original 1870 passenger depot formerly used as a private residence housing several cabooses and a speeder as well as acquired three passenger cars and a GE 44-ton switcher engine later used for passenger service in 2016.
• In 2015 railroad hosted its first Day out with Thomas event using several of its cabooses, and observation car.
Truckee, California RailCams
Courtesy of the Truckee Hotel and Moody’s Bistro & Lounge, the Truckee, California RailCams shows live video of the Union Pacific freight trains and Amtrak’s California Zephyr in Truckee, California.
View Truckee, California RailCam.