Press release from the Northern Nevada Railway Foundation. The first film has already been shown, but the second one is scheduled for tonight at Piper's Opera House.

The first Railway Reflections International Art Expo starts July 17, 2008, and runs through August 17. It will be a fun time for everyone and will benefit the reconstruction of the V & T Railroad from Virginia City to Carson City. It will start with the Artists and V.I.P. Reception on July 16 at the Nevada State Library and Archives.

The art exhibit features all of the entries and will be on display in the Nevada State Library and Archives from July 17 through August 17. All of the artwork, or copies of it, will be for sale.

The Film Festival will be held every Thursday night during the Art Expo at Piper’s Opera House in Virginia City and will feature railroading films from the past.

“Union Pacific” was originally released in May of 1939 and starred Joel McCrea and Barbara Stanwyck and will be the first film on July 17. We will have Steven Drew from the California State Railroad Museum, which is where a lot of the V&T equipment went to do that film, at the theater to introduce the film and give us some background.

We also have “Breakheart Pass” with Charles Bronson, Richard Crenna, Jill Ireland, and Charles Durning. Larry Jensen is the author of the book “Movie Railways” and will be at the theater to introduce this film from 1976.

Next on the list is “Emperor of the North” starring Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin. We may have a surprise guest to introduce this film which was originally released in May of 1973.

“Posse” is also on the list and stars Kirk Douglas, Bo Hopkins, and Bruce Dern. Bo will be in Reno for the Hot August Nights festival and may be at the theater to introduce the film. “Posse” was originally released in June of 1975.

The last movie on the list is “Carson City” starring Randolph Scott, Lucille Norman, and Raymond Massey. It is a story about building the V&T Railroad from Carson City to Virginia City. Yes, they do it backwards but it is still a good movie. It was originally released in June of 1952.

We also have a Railroad Memorabilia Show and Sale scheduled for July 26th and 27th in the Nevada State Library Gallery. Railroad antiques and collectibles will be on display and for sale featuring locks, lanterns, badges, china, silverware, timetables, linens, signs, and much more. Admission is free.

“The Perils of Pusher” is a comedy-melodrama that will be performed by the Misfits Theater Group at the Historic Odeon Hall & Saloon in nearby Dayton, also on July 26th and 27th.

The Governor’s Gala is a black-tie celebration and fundraiser, including cocktails, dinner, and entertainment, to be held at the Governor’s Mansion on August 6.

August 8 is the date for our Golf Tournament and Luau at the Eagle Valley Golf Course. There will be competitive play for golfers (and duffers) during the day and a Luau celebration (everyone welcome) afterwards.

Ales for Rails will be held August 10 in Fuji Park on the south end of Carson City. We will feature beer tasting, barbeque, and bands. It will be a day to relax and have fun. Sponsored by Bodine’s Casino.

Eastern Fare Meets Western Trains will be our last event on August 17 at the Nevada State Railroad Museum. This is the site of the closing dinner that will showcase the area’s 16 Asian restaurants. Lecture and train rides are included.

All of this adds up to a busy and fun schedule for our first Railway Reflections International Art Expo and we are looking forward to seeing as many of you as we can. Stop by and see us if you get a chance and don’t miss this exciting event.

Backyard Traveler: Finding Fallen Leaf Lake

Tucked in the mountains, a few miles west of magnificent Lake Tahoe, is another body of water that just might be, with apologies to Mark Twain, the second fairest picture the whole earth affords.

Called Fallen Leaf Lake, this picturesque alpine lake rivals its larger neighbor in beauty. In fact, if not for a fluke of nature, namely a small stretch of land that separates Fallen Leaf from Tahoe, the area could easily have been another Emerald Bay.

I've been breezing around town checking up on all the construction that's going on now.

The Carson-Tahoe Quail park at the south end of town seems to be mostly done. The sign is up, there are trees planted in the parking lot, and the buildings seem to be finished, at least on the exterior. Now all they need are tenants.

Burlington Coat Factory has been remodeling the old Wal*Mart at Clearview. At least the half of it that they didn't tear down. Here the new facade seems to be mostly done, although the bottom half of the building is still sporting the old paint job.

The Kentucky Fried Chicken on north Carson Street is getting a major facelift. It's so drastic that the restaurant has had to close for the duration.

This project on Curry Street is coming along nicely too. Already the ground floor is done, and it looks like they're starting on a second.

Besides these photos, there is also work going on at the old Harley Davidson building on north Carson (just past the KFC) converting it into a Harbor Freight Tools. And work on the Carson Mall is continuing; I need to stop by there and take pictures of that. And of course the freeway construction is in full swing, as is the repaving job on Fairview.

Ride the Newly Restored Section of the Virginia and Truckee Railway; Trolley Tours, Art Exhibition, Dinners and Entertainment Highlight Two-Day Event

(Carson City, Nev.) – Train rides along the historic Virginia and Truckee (V&T) Railway, live music and train-robbing bandits are all part of the Carson City/Virginia City Railfest, Aug. 16-17, 2008. Railfest is a celebration of the past, present and future of the V&T Railroad.

The event kicks off Saturday, Aug. 16 at the V&T station on F Street in Virginia City when Engine No. 29, a 1916 steam engine, will pull riders on a five-mile, 35-minute trip on the historic V&T to Gold Hill, an old-time mining town, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. A 1914 Pullman car and a Railway President’s 1907 gentlemen’s car will be on display. Other activities include historic railroad memorabilia displays, free face painting, a balloon magician, juggler and family photographer. The Chillin’ & Grillin’ food festival will be on C Street with grilled foods and ice cream for visitors.

Narrated rides aboard the Virginia City Trolley will also be available, and the Historic No. 18 Dayton steam locomotive will be on display at the Comstock History Center. At sunset, the V&T wine train, hosted by the Viriginia City Ramada Hotel, takes visitors on a narrated train ride to American Flats, a new section of track completed by the Commission. The ride includes hors d’oeuvres, wine and music. The train departs from the F Street Station at 7 p.m. and returns at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 per couple (adults only). For information, call 775-847-7500 or 775-847-4484.

A variety of Silver Line Express, a city pass for savings on train and trolley rides, merchant discounts and local attractions around Virginia City and Gold Hill, are available at visitors center, 86 South C St. Ticket A is $11 and includes one round-trip ride on the V&T train, one Virginia City Trolley Tour and discounts at participating businesses in Virginia City and Gold Hill. Look for Silver Express posters displayed in store windows. Ticket B is $25.50 and includes all of the above and admission to The Ponderosa Mine, Nevada Gambling Museum, Historic Radio Museum, the Mark Twain Museum at the Territorial Enterprise, The Way It Was Museum and the Fourth Ward School. Ticket C is $40 and includes all of the above plus admission to the Chollar Mine and Comstock Gold Mill and two-for-one Cemetery Gin Drinks (must be 21) at participating saloons and restaurants and. For more information, call 775-847-4386 or visit http://www.visitvirginiacitynv.com/.

On Sunday, Aug. 17, Railfest moves to the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City. The fun kicks off at 10 a.m. as the old No. 8 locomotive does a “Steam Up” around the museum tracks. Enjoy rides on an authentic steam train from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors 65 and older, and $3 for children six-11.

The museum will host “Eastern Fare Meets Western Trains,” a dinner and lecture from 5:30-8:30 p.m., as part of Railway Reflections, a major international railroad art exposition. Carson City’s Bamboo Gardens will serve appetizers and entrees in the museum, followed by a slideshow presentation of the Chinese contribution to the V&T. After dinner, guests can ride the train around the museum tracks. Tickets are $25 for the evening’s festivities.

The Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the Virginia & Truckee Railway is reconstructing the original V&T Railway to complete the 21-mile route between Gold Hill and Carson City. Currently, crews are working on opening tunnel No. 2 and the four and one-half-mile section of track from American Flats to Moundhouse. The project is scheduled for completion by 2011.

The Nevada State Railroad Museum preserves the railroad heritage of Nevada, including locomotives and cars of the famous Virginia & Truckee Railway and other railroads of the Silver State. Many were purchased from Hollywood studios, where they were made famous in movies and television shows. Among the locomotives and cars in the collection, 40 were built before 1900 and 31 operated on the V&T Railway.

The Nevada State Railroad Museum is located on Route 395 at the south end of Carson City. A yellow train station and red water tank at the entrance to the museum grounds are landmarks. The museum is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and free for children 17 and younger. The museum features exhibits and steam train rides from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through November. For more information, call 775-687-6953.

I know I should be going through all my vacation pictures (4,000 pictures in 10 days. w00t!), but instead I've been going through pictures from 13 years ago. These photos from May of 1995 show the V&T Railroad in Virginia City running in the snow. Yes, it was one of those freak May snowstorms, and as you can see by the photos, it had almost all melted by late morning. But the pictures are still cool.

You know you want to see all 38 pictures at Flickr.

Remember Carson City, NY? The Carson City and Indian Village tourist attraction in upstate New York? The place is closed now, but Flickr user Gigi Elmes snuck onto the property and found that the buildings are still standing. See all the photos here.

I'm finally back from vacation. And after nearly two weeks away, there are a lot of virtual newspapers piled up on my Google Reader porch. So I decided to just plow through the hundreds of articles of local news, and put up a list of the ones that caught my eye.

• Ridin' the rails, old-school style | NevadaAppeal.com
• City puts pressure on raceway owner | NevadaAppeal.com
• Washoe Valley fire | NevadaAppeal.com
• Campaign signs a small but important matter | NevadaAppeal.com
• Summer means time for farmer's markets across the region | NevadaAppeal.com
• Book excerpt about the Comstock: 'Dare to shoot the flume' | NevadaAppeal.com
• A town 'infected with rough characters' and good lager | NevadaAppeal.com
• A mining company's holes | NevadaAppeal.com
• Bone discovery found on state, not federal land | NevadaAppeal.com
• Will the real Benjamin Green please ... sit down | NevadaAppeal.com
• Upcoming historical events | NevadaAppeal.com
• A history of orphans in Carson | NevadaAppeal.com
• Fresh berries from the farmers market make delicious, nutritious eating | NevadaAppeal.com
• It's time to start paying attention to candidates | NevadaAppeal.com
• First impressions are lasting ones | NevadaAppeal.com
• V&T commission to sell rail cars | NevadaAppeal.com
• Budget cuts kill NDOT maintenance projects | NevadaAppeal.com
• There's no perfect solution for Carson River Canyon access | NevadaAppeal.com
• Help serve up Carson City's Sesquicentennial with style | www.rgj.com | Reno Gazette-Journal
• Park Cattle Co. moves ahead with massive development | www.rgj.com | Reno Gazette-Journal
• Local arts supporter Comma Coffee gets a face lift | www.rgj.com | Reno Gazette-Journal
• Drivers negotiating roundabouts make interesting maneuvers | www.rgj.com | Reno Gazette-Journal
• County commission rejects 'Hillbillies' star's casino sign | www.rgj.com | Reno Gazette-Journal
• Empire of cool | www.rgj.com | Reno Gazette-Journal
• Capture a day in the life of Carson Valley on Aug. 22 | RecordCourier.com
• Recordcourier.com photo contest | RecordCourier.com
• 3 hurt when rig slams into Holbrook trailer park | RecordCourier.com
• Witnesses describe destruction at trailer park | RecordCourier.com
• Driver, victims of trailer park accident identified, witnesses sought | RecordCourier.com
• Burglaries at 3 homes in Johnson Lane | RecordCourier.com
• Hard times when business improvises best | RecordCourier.com
• Bike Carson > Blog Archive > Waterfall Fire - Four Years Later
• Waterfall Fire 2004 - a set on Flickr
• News Carson City > Blog Archive > Another big party bash down at Fridays at 3rd!
• News Carson City > Blog Archive > Downtown 'Oldtown'� Carson City buzzin' with activities on Saturday mornings.

(Carson City, Nev.) – One of Carson City’s hottest events returns for its 14th year, the Silver Dollar Car Classic, on Aug 1-3. The annual event broke participation records last year with more than 300 show cars. Organizers hope to fill Mills Park with 400 cars this year.

The automobile celebration starts with a party on Thursday, July 31 at 6 p.m. at the Plaza Hotel and Conference Center. The public can get a sneak peek and entrants can size up the competition during the Show ‘n Shine. The party includes 1950s-priced food, drinks and rock ‘n’ roll music.

The Friday night street dance features the Route 66 band and Show ‘n Shine in the Carson Nugget’s west parking lot from 7-11 p.m. On Saturday, the official Show ‘n Shine contest runs from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. with the Kiwanis pancake breakfast from 8-10:30 a.m. Mills Park will also host food vendors, craft shows and music throughout the day. Also, a replica Abbott Downing stagecoach will provide rides all day Saturday, powered by real horsepower - four paint horses.

The “Wild West Million Dollar Poker Run” kicks off Sunday’s activities. The country’s only $1 Million Poker Run features Nevada Gunfighters to give participants a taste of the Old West. The best poker hand winner gets the chance to win $1 million by hitting a hole-in-one at Empire Ranch Golf Course. The Poker Run is from 8 a.m.-noon and is open to the general public. Entry fee per vehicle is $5.

Following the Million Dollar Poker Run, Empire Ranch Golf Course hosts the Millard’s Great Fixins’ BBQ from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Mills Park. The Show ‘n Shine awards ceremony, including categories like “Most Likely to get Busted”, “Fat Cat” and “Flamin’ Freeway” begins at 1 p.m.

A full package entry fee is $65; rates go to $75 after July 18. The package includes the kick-off party at the Nugget Casino, street dance, Show ‘n Shine competitions, an official t-shirt and dash plaque, two pancake breakfast tickets for Saturday, two barbecue dinner tickets for Sunday, admission for one to the Poker Run and a welcome packet from Silver Dollar sponsors.

For more information or to register, visit www.SilverDollarCar.com or call 775-687-7410. To learn more about Carson City’s accommodations and other activities, visit www.VisitCarsonCity.com.

Looks like the Post-it wars are here. Found four cars in north Carson this morning, wrapped up like sausages. Now that's good fun.

Now, you all behave. I'm going to be out of town for a couple of weeks, until July 19th, and I don't want to see any shenanigans around here. Be good while I'm gone!

15 bonus points if you can guess where we're going.