The Virginia & Truckee Commission seems to finally be coming to their senses a little, and realizing that they need to work with the Gray family, who owns the current V&T operation in Virginia City, not against them. It’s always been the most obvious thing in the world to have the V&T that now runs from Virginia City to Gold Hill just continue on the new track that’s being built all the way down to Carson City. But the Commission seemingly has been against that idea from the start, first by buying their own locomotive, then by choosing Sierra Railroad to be the operator of the new V&T, then by threatening to take the current V&T’s tracks by eminent domain. This, of course, is lunacy, and the first hints that maybe the Commission is changing their minds seem to be shining through.
This story details how the Commission is considering extending the first olive branch by letting the Grays run regular excursions on the new track next year. Which of course is the only logical thing to do, but the fact that this announcement is news says a lot about the Commission. Maybe they’re finally starting to realize that keeping the local operator in place, the one that’s been running a successful train business in Nevada for over 30 years, is better than bringing in an outside company to do it. And that actually running regular trains on their new track is better than letting it sit and rust and grow weeds.
Sierra Railroad, of course, is pissed about this, but I think the best thing for the Commission to do would be to kick them to the curb, and fast.
