Virginia and Truckee Railroad Engine No. 27
Encyclopedia
Virginia and Truckee Railroad Engine No. 27 is a historic standard gauge
steam locomotive
. It is currently on display at the Nevada State Railroad Museum
in Carson City, Nevada
. It was the last locomotive acquired new by the Virginia and Truckee Railroad
, and pulled the last commercial train for the V&T on May 31, 1950, the date that freight and passenger services officially terminated for the company.
The locomotive was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
due to its association with the Virginia and Truckee Railroad and transportation development in Nevada.
#39453, was built in 1913 by Baldwin. It weighs 121,000 pounds, 100,000 of this is weight on the driving wheels. Its 56-inch drivers provide 22,400 pounds of tractive effort.
A 4-6-0
“ten wheeler”, it was the last locomotive delivered new to the Virginia and Truckee Railroad (V&T), and the third ten-wheeler delivered, behind its twin #26 in 1907, and the so-called "Second #25" in 1905. #27 served the V&T dependably and without incident throughout its operational life.
(ICC), leaving only #26 and a giant ALCO
75-ton 2-8-0
known as the "Second #5" (due to its numbering with its previous owner) in service with the bankrupt V&T Railroad. In 1949, #27 was granted a one-day operating permit to serve as a special train for the California-Nevada Railroad Historical Society, before being put back into its engine house to resume retirement.
1950 saw the V&T approaching abandonment as an operating railroad. #26 was the workhorse of the railroad by this time, with Second-5 seldom being used due to its much greater weight causing damage to the rails and ties. #26 was intended to run the last revenue routes for the V&T when, on May 2, 1950, it was destroyed by a fire in its engine house. The V&T executives requested special authority from the ICC to bring #27 back into service for the remaining weeks of V&T operations. This request was granted and, on May 31, 1950, locomotive #27 pulled the last revenue train from Minden to Reno.
The Purdy Company presented the locomotive to the governor of Nevada with the intent that it be preserved. It was displayed near Carson City starting in 1955 where it stayed until 1963 when it was moved to the airport for display. It was further moved in later years before finally being housed in the Nevada State Railroad Museum, where it remains to this day.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
. It is currently on display at the Nevada State Railroad Museum
Nevada State Railroad Museum
Nevada Southern Railway is a railroad museum in Boulder City, Nevada operated by the Nevada State Railroad Museum which is an agency of the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs....
in Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
. It was the last locomotive acquired new by the Virginia and Truckee Railroad
Virginia and Truckee Railroad
The Virginia and Truckee Railroad was built to serve the Comstock Lode mining communities of northwestern Nevada. At its height, the railroad's route ran from Reno south to Carson City, Nevada. In Carson City, the...
, and pulled the last commercial train for the V&T on May 31, 1950, the date that freight and passenger services officially terminated for the company.
The locomotive was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
due to its association with the Virginia and Truckee Railroad and transportation development in Nevada.
History
Locomotive #27, also known as Baldwin Locomotive WorksBaldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
#39453, was built in 1913 by Baldwin. It weighs 121,000 pounds, 100,000 of this is weight on the driving wheels. Its 56-inch drivers provide 22,400 pounds of tractive effort.
A 4-6-0
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
“ten wheeler”, it was the last locomotive delivered new to the Virginia and Truckee Railroad (V&T), and the third ten-wheeler delivered, behind its twin #26 in 1907, and the so-called "Second #25" in 1905. #27 served the V&T dependably and without incident throughout its operational life.
Retirement
In 1948, #27's boiler permit expired, and the locomotive was retired by the Interstate Commerce CommissionInterstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
(ICC), leaving only #26 and a giant ALCO
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
75-ton 2-8-0
2-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
known as the "Second #5" (due to its numbering with its previous owner) in service with the bankrupt V&T Railroad. In 1949, #27 was granted a one-day operating permit to serve as a special train for the California-Nevada Railroad Historical Society, before being put back into its engine house to resume retirement.
1950 saw the V&T approaching abandonment as an operating railroad. #26 was the workhorse of the railroad by this time, with Second-5 seldom being used due to its much greater weight causing damage to the rails and ties. #26 was intended to run the last revenue routes for the V&T when, on May 2, 1950, it was destroyed by a fire in its engine house. The V&T executives requested special authority from the ICC to bring #27 back into service for the remaining weeks of V&T operations. This request was granted and, on May 31, 1950, locomotive #27 pulled the last revenue train from Minden to Reno.
After V&T
Following the V&T ceasing passenger and freight operations on that date, #27 was used to pull the remainder of the railroad's own equipment into Carson City on June 1, as well as some ancillary clean-up duties until June 3. That summer it was used in movie production before the Purdy Company, which now owned #27, scrapped the remainder of the V&T railroad.The Purdy Company presented the locomotive to the governor of Nevada with the intent that it be preserved. It was displayed near Carson City starting in 1955 where it stayed until 1963 when it was moved to the airport for display. It was further moved in later years before finally being housed in the Nevada State Railroad Museum, where it remains to this day.