V&T Survivor: Number Twenty Seven. In 1913, the Virginia & Truckee purchased its last new locomotive. Like its most recent purchase six years earlier, this last engine was a 60-ton Baldwin 10-wheeler. And like all of the V&T's 20th century engines, she never had a name. Known only as Number 27, this locomotive, and her nearly identical sister, Number 26 did the lion's share of the heavy lifting on the V&T over it's last three decades. And unlike the ornate "Brass Betsy" 4-4-0s of the late 1800s, these engines weren't fussed over. They worked hard and they looked it. By the time the V&T was about ready to close up shop in 1950, the 27 was worn out and retired. The 26 was scheduled to make the last few runs, but a tragic twist of fate robbed her of that distinction as well as her chance at preservation. On May 1st of 1950, the 26 was destroyed in an engine house fire in Reno. With little in the way of power remaining, the V&T quickly did some heavy maintenance on the 27, and on the 31st of May, the locomotive you see here pulled the last train from Reno to Carson City. Late that year, the 27 was retired and donated to the people of Nevada. She then spent the next 40 years as a park engine in various places, including Virginia City. In 1993, she was finally brought to the Nevada State Railroad Museum and given a cosmetic restoration to her 1940 appearance. With her boiler too worn out to operate, she now spends most of her time in a stall in the museum annex. Fortunately, she does get out in the sunshine once in a while. I was lucky enough to catch her one morning, during one of the museum's steam-up weekends.
