Leased power at the V&T:: California native Mikado, McCloud River Railroad #18, is seen here at Gold Hill, NV, blasting through Tunnel 4 with a freight bound for Reno, NV on a beautiful Winter's day in February.
The Virginia & Truckee, has seen quite a surge in traffic over the last few years thanks to recent expansion of the line. Short on motive power, the ("new" V&T has accepted an agreement to lease former McCloud River #18 from the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction. Though the original V&T had 27 steam engines on it's roster, 18 have been scrapped. Of the remaining 9, only two are operable, though no longer owned by the railroad. Those two, along with former Denver, Texas & Ft Worth #9 (painted as V&T #28) operate at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, NV. V&T #29, former Longview, Portland & Northern Railway #680 is the V&T's only other operable steam engine, as V&T #30, an 0-6-0, former Southern Pacific #1251 is in need or restoration. Does that make #18, V&T #31? Perhaps, though, recall, for now, the engine is not owned by the "new" V&T, but on lease.
