Railfest steams into Carson, Virginia City

Train rides along the historic Virginia & Truckee Railway, live music and train robbing bandits are part of the Carson City/Virginia City Railfest, taking place this weekend. The event begins Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the V&T station car on F Street in Virginia City and is a celebration of the past, present and future of the V&T Railway.

Railfest features live music, railroad memorabilia, train robberies, and 5-mile, 35-minute narrated round-trip train rides on the historic V&T to Gold Hill from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

To celebrate the V&T reconstruction, there will be a special 4 p.m. train ride to American Flats, the newly completed portion of the project, eight miles round-trip. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children 5-12.

Back at the depot, members of Virginia City's Wild West past will stage mock gun fights to benefit the "Let 'Em Run Wild" Foundation supporting wild horse adoptions. Narrated rides aboard the Virginia City Trolley will 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 will take visitors on a narrated train ride to the newly completed portion of the reconstructed track to American Flats. The ride includes hors d'oeuvres, wine and music. The train departs from the F Street Station at 7 p.m. and arrives back at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 per couple. All riders must be 21 or older. Call 847-7500.

On Sunday, the Railfest moves to the Nevada State Railroad Museum, where the No. 8 locomotive does a "steam-up" around the museum tracks. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors 65 and over, and $3 for children 6-11. There's also live music by The Back Forty Band, mock shoot-outs by the Nevada Gunfighters and food and drink served by the Warren Engine Company Volunteer Fire Department.

The museum is open daily from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and free for children. Call 687-6953.