Virginia and Truckee RR. Engines No. 18, The Dayton; and No. 22, The Inyo
Encyclopedia
The Virginia and Truckee Railroad Engines No. 18, The Dayton; and No. 22, The Inyo are two historic standard gauge
steam locomotives. The Inyo is on display at the Nevada State Railroad Museum
and the Dayton is on display in Virginia City
, Nevada
. They spent their working lives on the Virginia and Truckee Railroad
.
The locomotives were placed on the National Register of Historic Places
because of their association with the Virginia and Truckee Railroad and transportation development in Nevada
"American", was built in 1873 by the Central Pacific Railroad
, in Sacramento, California
, and was based on the design of the CP's 173 engine
. The locomotive weighs 78000 pounds (35,380.2 kg), has 60 inches (152.4 cm) driving wheels, and carried 2500 gal of water and 3 cords of wood. A large snow plow was fixed to the front of the locomotive in 1879, and it performed snow clearing duties on the Virginia & Truckee lines during the winters for most of its operational life, in addition to its normal passenger hauling duties.
In 1906 the locomotive had the honor of opening the branch line between Carson City, Nevada
and Minden, Nevada
, but after that it was used less frequently. In 1908 it was converted to burn oil rather than wood. In 1937, the locomotive, minus the plow, was sold to Paramount Pictures
for $1,000, who then had the locomotive overhauled at the Southern Pacific Railroad
shops at Sparks, Nevada
. Paramount had repainted the locomotive and renumbered it for use in motion pictures.
. It traveled to New York City
in 1939 to promote this film. Other movies featuring the Dayton include Young Tom Edison
, The Harvey Girls
and Duel in the Sun.
"American", was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works
in 1875, and pulled both passenger and freight trains. The Inyo weighs 68000 lb (30,844.3 kg). Its 57 in (144.8 cm) driving wheels deliver 11920 lb (5,406.8 kg) of tractive force. In 1877 it was fitted with air brakes, and in 1910 it was converted to burn oil rather than wood.
Inyo was retired on September 9, 1926. It was kept in generally working order, to provide a source of spare parts for another V&T locomotive, the Reno.
It was sold to Paramount Pictures in March of 1937 for $1,250. It was not rebuilt by the studio. It, too, was repainted and renumbered for use in motion pictures.
in 1937, followed by roles in Union Pacific
, Red River and as the Texas in Disney's The Great Locomotive Chase in 1956. In 1962 she played the Southern Pacific #9 in the John Wayne
feature McLintock!
. She was featured in the 1960s television series The Wild Wild West
wearing both the number 8 and 22. In all, the locomotive appeared in over 20 film productions.
. Inyo was decorated to look like the Central Pacific's Jupiter
, and Dayton was modified to represent Union Pacific's No. 119
. They remained at the Golden Spike National Historic Site
throughout most of the 1970s. In 1974 the two locomotives were sold to the State of Nevada, but they remained in Utah while brand-new replica locomotives were built to replace them. Dayton and Inyo finally arrived at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City in late 1978.
An assessment of the two locomotives showed that the Inyo was in better shape, and it was chosen for a full restoration to steam operation. Dayton was selected to receive a cosmetic restoration. Dayton was completed first, and made its debut at the museum on Memorial Day
weekend, 1982. Inyo was completed next year, debuting on May 29, 1983.
In 2005, the Dayton was moved to the Comstock History Center in Virginia City, Nevada
, where it is on static display. The Inyo remains in Carson City, where it steams up and runs around the museum's track on selected dates, most notably July 4 every year.
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 locomotives. The Inyo is 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....
and the Dayton is on display in Virginia City
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. They spent their working lives on 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...
.
The locomotives were 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...
because of their association with the Virginia and Truckee Railroad and transportation development in Nevada
The Dayton
The Dayton, a 4-4-04-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
"American", was built in 1873 by the Central Pacific Railroad
Central Pacific Railroad
The Central Pacific Railroad is the former name of the railroad network built between California and Utah, USA that formed part of the "First Transcontinental Railroad" in North America. It is now part of the Union Pacific Railroad. Many 19th century national proposals to build a transcontinental...
, in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, and was based on the design of the CP's 173 engine
Central Pacific 173
The Central Pacific Railroad number 173 was a 4-4-0 steam locomotive that was an example of a modern steam locomotive of the time. It was the prototype used for the Central Pacific's Sacramento Shops when the railroad began constructing locomotives...
. The locomotive weighs 78000 pounds (35,380.2 kg), has 60 inches (152.4 cm) driving wheels, and carried 2500 gal of water and 3 cords of wood. A large snow plow was fixed to the front of the locomotive in 1879, and it performed snow clearing duties on the Virginia & Truckee lines during the winters for most of its operational life, in addition to its normal passenger hauling duties.
In 1906 the locomotive had the honor of opening the branch line between 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...
and Minden, Nevada
Minden, Nevada
Minden is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. The population was 2,836 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Douglas County and is adjacent to the city of Gardnerville. It is named after the town of Minden, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It...
, but after that it was used less frequently. In 1908 it was converted to burn oil rather than wood. In 1937, the locomotive, minus the plow, was sold to Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
for $1,000, who then had the locomotive overhauled at the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
shops at Sparks, Nevada
Sparks, Nevada
Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States, located east of Reno, Nevada. The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population count was 90,264. Sparks is often referred to as half of a twin city .-Geography and Climate:...
. Paramount had repainted the locomotive and renumbered it for use in motion pictures.
The Dayton film history
The Dayton appeared in several movies, beginning with Union PacificUnion Pacific (film)
Union Pacific is a 1939 American dramatic western film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea. Based on the novel Trouble Shooter by Western fiction author Ernest Haycox, the film is about the building of the railroad across the American West.-Plot:The 1862...
. It traveled to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1939 to promote this film. Other movies featuring the Dayton include Young Tom Edison
Young Tom Edison
Young Tom Edison is a 1940 biographical film about the early life of inventor Thomas Edison, with Mickey Rooney in the title role.-Cast:*Mickey Rooney as Thomas Edison*Fay Bainter as Nancy Edison*George Bancroft as Samuel Edison...
, The Harvey Girls
The Harvey Girls
The Harvey Girls is a 1946 MGM musical film based on a 1942 novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams about Fred Harvey's famous Harvey House restaurants. Directed by George Sidney, the film stars Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury, Virginia O'Brien, Ray Bolger, and Marjorie Main...
and Duel in the Sun.
The Inyo
The Inyo, a 4-4-04-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
"American", was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin 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...
in 1875, and pulled both passenger and freight trains. The Inyo weighs 68000 lb (30,844.3 kg). Its 57 in (144.8 cm) driving wheels deliver 11920 lb (5,406.8 kg) of tractive force. In 1877 it was fitted with air brakes, and in 1910 it was converted to burn oil rather than wood.
Inyo was retired on September 9, 1926. It was kept in generally working order, to provide a source of spare parts for another V&T locomotive, the Reno.
It was sold to Paramount Pictures in March of 1937 for $1,250. It was not rebuilt by the studio. It, too, was repainted and renumbered for use in motion pictures.
The Inyo film history
The Inyo starred in High, Wide, and HandsomeHigh, Wide, and Handsome
High, Wide, and Handsome is a 1937 American musical film starring Irene Dunne, Randolph Scott, Alan Hale, Sr., Charles Bickford, and Dorothy Lamour....
in 1937, followed by roles in Union Pacific
Union Pacific (film)
Union Pacific is a 1939 American dramatic western film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea. Based on the novel Trouble Shooter by Western fiction author Ernest Haycox, the film is about the building of the railroad across the American West.-Plot:The 1862...
, Red River and as the Texas in Disney's The Great Locomotive Chase in 1956. In 1962 she played the Southern Pacific #9 in the John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
feature McLintock!
McLintock!
McLintock! is a 1963 comedy Western starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, and loosely based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The film is notable, perhaps even infamous, for its two spanking scenes, in which mother and daughter are each paddled with coal shovels: the daughter by her...
. She was featured in the 1960s television series The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
wearing both the number 8 and 22. In all, the locomotive appeared in over 20 film productions.
Post-Retirement
In 1937 the locomotives were sold to Paramount Pictures. In 1969 the two locomotives participated in ceremonies for the centennial of the Golden SpikeGolden spike
The "Golden Spike" is the ceremonial final spike driven by Leland Stanford to join the rails of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States connecting the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads on May 10, 1869, at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory...
. Inyo was decorated to look like the Central Pacific's Jupiter
Jupiter (locomotive)
The Jupiter was a 4-4-0 steam locomotive which made history as one of the two locomotives The Jupiter (officially known as Central Pacific Railroad #60) was a 4-4-0 steam locomotive which made history as one of the two locomotives The Jupiter (officially known as Central Pacific Railroad #60) was...
, and Dayton was modified to represent Union Pacific's No. 119
Union Pacific No. 119
The No. 119 was a 4-4-0 steam locomotive which made history as one of the two locomotives to meet at Promontory Summit during the Golden Spike ceremony commemorating the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.No...
. They remained at the Golden Spike National Historic Site
Golden Spike National Historic Site
Golden Spike National Historic Site is a U.S. National Historic Site located at Promontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake in Utah.It commemorates the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad where the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad met on May 10, 1869...
throughout most of the 1970s. In 1974 the two locomotives were sold to the State of Nevada, but they remained in Utah while brand-new replica locomotives were built to replace them. Dayton and Inyo finally arrived at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City in late 1978.
An assessment of the two locomotives showed that the Inyo was in better shape, and it was chosen for a full restoration to steam operation. Dayton was selected to receive a cosmetic restoration. Dayton was completed first, and made its debut at the museum on Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend, 1982. Inyo was completed next year, debuting on May 29, 1983.
In 2005, the Dayton was moved to the Comstock History Center in Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
, where it is on static display. The Inyo remains in Carson City, where it steams up and runs around the museum's track on selected dates, most notably July 4 every year.