At just past 10:am on Thursday, October 15, 2009, former Virginia & Truckee Railroad McKeen Motor Car No. 22, delivered in 1910 and serving the V&T until it was retired in 1945, moved under its own power for the first time in over 64 years. The car, under restoration for over a decade at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, Nevada was piloted by Restoration Shop Supervisor and CMO, Chris DeWitt.

After a few short trial runs the car has been returned to the shop where restoration work will be completed in the coming months. An April 2010 official unveiling (to coincide with the centennial of the car) is being planned.


Peter D. Barton
Acting Administrator
Nevada Division of Museums & History

Congratulations on work well done. In the new engine/transmission configuration, would it have enough horsepower to climb on the reconstructed track north of Hwy 50?

I had gathered before that one of the next tasks will be to build a connecting track to the north side of the shop in order to move the motor car to other parts of the NSRM property.
O. Anderson

Thank you!

With respect to future operations of the McKeen Car, the agreement with the donor strictly limits where the car may go. A design is underway and the museum has partial funding for a new purpose-built building to house, maintain and interpret the car. This new structure would have a direct connection to the Museum's loop track.

We did not engineer the new McKeen power plant with the intent it would operate on the reconstructed V&T and it is frankly unlikely it has sufficient horsepower to pull up the hill to Virginia City.

Peter D. Barton
Acting Administrator
Nevada Division of Museums & History

Is that a nickel-plated streetcar gong next to the whistle?

The gong is solid bell bronze. It arrived at the museum as a rough casting from a bell foundry and was turned on a lathe and finished at the Railroad Museum. Admittedly the lighting does give it the appearance of that of a nickle-plated gong but that is not the case.

Peter Barton
Acting Administrator
Nevada Division of Museums & History

Congratulations to you, Peter, and to everyone else at the NSRM for such great performance under what can only be described as very difficult conditions!

Now, I have to ask, is Chris' head hanging outside so that he can watch the performance of the awesome new power truck, or to ensure that he doesn't go deaf? It has to be very LOUD inside that cab.

That is pretty cool. Hats off to those who restored her. I remember searchi ng out this carbody back in '72 when it was still at the hardware store... I thought it was pretty neat then, but I never imagined it would ever run again.

Is that a carbon arc apparatus in the headlight?

The head light is missing its reflector... its on the punch list.

This restoration is historic... from a stripped carbody to a compete, accurate running car... yes, now diesel, with a hydraulic drive... but glorious...

We (attendees at the V&T symposium, now longest running historic railroad gathering) had a chance to view the car yesterday... It is likely the most significant restoration in the last 10 years... yes, no smoke...

Great work! This shows that most anything is possible. A detailed story of her restoration would be a great subject for a RYPN feature article.