Perhaps someone in the know can offer some light on the Sparks Nevada Hertage Museum which is located in downtown Sparks Nevada. After a recent trip to the area, I had the opportunity to look at the downtown equipment display and the depot ( is it a replica ) ? I am curious as to a couple of things. Is the equipment actually owned by the City of Sparks Nevada or is this equipment per say on loan from the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City ? If I recall the SP steam engine ( identified at # 8 ) I believe might have been on loan from the NSRR museum. However how about the SP business car identified as SP # 132 ( now named City of Sparks ). This car ( if my records are accurate ) was built as Pullman chair car in 1911 for EP&SW #283, sold to SP in 1928 then to T&NO converted to business car 980 and renumbered 132 and named Lafayette, renamed Houston in 1946, renamed Victoria in 1952 and San Jacinto in 1953 back to Houston in 1957 sold in 1972. Donated to the Sparks Nevada Heritage Museum.

After looking closely at the car, it appears to be suffering from the prolonged outdoor exposure and harsh Nevada winters. I read that this car was I believe donated in 1976 as part of a bicentennial celebration in Sparks, and the car was restored by Harrah's. ( which I believe had or perhaps still has a large antique car collection in the Reno-Sparks area. So my question is who actual maintains this display in Sparks, is it the Sparks Nevada Hertage Museum, the City of Sparks, the Nevada State Railroad Museum, or another party. It is ashame to see an equipment display including a fine business car suffer from lack of maintenance. Also who donated this car to the Sparks Nevada Heritage Museum ??....

Should anyone want to see current pictures of this equipment (which includes the business car, SP # 8, and I believe a SP baywindow, and SP offset cupola caboose, please send me a message, as I would be happy to forward them.

Thank you for the information


Dean A Levin

I'm a Reno resident and I'll try to dig up some information for you. IIRC, a local tv station ran a story about the Sparks Nevada Hertage Museum collection at the depot about a month or two ago. As just an educated guess, I'd think the City of Sparks would be responsible for maintaining the display since I'd doubt the Heritage Museum has the resources to do it and has other responsiblities too. But I can't say for sure.

Sadly some of the the Harrah car collection was auctioned when Mr. Harrah died. What remains of it plus some additions to that are at the National Automobile Museum that is ran by a foundation. It is located on the corner of Mill and Lake streets in downtown Reno and well worth the visit if you're ever in town.

I have heard that interests connected with the Nevada State Railroad Museum would like to obtain an SP switch engine to swap with the narrow gauge #8 on display in Sparks.

The #8 is a 4-6-0 that was built for the Nevada-California-Oregon; when the SP bought and standard gauged that line the #8 went to the Mina (Nev.) to Keeler (Calif.) 3' gauge operation. This was one of the last three steam locomotives on the former Carson & Colorado line; all three -- #8, #9 and #18 -- were former N-C-O 4-6-0s. When the SP acquired a GE diesel for the line in the 1950s the #18 was given to Inyo County (California), the #8 was given to the State of Nevada, and kept the #9 to serve as relief for the diesel. Initially, the #8 was displayed in Carson City in front of the old Post Office-Federal Court House; then later -- but before the formation of the NSRM -- it was moved to Sparks.

Mr. Dean A. Levin
Six years ago you wrote a short on the S.P. Houston at Sparks Nevada Heritage Museum. In the process you said if anyone would like to see the pictures you would forward them.
If you still could that would be most appreciated.
Thank you,
Karl H. Reichhold,
owner of the sister car S.P. 132 the S.P. 125 "Coast"

As I understand it... the SP 8, a narrow gauge locomotive included in the display is technically owned by the Nevada State Railroad Museum, who would like to have the locomotive at Carson City...

The complication is that once loaned to Sparks, the City of Sparks perceives ownership, and so to reclaim the locomotive, the NSRM (as a state, I.E. government agency) needs to find a replacement locomotive (not legally, but politically)

Such is the reality of small town (or small state) politics...

Randy

Dean

I am a Reno resident and have spoken to the Sparks Heritage Museum about this collection on previous occasions.

Yes, the depot is a replica.

SP #8 is indeed the property of the NSRM in Carson City and they would, of course, like it back. There is a potential replacement for it at the V&T in Virginia City, SP 0-6-0 #1251, but restoration would be required and that would be a very complex "3-way" deal to pull off. As one of the other respondents noted, its political.

SP #132, to your point, is long overdue for loving care, but the chances of that happening are very slim, as the Museum is largely embalmed and Sparks, like all NV cities, is in tough economic times. You can get a tour, if you have $10 and are VERY patient....I tried a few months back, arrived at the appointed time, waited an extra 45 minutes because the docent said it was his break time and finally left.

Ultimately, it is the City of Sparks who calls the shots as the property is the City's. I have lived in Reno for 15 years and little has changed there....if that is any clue.

Craig Brinkman
www.arpcp.org

Craig -

Last year when the wife and I rode behind McCloud River Railroad 2-8-2 #18 on the Virginia & Truckee, I asked one of the conductors if the Mike was going to eventually be numbered into the "traditional" V&T numbering scheme, making her #30. He replied that the railroad was currently restoring the SP 0-6-0 which would be given number 30 and that eventually McCRR 18 would be renumbered as 31. I also questioned whether the 0-6-0 made sense on the Carson City-Virginia City run but his reply was that its intended future use was on the "shuttle train" from Virginia City down to Gold Hill. This is all just heresay from one person, so I don't know how accurate it is.

Les