Date of photo: 1976
Photographer: Unknown
Source : Facebook: Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City
Date Uploaded: September 24, 2026
Permanent Link: http://wnhpc.com/details/fb1666322722167070
Contributor: Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City on Facebook
Source: Facebook: Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City
Source URL: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1666322722167070&set=pcb.1666322788833730
Source Caption: Short Line Enterprises (SLE) was co-founded by Stan Garner and Bill Oden in 1967. In 1970 Ron Steiner and Bob Verkuyl joined SLE. SLE’s goal was to purchase historic railroad cars and locomotives from Hollywood studios in the late 1960s and early 1970s. SLE then moved the cars and locomotives to Alta Loma, California. There, the company’s employees spent their weekends restoring the railroad equipment. Eventually, this led to SLE working on film productions, tourist railroads, and museum restorations.
In April 1976, SLE entered into a lease agreement to provide railroad equipment for the revived Virginia & Truckee (V&T) in Virginia City. The equipment included: Locomotive No. 8 (4-4-0 Cooke, 1888), Railbus No. 50 (ex-Tucson, Cornelia & Gila Bend No. 401 Edwards Motor Car, 1926), V&T Caboose No. 10, and excursion cars Nos. 359 and 360. During the 1976 season, Locomotive No. 8 operated a steam-powered excursion train to Gold Hill with Nos. 10, 359, and 360 on a daily basis. The Railbus No. 50, repainted a reddish color similar to the V&T’s McKeen Motor Car and named the “Washoe Zephyr,” alternated runs with the steam train after September 12 through the end of the 1976 operating season.
The SLE’s role on the V&T was short-lived. The V&T decided to terminate the lease agreement with SLE at the end of the 1976 operating season. During the early spring of 1977, SLE moved the railroad equipment being used at the V&T to the Sierra Railroad in Jamestown, California.
Photos courtesy of Stan Garner.
Download Photo: JPG (292 KB)
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