Train Leaving the Station

I was saddened to read today in the latest Trains magazine that the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City is slated to close on August 1, according to the budget proposed to the Nevada legislature. Now this may not come to pass in the end, but it's sad that this state-funded museum is on the chopping block and even sadder for any people who might have been planning on visiting the museum in conjunction with their trip to Renovation. Although our last trip there was tarnished by a rather rude volunteer, Lisa and I have had some very nice experiences there, including the time we visited on a quiet day where one of the staff gave us a personal tour of the otherwise-closed back shop, where they were at that time restoring the "McKeen Car." They have since then completed the restoration, and have the only operating McKeen Car in the world. We had hoped to be able to ride the car on the museum's short demonstration track later this year, but unless we make a special trip, it may now never happen. It would be a shame to see the NSRM's collection of Nevada-focused vintage railroad equipment languish in storage, be scattered to the four winds, or worst of all, scrapped to raise spare change for a cash-strapped Nevada government.