Hi folks,

I don't pay much attention to Altamont anymore, but I couldn't miss the "Tom Grey (sic) get off his high horse" comment. You have it exactly backwards, if the commission would get off its duff and pay to fix the locomotive, Tom could use it on the long runs and would save massive wear and tear on #29. A few points...

First, the Commission owns the locomotive, not the V&T. They hired Chris DeWitt of NSRM on his own time to inspect the damage. Since the December meeting of the V&T Commission was canceled due to snow, it will be yet another month before those turkey politicians even hear the report and make a decision what to do.

Second, as noted in a previous post, Sierra let the certification lapse.

Third, if it wasn't for the V&T shops, the 18 would be sitting out in the cold, or maybe in an NDOT-style plastic geodesic dome, like Ron Allen suggested. Who else in Northern Nevada has the shops and expertise to fix a steam locomotive? Only NSRM, which can't even get its #8 fixed, can't fix the V&T #25 tender, and can't even afford to fix a wig-wag that's broken.

(Third.point.five) -- The Commission has pissed off everyone they've dealt with and has jerked the NSRM around one too many times. NSRM has no intention of doing ANYTHING for the Commission.

Fourth, if it wasn't for the V&T Railroad spending private money to acquire and rebuild two AWESOME open platform western looking cars, there would have been no runs this year from VC to CC. The government has to lose money somewhere, and the Carson City convention and visitor's bureau lost money even when the runs were sold out.

(Fourth.point.five) -- the V&T RR has acquired a third car, the Reno, and a fourth car, like the two new D&LW cars is on the road as we speak.

Fifth, if it wasn't for all the work fixing the #29 after Ed K. beat it into the ground, there would have been diesel runs, not steam.

Sixth, if the #8 had never been stolen from Plumas County, the V&T wouldn't have spent resources fixing it and shipping it to sit in the elements in Gold Hill. Granted, the V&T damaged it, but now it's been painted over and it not protected this year.

Seventh, as noted in a post, the #18 was delivered damaged and needed the connecting rods removed before it could be pulled up the hill to VC.

Eighth, Sierra Railroad is not being held responsible for the damage, so more taxpayer money will go to fix #18 before it can pull a wagon let alone a train.

Now, having said all that, Sierra wrote the Commission a nasty-gram disclaiming all responsibility for the damage. Since the V&T Commission is already juggling more potential lawsuits than it can handle, they will not enforce the lease agreement and Sierra is off the hook.

To characterize the privately run unsubsidized Virginia and Truckee Railroad as being on a high horse really shows how out of touch the person who wrote the comment is. Perhaps Ron Allen posts here at Nevada Steamer, that would make sense.