The Friends of the Nevada State Railroad Museum (NSRM)
provides resources and services for the Museum, including fund raising, advocacy, and volunteer work ranging from visitor service to restoration and operation of the equipment in its collection.
Of Interest
Be a Partner in History
Support the museum
Buy a commemorative brick & honor a loved one.
Bricks purchased in October 2008 are now in the display case on the northeast wall at the back of the Interpretive Center.
The Friends at work
Just what do the Friends do? Just about everything from being the steam train
crew to giving tours, from selling tickets to working at the Museum store.
Take a look.
HO Model Railroad
Museum volunteers are building an HO scale railroad for permanent exhibit at the Museum
that shows the changing nature of Nevada's railroads during the 20th century,
both technologically and in terms of their impact on the State's economy.
Friends and other volunteers operate trains on weekends and group-tour days. At other times a push-button enables visitors to operate a train on demand.
Carson City Events
Find out what’s going on in the area
from the
Capital City Arts Initiative
(CCAI) web log and
website. The web log features arts
and culture news around town, in northern Nevada, throughout the nation and
around the world. Keep current with their
calendar of
events and their newsletter, the
CCAI News Flash .
Capitol News
Many of the Friends are concerned about the Museum in light of the happenings in the State Legislature. This link provides the latest information that we have heard from the Department of Cultural Affairs about the legislative matters.
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What's Happening at the Museum
Celebrate 4th of July Weekend
She's back by popular demand. The infamous movie and TV star, Brass Betsy (a.k.a., our own 134 year old No. 22, Inyo steam locomotive), will be on the tracks this weekend to celebrate the 4th of July.
Yes, that's right, the locomotive used in the television show Wild Wild West will be out on the rails for all to photograph.
Her sister engine, No. 25, will be on the another track to give rides to the young and young at heart.
Hop aboard and let Freedom steam!
Every 40 minutes from 10am-4pm
Purchase tickets at the Depot
| Adults | $5.00 |
| Seniors (65 and over) | $4.00 |
| Friends of the Museum | $2.50 |
| Children (6 to 11) | $3.00 |
| Children (under 6) | Free |
| Cab rides* | $25.00 |
* Must be over 6 years old to ride in cab. Maximum 2 passengers per train ride.
2009 Ride Schedule Available
The full 2009 schedule for the motorcar and steam train rides is now available online. To print a pdf version of the ride brochure, click here. Make your spring and summer ride plans now.
Want To Operate a Steam Engine Locomotive?
Starting May 24, the Museum is offering the Your Hand Is On the Throttle" program to aspiring engineers. On most weekend days that steam engine is scheduled for rides, one person has the opportunity to learn how run a steam engine.
This isn't just any steam locomotive, this is a 1905 Baldwin Steam Locomotive known as the second #25 on the Virginia and Truckee railroad. Not only did it haul gold and silver from Virginia City down into the Valley, but it had a second career as a movie star. If you've seen the classic RKO westerns, like John Wayne's Three Godfathers, Betty Grable's The Beautiful Blond from Bashful Bend , and Burt Lancaster's Apache, you've seen this engine.
The course involves approximately one hour of classroom instruction in which you'll receive an operations manual and a railroad rule book. You'll be provided gloves and a hat to use as you operate the locomotive around the NSRM railway. At the end of your shift, if you haven't derailed the train, you will be presented with an "Honorary NSRM Engineer" certificate as well as being able to keep your hat and gloves.
This opportunity is limited. There are only 12 dates available for this year and the first two are already reserved. You can find out the details here. To see the schedule of available times and dates, click here.
Remember Friends members get a 10% discount. If you aren't a Friend, you might want to become one before you sign up!
Mark Your Calendars!
October 16-18
Attend the 38th Annual Nevada Railroad Historical Symposium. This year's topic is Notable Nevada Passenger Trains.
Monthly Evening Programs
There will be no evening programs in July or August.
Evening programs will resume in September on the second Monday night of the month in the Interpretive Center. Regular museum admission charges apply. For more information, please call the Museum, 687-6953.
