V&T construction rolls along

Here, left to right, Stephen Lincoln of the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, Luce and Ken Dorr of Manhard Consulting walk a section of that track above Silver City on Thursday, on the same bed as the original V&T Railway. Much of the original rock wall built by Chinese workers is being kept intact for the new project. The contract for building the V&T bridge over Highway 50 is expected to go out for bid in August and work there could begin as early as October. When completed, the track will be 18 miles long running from Virginia City to Carson City. The final phase of the V&T, which would run through the Carson River Canyon, is as of yet unfunded. Carson City supervisors voted to ask residents on the November ballot whether they are in favor of a $10 million sales tax to fund part of the remaining section. The plan would levy a one-eighth cent sales tax in exchange for 5 percent of ticket sales over 99 years. The city has already given $21 million to the $55 million project through a one-eighth cent sales tax supervisors passed in 2005 and a room tax approved by the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2002.

Work is continuing on the V&T Railway. Here, Engineer Gary Luce of Geocon Consultants stands near the entrance of Tunnel No. 2, which is nearly completed. The concrete for the tunnel entrance behind him is expected to be poured today. Meanwhile, crews continue to lay down rail on the 4.5 mile section of track from American Flat in Storey County south to Mound House in Lyon County, which is about half done and is expected to be completed this summer.