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V&T Budget Bloat

The V&T Reconstruction budget has grown from $10 million to over $70 million.

The founding document, an error-prone marketing study from 1994, provides an interesting insight on the future of the project.

$10 Million -- In 1995, long-time Commissioner Ron Allen testified that half of the $20 million estimate would be equipment purchases. See the testimony that construction would cost $10 million, and that 70% of that would come from private fund-raising.

$28 Million -- As recently as 2005, the main parts of this project were being billed as a $28 million project. See this testimony to the Nevada Legislature and the attached Appendix C. Strip out phase 5 and 6 for a comparision to today's $70 million budget.

Almost all funds already raised -- On September 1, 2005, Project Engineer Ken Dorr told the Carson City Board of Supervisors "Almost all of the funding is now in
place." He called it a $34.2 million project.

$40 Million -- Here's a 2006 Nevada Appeal article showing the claimed budget of $40 million. (large PDF)

$55 Million -- Here's the official 2008 document showing the $55 million budget on page 29 and lots of great construction photos.(large PDF)

Still $55 Million -- See this 2009 document with MORE GREAT PHOTOS, still showing a $55 million budget on page 33. At the same time Trains Magazine called it a $64 Million project.

Over $70 Million -- Here's a more recent article where the Commissioners say they need $30 million on top of the $40 million they already have. They are finally admitting this project will go over $70 million.

Nevada Senator Harry Reid's Film History!

This is the Unauthorized, Unofficial website that will centralize information about the Virginia and Truckee Reconstruction project run by the Nevada Commission to Reconstruct the Virginia and Truckee Railway. This reconstuction project is government run and is not part of the private Virginia and Truckee Railroad, which has operated over 33 years out of Virginia City, Nevada.

In 2008 I was writing extensive meeting notes, found on the homepage of the renorailfans.com website. In 2009 I switched to a blog format, hosted on renorailfans.com.

*NEW -- Because of changes forced on Blogger users by Google, in 2010 I created a new blog at virginiatruckeerailway.com. Beginning in March, 2010 this is the latest place to follow the Reconstruction project.

What's in a name -- V&T Railroad vs. V&T Railway Reconstruction

There is much confusion among the general public regarding the distinction between the private Virignia and Truckee Railroad, the Nevada State Railroad Museum, and the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the Virginia and Truckee Railway. The Reconstruction process is a government-run effort separate from the private Virginia and Truckee Railroad. The private V&T Railroad has been run by the Gray family for over 30 years in Viriginia City.

The reconstruction effort has been an idea since the 1950's, shortly after the Virginia and Truckee Railway abandoned it's route and shut down on May 31, 1950. After several stalled efforts by private citizens, it gained momentum in the early 1990's when the Nevada Legislature created the Tri-county Railway Commission. Later, two more counties were added and the governing board grew to nine members and was renamed the Nevada Commission for the Reconstruction of the Virginia and Truckee Railway.

Who the heck am I?

I have been following the goings on in Carson City and Virginia City for a few years. I went to my first meeting out of general interest as a railfan. When I realized that Commissioners were lying about the project and being non-responsive to public record requests, I became a vocal critic of the process. The ends do not justify the means, do they?

I want to say up front that I am in favor of rebuilding the Virginia and Truckee railroad. I'm also in favor of good governance, open meetings, honest budgets and accountability. This puts me at odds with the Commissioners of the Nevada Commission to Reconstruct the Virginia and Truckee Railway.

This is just a start, more info is coming. For more information, please contact me at jim@virginiaandtruckeerailway.com. Thanks.

If you interested in a new video I am producing, please see my Train Arts website. Also be sure to view my virginiatruckee YouTube channel.