News
ENLARGE
TRUCKEE, Calif. — The town's soon-to-be railroad museum was carefully lowered into its new home as the sun rose Wednesday morning over the Sierra Nevada.
Members of the Truckee Donner Railroad Society, with the help of Sierra Crane and Al Pombo Inc, brought their caboose down the street from the lumberyard to the parking lot next to the Chamber of Commerce and new California Welcome Center downtown.
The caboose will house a museum detailing the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroad's role in Truckee's history, open potentially as soon as Christmas.
“This is a big milestone — it took a lot of time and effort to get here,” said Don Davis, project manager for the society.
Bob Bell, president of the society, said members probably put about 1,500 hours into restoring the caboose, and worked with the town to find its new home at the train depot.
Now that it's in place, the Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe will help build a ramp and a platform for visitors to view the museum, and railroad society volunteers will finish off the interior displays, Bell said.
Exhibits will show the train's role in logging, the challenges of fighting snow on the early railway, the role of the Chinese, an old tourist train route from Truckee to Tahoe city, a sleeper room from a sleeper car, a children's area and information on future plans for the museum, Davis said.
And with a sleeper car, diesel switcher, rotary snow plow and logging crane also in its collection, the group hopes to have a larger permanent home to display all the historic rolling stock within the next five years, Bell said.
The railroad group is already gaining some momentum, growing to 90 members — about $40,000 of the needed $50,000 has been raised for the caboose museum, Bell said.
“We welcome anybody who would like to help,” said Nelson Van Gundy, who is the treasurer and historian for the society.
Lynn Saunders, president and chief executive officer of the Truckee Donner Land Trust, said the new neighbor will be good for visitors.
“I think it's great, and from what I've heard at town council meetings and around town, everyone is very excited to have it,” Saunders said.
Members of the Truckee Donner Railroad Society, with the help of Sierra Crane and Al Pombo Inc, brought their caboose down the street from the lumberyard to the parking lot next to the Chamber of Commerce and new California Welcome Center downtown.
The caboose will house a museum detailing the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroad's role in Truckee's history, open potentially as soon as Christmas.
“This is a big milestone — it took a lot of time and effort to get here,” said Don Davis, project manager for the society.
Bob Bell, president of the society, said members probably put about 1,500 hours into restoring the caboose, and worked with the town to find its new home at the train depot.
Now that it's in place, the Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe will help build a ramp and a platform for visitors to view the museum, and railroad society volunteers will finish off the interior displays, Bell said.
Exhibits will show the train's role in logging, the challenges of fighting snow on the early railway, the role of the Chinese, an old tourist train route from Truckee to Tahoe city, a sleeper room from a sleeper car, a children's area and information on future plans for the museum, Davis said.
And with a sleeper car, diesel switcher, rotary snow plow and logging crane also in its collection, the group hopes to have a larger permanent home to display all the historic rolling stock within the next five years, Bell said.
The railroad group is already gaining some momentum, growing to 90 members — about $40,000 of the needed $50,000 has been raised for the caboose museum, Bell said.
“We welcome anybody who would like to help,” said Nelson Van Gundy, who is the treasurer and historian for the society.
Lynn Saunders, president and chief executive officer of the Truckee Donner Land Trust, said the new neighbor will be good for visitors.
“I think it's great, and from what I've heard at town council meetings and around town, everyone is very excited to have it,” Saunders said.
