V&T Survivor: #22 "Inyo" shines in the afternoon sun. Seen here returning to the museum shops after a special excursion during the July, 2022 "Great Western Steam-Up", Virginia & Truckee's #22 "Inyo" shines in the afternoon sun with pristine Coach #4 trailing behind.
Built in 1875 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA, she was the last of 5 V&T engines that were built specifically for passenger service. Like many of her sisters, she was built as a wood-burner, and converted to burn oil in the early 20th century, when wood became too expensive...LOL! Although the V&T began selling off or scrapping many of its older 2-6-0 freight engines after 1900, the railroad hung on to several of the pretty 4-4-0s, squirreling them away in the massive Carson City Engine House, known as the "Great Stone Fort". Engines such as the Inyo were kept in semi-retirement, and brought out now and then for special excursions. In the late 1930s, when the movie industry craved western films, the 4-4-0s were sold off to movie studios to begin second careers as movie stars. Inyo ended up at Paramount Studios, where she made numerous films. In the 1950s, she was loaned to Walt Disney studios, where she played one of her most famous roles as the Locomotive "Texas" in the "Great Locomotive Chase". In the 1960s, Inyo filled in for the long-since-scrapped Central Pacific "Jupiter" at the Centennial of the Golden Spike Ceremony. In 1974, the Inyo was acquired by the State of Nevada and was restored to her 1875 appearance.
Now perhaps the 2nd oldest operable, standard gauge steam locomotive in the United States, Inyo still has her original boiler and is running at a reduced pressure of 75 PSI. She is brought out only once or twice a year, typically on the Fourth of July weekend, which in 2022, just happened to be the "Great Western Steam-Up."
Not
just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.
