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was installed. Like the original, it is mounted on the front truck. To recreate the car’s outward appearance with its original engine, a faux flywheel is mounted on the left-hand side of the power truck. Both trucks were replicated at the museum based on specifications, drawings, and pho- tographs of the originals. Although origi- nally driven through a gear transmission and chain drive, the 42-inch driving wheel of the rehabilitated car is driven hydrauli- cally. Brake components and sundry parts were obtained from one of only two other McKeen cars known to exist. The rear coupler, installed to allow the


ABOVE: NSRM COURTESY OF MIKE MILLER, PRISM PHOTOGRAPHICS BELOW: NEVADA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM


car to pull a light trailer, was still in place beneath the car. It provided samples of the original green paint used on the car’s un- dercarriage. A piece of sheet metal at the nose, crumpled in an early grade-crossing accident and covered with a patch for near- ly a century, preserved a paint sample of the body’s original maroon color. Likewise, examples of the original brown roof color were found under layers of paint. The inte- rior walls are paneled in new mahogany ve- neer and board wainscoting, while the orig- inal headliner was restored. The original air whistle, found in the


car’s engine room, has been restored to its proper place. The bell of the car’s gong is new, but the crank and clappers are origi- nal. The patent plate was still in place on the car when it was donated, and the mu- seum acquired the original builder’s plate from a collector. Virginia & Truckee motorcar No. 22


tion; although a few original roof vents re- mained, all the ones on the restored car are of new construction and all but two of the in- terior registers are original. To save weight, McKeen used aluminum for these and other castings and plated them with brass. The framing of a McKeen car constrained


the possible size of the windows. To make the most of the space available, McKeen in- stalled round windows fitted with rubber gaskets that he advertised as “air, water, and dust proof.” Nineteen of the 33 alu- minum window frames in No. 22 are origi- nal; the replicas are powdercoated rather than plated. Ceiling mounted hooks are used to hold the top hinged windows open. A few of the original sprung hooks remained to serve as patterns for replacements. Originally, the headlight and interior


lights were illuminated with acetylene lamps. The system had been electrified in 1923, and, other than the acetylene pres- sure gauge mounted beneath the car, all lighting components had disappeared by the time the car came to the museum. Two of the original lamps were located and do- nated to the project and provided an au- thentic pattern for making replicas. The brass headlight also is a replica. No examples of the car’s seats remained. Although no photographs of the original in- terior of this car are known to exist, images of other cars reveal that McKeen installed a wide variety of seats in his motorcars, ob- tained from Hale & Kilbourn and other suppliers. The museum furnished the car with newly manufactured seats that are appropriate to the era. Dry hoppers were replicated for the two restrooms and one of the original mirror frames was located. Since no McKeen power plant is known to have survived, a modern diesel engine


bears witness to the innovative endeavors of William R. McKeen, Jr. The restored car is an operating monument to donors Al and Lenore Bernhard, to the dedicated museum staff, and to the volunteers who con- tributed labor. It also testifies to the vision and commitment of the Nevada legislature and nearly 100 individual donors who con- tributed to the project’s million-dollar cost. It is the goal of all involved that the car will provide satisfaction and pleasure to many future generations of Virginia & Truckee enthusiasts and visitors to the Nevada State Railroad Museum. On May 9, 2010, after more than a


decade of restoration work, Virginia & Truckee Railway motorcar No. 22 carried revenue passengers for the first time in 65 years over the mile-long demonstration railroad at the Nevada State Railroad Mu- seum in Carson City. In the subsequent years, the museum has operated the car for the public on July 4 and for the anniver- saries of its 1910 entry into service and its 1945 retirement. In 2012 the car operated on Father’s Day, as well. A limited number of opportunities also exist to charter the car for operation on the demonstration railroad at museum. Virginia & Truckee Railway motor car


No. 22 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 and was nomi- nated as a National Historic Landmark in September 2011. The National Park Sys- tem Advisory Board recommended in May 2012 that Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar designate the car as a National Historic Landmark. At press time, the mu- seum awaited the Secretary’s response. This article was compiled for the Nevada


State Railroad Museum by Museum Direc- tor Frank Ackerman and Curator of Histo- ry Wendell Huffman.


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