Named for John William Bowker, the Virginia and Truckee’s No. 21 steam locomotive brings back memories of when the train was a common sight in western Nevada. The Nevada State Railroad Museum recently hosted the Great Western Steam Up.

The Bluestone Mining & Smelting RR Heiser No. 1 hauls passengers around the Nevada State Railroad Museum during the Great Western Steam Up. The Bluestone Mining & Smelting Company and the Mason Valley Mines Company operated a rail line of 2.5 miles from the mine to a connection with the Nevada Cooper Belt Railroad Co., at Mason.

Railroad destination signs hang on a wall at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City.

A number of train engines were on display during the Fourth of July weekend’s Great Western Steam Up at the Nevada State Railroad Museum.

The Eureka & Palisade line was an 85-mile line narrow gauge rail line between the mines near Eureka to a railway network at Palisades I northeastern Nevada.

The Carson & Tahoe Lumber & Fluming Company’s “Glenbrook” heads onto the railway turntable at the Nevada State Railroad Museum during the Great Western Steam Up.

A Santa Cruz Portland Cement locomotive known as “The Chiggen” stops on the railway turntable at the Great Western Steam Up.

Two men manually rotate the turntable for the next locomotive.

Virginia and Truckee Railroad No. 25 waits in the yard before entering the railway turntable.