Carson and Mills Railroad shut down

A Carson City institution that’s been operating since 1981 won’t be taking to the rails this summer.

The Carson and Mills Railroad which would’ve normally opened this Saturday during Memorial Day weekend won’t be in operation this summer. It’s the first time the train won’t be running in Mills Park since before the first year of its operation in 1981.

The train is operated by the Carson City Railroad Association. Doug Hutchinson, the association’s secretary, said the park’s track has become too much in disrepair for the train to operate and the track has become to costly for the association to maintain.

Hutchinson said the association has repaired 500 ties on the track but another 500 ties need to be repaired. The cost to do that would be $7,000, he said.

“We’re basically broke,” Hutchison said.

In the past it cost $2 per person to ride the train while ages 2 and under could ride for free. Three ride tickets cost $5 in the past.

But Hutchison said it’s been difficult to raise enough revenue to keep operating the track. “We had a bad summer last summer,” he said.

And this summer will also obviously be bad since no revenue will be coming in.

Hutchinson said the association has been looking into fundraising efforts. Anyone interested in supporting the effort to have the Mills Park train operating again can call Hutchinson, 775-849-1911.