1881 Carson & Colorado Depot in Dayton, NV Perishes In Fire

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu Jun 18, 2020 12:16 am

https://www.kolotv.com/2020/06/17/repor ... t-on-fire/

Quote:

Fire destroyed a 141-year-old train depot Wednesday afternoon in Dayton. A person working on its restoration for 12 years vowed to rebuild it.

The depot at Shady Lane and Logan Alley burned completely to the ground, said Linda Clements, a member of the board of directors for the Historical Society of Dayton Valley and program manager for depot restoration.

“That’s my baby and it’s gone,” Clements said.

The depot was originally built in Mound House in 1869 and moved to Dayton in 1871. When the federal government built U.S. 50 in the 1950s it was moved to its present location.

The society has worked on restoring the depot since 2008. About $700,000 and thousands of hours of labor have gone into it.

More at the link.

If the 1.5-year severe dry spell we're suffering in Nevada, Arizona, southeast Ca., New Mexico, etc. isn't abated by monsoons very shortly, we may have to expect more losses like this, either from bone-dry timber, wildfires, or both. (There's an 89,000-acre fire burning to the south of me that's only 5% contained, and several more major fires about--the regional airport up the road has been refilling tanker planes as fast as they can get the in and out.)

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Thu Jun 18, 2020 2:31 am

Yes, this is very sad.

One correction to the news story. The building was relocated from Mound House to Dayton in 1881 for use by the abuilding Carson & Colorado. At this time a new and larger depot was built at Mound House -- the point of connection between the Virginia & Truckee and the C&C.

Randy Hees · **Posted:** Thu Jun 18, 2020 12:06 pm

I doubt this fire is related to the drought here in the west. It was in a developed area, and the fire was limited to the building and a 1880 Carter Brothers narrow gauge box car body. Precipitation has been up slightly in the Carson Valley for 5 of the last 6 years, although down this year... noting that average is just over 6" per year.

It is reported that the building's electrical system was disconnected. Police suspect arson, and have arrested a subject in two other arson fires nearby.

Randy Hees

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2897

There is a theory out there that the RTT nuts are behind this, which is a conspiracy theory until any proof is presented, and it looks like the dude arrested is a firebug. But I hadn't heard that the bike trail people coveted the C&C, is that true?

TrainDetainer · **Joined:** Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:05 pm **Posts:** 283

PMC wrote:

There is a theory out there that the RTT nuts are behind this, which is a conspiracy theory until any proof is presented, and it looks like the dude arrested is a firebug. But I hadn't heard that the bike trail people coveted the C&C, is that true?

One of the news articles linked on NGDF stated the depot was moved from the ROW to a location in town during a highway project, so I think a RTT person after the ROW would have to be more than a little deranged to have bothered to burn it. Of course in my experience with some trail people....

DJSullivan · **Joined:** Thu Mar 20, 2014 11:58 am **Posts:** 89

The arsonist is a 63-year-old guy from southern California. He has definitely been linked to a couple other (minor) fires in Dayton same afternoon. It sounds like he was at the end of his rope and looking for a ticket into jail. I think he has not been charged specifically with the depot fire. That one is more complicated and is as yet under investigation.

DJS

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:25 pm

TrainDetainer wrote:

PMC wrote:

There is a theory out there that the RTT nuts are behind this, which is a conspiracy theory until any proof is presented, and it looks like the dude arrested is a firebug. But I hadn't heard that the bike trail people coveted the C&C, is that true?

One of the news articles linked on NGDF stated the depot was moved from the ROW to a location in town during a highway project, so I think a RTT person after the ROW would have to be more than a little deranged to have bothered to burn it. Of course in my experience with some trail people....

I do think that PMC may have been pulling our collective legs with his comment.

The SP line was pulled up and the depot later moved long before anyone dreamed up Rails to Trails.

Ron Goldfeder · **Posted:** Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:23 pm

Can anyone post a photo of this depot?

Brian Norden · **Posted:** Sat Jun 20, 2020 1:31 am

Here are several. After the railroad left town, the relocated and then orientated to be parallel with it original orientation, after the fire.

Attachment:

File comment: After the railroad left town. Roof on the railroad side was cut back when the line was standard gauged.

Dayton after the RR.jpg [ 82.64 KiB | Viewed 6030 times ]

Attachment:

File comment: The relocated and then orientated to be parallel with it original orientation.

Dayton before fire.jpg [ 80.16 KiB | Viewed 6030 times ]

Attachment:

File comment: After the fire.

Dayton after fire.jpg [ 96.2 KiB | Viewed 6030 times ]