Fred Schnick
Conductor, Station Agent, Gift Shop Manager, and whatever else needs doing!
Fred has been with the VTRR for 13 years and was hired on because of his photography expertise and his love of Comstock History. He created the large format historic photos that adorn our Pullman passenger cars and rides the Carson City-Virginia City route as a conductor and historian. You can also find him running our gift shops at both depots. A model train enthusiast, Fred has 30 years’ experience in retail management and says he loves the variety of work the VTRR offers. Fred loves to talk trains and history with our riders.
Dave Bell
Conductor/Ticket Agent
Dave has been with the VTRR since 2004. He began as Brakeman and Conductor and he is now the Lead Conductor, as well as ticket agent and chief storyteller. Dave is also a part time Geology instructor at Truckee Meadows Community College and can be found roaming the desert searching for specimens on his days off. His favorite part of being a Conductor is talking to the people and says no two trips on the railroad are the same. Dave knows a lot about the history of the V&T… actually, he knows a lot about a lot of subjects! Book a ride on the VTRR this summer and find out for yourselves!
Ed Sims
Ed… Fireman Extraordinaire
If a steam locomotive is running you can be pretty sure that Ed will be sitting on the left side of the cab, tending the fire box and ringing the bell.
Ed has worked as the Steam Locomotive Fireman for the VTRR for the last 15 years. He considers himself a “Jack of All Trades” and has worked on steam engines for the best part of 44 years, at a variety of railroads including Roaring Camp and Big Trees in Felton, CA. His favorite part of the job is working with his Steam Engineer, Brian Covey, and the rest of the crew. His least favorite part is getting up at 3am to get the locomotives fired up and ready to roll. Book a ride with us this summer and be sure to give Ed a wave! Our crew members are passionate about their jobs and they love sharing that with our passengers.
Darnel George
Brakeman
Darnel’s smile and great attitude make him a valued member of our team. His interest in railroading began at the age of 12 when he volunteered for the Nevada State Railroad Museum. When he heard of the newly reconstructed V&T Railway, he rode his bicycle up to our Eastgate depot before he even got his drivers license, hoping there might be an odd job he could do. His perseverance was impressive, so Tom Gray eventually hired him and has been training him to do a variety of jobs. Darnel says there are no bad parts to his job, and that he loves the variety and opportunity to learn new skills every day. He is currently a Brakeman and part time fireman. Darnel is also a member of the Washoe Tribe. Our crew members enjoy sharing the history and knowledge they have learned on the VTRR, book a ride with us this summer and see for yourself!
Brian Covey
Steam Locomotive Engineer
Brian has been our steam engineer since 2000. He was just 19 years old when he started. He states “I love the history. I am an old soul, so I think it’s fascinating to do a job that’s been unchanged for 100+ years. The sounds, the smells and using your senses to operate the machine is something that is hard to come by in the modern world where almost everything is dependent on a computer. With that being said, these machines can give you a very hard time. They get into moods and are never the same from day to day. But that is all part of the fun.”
A talented musician, Brian also plays music a few nights a week, when he is not wrestling with one of our steam engines. Book a ride with us this summer and see Brian perform his magic touch with our steam locomotives.
Bill Willets
Diesel Engineer
While the VTRR steam engines are the stars of our operation, the workhorses are our diesel engines. Our diesel Engineer, Bill Willets, has over 45 years’ experience in the cab. He retired from a career with the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads and started working for the V&T 11 years ago. Bill is always striving to be as safe as possible and like the rest of our crew, loves seeing the enjoyment of our passengers. We run our diesel trains on selected weekdays, so if you find yourself in Virginia City on a weekday, book a trip with us and you will benefit from Bill’s expertise.
Tyler Marty
Student Fireman/Engineer
Meet one of the youngest members of our crew, Tyler Marty.
Tyler, age 16 and a student at Petaluma High School, has been a student fireman/Engineer Since July 2021, but he’s been hanging around the VTRR with his dad, speeder driver Ken Marty since he was just 7 years old. Tyler says the best part of his job is knowing we are all family.
He states that the worst part is all the maintenance required to keep all the historic equipment operating. “I’ve always wanted to pursue the railroad as a career, and I know my future plans will include railroading” he says. What Does Tyler want you to know about working on the VTRR? “I love my job and what I do it’s a great career choice, the stories in the cab are great, and most of all the people are great. It’s not every day you get to say I work on steam engines for a living especially in high school. The amount of living history we have is pretty amazing and worth the trip. We are a one-of-a-kind operation and a huge family.”
Come and meet Tyler and other members of our crew this summer. They love their jobs, and they love making memories for you!
