This HO locomotive is a replica of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad’s switcher J.W. Bowker, named for the line’s master mechanic. The V&T bought the locomotive in 1875 from Baldwin Locomotive Works. The book “Virginia & Truckee” by Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg was published in 1963. The V&T served the silver mines in Nevada. My friend Mark is correct that the song “Darcy Farrow” takes place in that area.

Here are the lyrics:

Where the walker runs down to the Carson Valley Plain
There lived a maiden, Darcy Farrow was her name
The daughter of old Dundee and a fair one was she
The sweetest flower that bloomed o’er the range

Her voice was as sweet as the sugar candy
Her touch was as soft as a bed of goose down
Her eyes shone bright like the pretty lights
That shone in the night out of Yerington town

She was courted by Young Vandemere
A fine lad was he as I am to hear
He gave her silver rings and lacy things
And she promised to wed before the snows came that year

But her pony did stumble and she did fall
Her dying touched the hearts of us one and all
Young Vandy in his pain put a bullet through his brain
And we buried them together as the snows began to fall

They sing of Darcy Farrow where the Truckee runs through
They sing of her beauty in Virginia City too
At dusky sundown to her name they drink a round
And to young Vandy whose love was true

Words and music by Steve Gillette and Tom Campbell