(The Associated Press circulated the following article on January 4.)
RENO, Nev. — The train arrived nine minutes early as city and state officials celebrated the opening of the train trench through downtown Reno.
Nevada U.S. Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign were among the VIP’s who rode a four-car Union Pacific train from Verdi and arrived at the remodeled Amtrak station at 5:06 p.m. Tuesday.
Fireworks topped the celebration.
The 2.2-mile tunnel cost $282 million and eliminates 11 street-level railroad crossings. It was opened to rail traffic Nov. 18.
Reid said there were many skeptics, himself included, who thought the project would never happen.
“I can remember the first time I had a meeting in my office about this,” the Nevada Democrat said. “The meeting ended, and I knew it couldn’t be done. We’ve come a long way since then.”
He added that former Mayor Jeff Griffin “sacrificed his political career” fighting for the project.
The trench project began in 1995, when Union Pacific Railroad bought Southern Pacific and officials predicted daily train traffic through Reno would triple.
Construction began in 2002.