Soon after Chinese laborers graded this section during the summer of 1871, track gangs commenced laying rail south, reaching Steamboat Springs by late October. To celebrate the occasion, numerous residents rode an excursion train to Steamboat on Nov. 7. Nine months later Superintendent Henry M. Yerington drove the last spike a mile west of Carson City on Aug. 24, 1872, connecting Virginia City with Reno by rail. Although regularly scheduled passenger service didn't begin until Oct. 1, the first through train traversed the 52-mile route on Sept. 1, 1872--the last steamed by here on May 31, 1950.