THE RAINBOW BRIDGE.

A proper roundhouse is guarded by an 0-2-2-0 Mouser, and in ferroequinology circles, Nevada Northern's adoptive stray, Dirt, became famous, and now rates a Memorial Day weekend service.

May 28 will see a full day of events to honor Dirt, including special tours and excursion trains. There will also be a eulogy at Dirt’s final resting place – a short walk from the East Ely Depot where he will be able to look out over the yard.

“In Dirt’s passing, he has transformed from being our Boss Shop Cat to becoming an ambassador for Heritage Railroading across the country and around the world,” NNRY President Mark Bassett told Fox 11 News in Reno. “We consider Dirt following in the paw prints of Smoky Bear. Smokey was a real bear cub that survived a forest fire. Since 1944 he has been a symbol of forest fire prevention, and we see Dirt, Boss Shop Cat, doing the same thing. Dirt will help us reach new people to explain why the preservation of our steam railroading heritage is so important and he will also be instrumental in helping us teach railroad safety to children.”

The cat apparently figured out enough about the movement of rolling stock to be out of the way when crews moved it.