A fluffy-creamsicle colored kitten was born under a locomotive at Nevada’s Northern Railway Museum - 15 years ago, located 240 miles (386 kilometers) north of Las Vegas.
At first it was, ‘a live and let live’ situation with the kitten watching the crew and them watching him from a distance.
“He liked napping in the warmth of coal-fired steam locomotives cabs,” said Mark, the railroad's
President. “Coal dust is everywhere. We christened the kitten ‘Dirt’ because of his habit of rolling in the shop’s dust. He resisted all attempts at cleaning his face and fur. He resembled a hard-working seasoned railroader.”
Locomotives and railroad cars in need of repairs are constantly moving in and out of their engine house and machine shop. Dirt quickly learned where the safest spots were during arrivals and departures.
The rough-and-tough
tom cat grew into the shop’s ‘Boss’ while moonlighting as their gopher exterminator.
“Dirt loved being a railroader and the staff loved him,” said Mark. “We thought that he could do no wrong and he had the run of the shop and engine house.
He was a disheveled character who never missed a meal, or head scratch. Our filthy feline enjoyed watching shows on the crews’ phones. He’d sit in their laps leaving streaks of dirt/grease on their pants or drool on their
boots.
One day photographer, Steve Crise, took a photo of Dirt, sitting regally, in front of locomotive 40. We posted the photograph on our Facebook page. Instantly, Dirt became a media sensation! Tourists traveled from Canada, across the USA, from China and England to meet our furry- greasy greeter.
Our Railway Museum offers guided tours of the machine shop and engine house. During the mornings, there were no sightings of Dirt. Then purr-omptly
at 2:30 pm he mysteriously appeared as the first guided tour arrived. He greeted the guests, then followed them around for the hour tour, then wandered off until the next group of tourists arrived. His photograph was featured in the Washington Post, Trains Magazine, and newspapers in Europe, not to mention on thousands of his visitor Facebook fans pages. Some guests which had traveled thousands of miles just to meet him! His popularity definitely increased our visitor
numbers.
After 15 years, Dirt passed, and the crew had two life size bronze statues made of him. One for his gravestone, the other is for the machine shop, so Dirt can continue watching over the shop and crew.
Our shop and museum won’t feel the same without him. We are heartbroken over his passing. They buried him at home in his favorite Railway yard. One of his beloved crew members added, “Burying that ol’ guy was one of the hardest things we’ve ever done
here at our shop.”
Even in death, Dirt has garnered fame. The outpouring of condolences and memories on his Facebook page is well over 1,800,000 and growing. Two train magazines and dozens of newspapers and newscasts around the country have picked up the story.
“To the world he was a celebrity, but to us he was simply part of the family, and he will be missed,” said Con, the railroad's Trainmaster. “The legend of Dirt will live on and remain a core
part of our programming, much as Smokey Bear has lived on.”
Dirt’s protégé DJ, Dirt Junior, has moved into the paws-ition of the Boss Shop Cat and has big paws to fill.