When you visit the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum, you’ll have the opportunity to meet Dirt, the Railway Cat – a beloved mascot of Nevada. This charming feline was born 11 years ago to a stray cat who found her way into the museum. Since then, she has captured the hearts of many and become quite popular on the internet.
According to Eric Mencis, the railroad’s manager of guest services and social media director, his mother’s cat gave birth to a litter of kittens under one of their trains – a rotary snow plow that was built in 1907. Although the mother and her litter left, there was one kitten that remained behind but was too afraid to come out. In order to coax the kitten out, train crews left a can of tuna on a chair every night. Eventually, the kitten grew comfortable with the crews and became friendly.
The engine house and steam-powered trains have become Dirt’s playground. He enjoys rolling around on the dirt floors and climbing all over the coal pines, leaving him with a coat of coal dust. This prompted the crews to nickname him Dirt. Despite his grime, people find Dirt’s markings intriguing. Although he needs a good cleaning, Dirt is loved by all who encounter him.
According to Mencis, as visitors explore the railroad building, they are fascinated by the historical accounts and anecdotes related to it. Suddenly, Dirt makes his entrance into the room where the tour is taking place or emerges from underneath one of the trains. He sits right in the middle of the group with an air of confidence that only he possesses.
Mencis shared that Dirt, a feline with orange and white fur, has a unique appearance due to his habit of rolling in dirt and climbing on trains since he was young. Due to this, his white fur has become grayish in color. Unlike other cats, Dirt does not clean himself by licking, possibly because of his background as a stray cat. Maintaining a rugged look is important to him, and being dirty helps him achieve that. Interestingly, it also prevents things from sticking to his fur and keeps bugs away from him.
It’s commonly accepted that Dirt’s suitability for a railway lifestyle isn’t just about his appearance – he’s got the right personality to go with it too. He definitely gives off the impression that he spends his days tinkering with engines.
Mencis portrays Dirt, an old-fashioned railroad worker who now lives as a cat, as a boss who supervises the shop and ensures that everything is running smoothly. Dirt is the type of boss who knows the value of hard work and perseverance, having started from the bottom himself. He takes immense pride in his engine house and regards the trains as his own, appreciating the efforts of his men to keep them operational. Dirt inspects the trains with great diligence, checking for loose bolts and properly oiled bearings.
Several years back, Dirt gave birth to a litter of kittens who shared her distinct orange and white fur and tendency to get quite messy. However, most of them didn’t possess the intelligence to safely live amongst the trains, so we found them new homes. Many of our train crews and volunteers kindly took in these adorable cats as their own. One of Dirt’s kittens was able to call the engine house home for nearly seven years before finding an even better place to live just over a year ago. Since then, we’ve gotten Dirt fixed.
The museum has gained a significant number of visitors, approximately 30,000 per year, as a result of social media exposure. Dirt, the museum’s beloved attraction, has garnered a following from individuals around the globe. Surprisingly, some individuals have even made a detour of 200 miles to visit the museum and meet Dirt in person, although they also enjoy riding the trains while there.
If you’re a fan of Dirt and would like to view additional pictures of him, feel free to check out his Facebook page and Instagram account.
