The 16 mile railroad from Lake Tahoe to Truckee was a venture of the Bliss family, known for Glenbrook Lumber. In the summer of 1898, William Seth Bliss was hired to survey the river canyon between Tahoe and the Central Pacific RR at Truckee. Construction of a narrow gauge RR began in the spring of 1899, and passenger operation began in the spring of 1900, making rail travel to Tahoe a reality. Southern Pacific RR leased the line in 1925, converted the track to standard gauge in 1928, and took ownership in 1927 for one silver dollar. Operation ended in 1943 during World War II, and the track was removed and sold for scrap. The present bike path follows the rail bed of the L.T.R.& T.C.O.