Fwd: [VirginianRailwayEnthusiasts] "Taking Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren

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--
Skip Salmon

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To: VirginianRailwayEnthusiasts at yahoogroups.com
From: "Charles E. Salmon, Jr." <gkholine at cox.net>
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:31:12 -0000
Subject: [VirginianRailwayEnthusiasts] "Taking Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren

Wednesday night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with 10 of
the Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway. We signed a Happy
Anniversary Card for Russell and Luella McDaniel who are celebrating
the 66th Anniversary of their wedding of July 28, 1942. Russell was
the Master Mechanic at Victoria, VA in December 1959 when the Virginian
became part of the N&W. He retired as Manager Motive Power and
Equipment, Norfolk and Western and is a regular at "Takin' Twenty".

I passed around the current September, 2008 issue of "Trains"
magazine. The Brethren enjoyed a story about "papercore" wheels that
were used on train cars in the 1880s and 1890s. They were invented by
Richard Allen, a paper mill owner and locomotive engineer. "Papercore"
wheels were used on passenger cars for a smoother ride but deemed
unsafe in 1915. Also in this "Trains" is a comparison between modern
night train photographer Gary Knapp and our own O. Winston Link with
some Knapp/Link photos.

Also shown was the 1932 Bill Griffin photo of the VGN 801 crossing
the diamond headed west with "MTs" at the old two story JK Tower in
Roanoke. Ruf and Cornbread remembered working trains at the tower in
the photo. On occasions they also assisted an older operator, Mr.
Riddle, who would ask them to pull lever number--- and push lever--- to
line up a movement across the VGN-N&W diamond.

We talked about the upcoming Rail Day in Lynchburg this Saturday
and about our invitation to ride the Roanoke Chapter NRHS VGN caboose
behind the T-6 #41 on Saturday the 16th.

The ebay report was given: 4 VGN slides EL-C #135 $68.97; FM #17
$30.00; FM #74 $25.24 and EL-C #231 (N&W paint) $41.99. A book "The
Virginian Railway Electrification by Westinghouse went for $46.00.

We discussed the topic on several sites this week concerning
delivery of the famous Sears & Roebuck Catalogs by rail. None of the
Brethren remembered being involved with this operation. However, less-
than-car-load operations were brought up and Landon Gregory remembered
setting off at Moneta, VA boxes of shoes from a North Carolina
factory. Raymond East worked at Alta Vista for his Dad who had a
freight business. He remembered taking freight off VGN trains and
hauling it up the hill to the Southern Station for reloading.

Landon Gregory brought a couple 1955 photos of VGN engineer Harry
M. "Ponto Bean" English to see if anyone remembered him. Several did
and Cornbread recalled his working with "Dirty Mac" McCormack. Scotty
said that for a long time he thought "Dirty Mac" was a hobo and not a
bona fide conductor. Ruf recalled an investigation where "Dirty Mac"
was called in to testify about the engine on his train running a red
board. When asked what color the signal was when he passed it, "Dirty
Mac" quipped in his distinctive radio announcer vioce": "It was red,
just like they all are when my cab passes them".

We had an informal investigation about Cornbread's admission
of "running a red board" at the signal in the photo of the dual targets
at JK, mentioned last week. He denied everything related to the red
signal, but admitted once failing to align track and causing a coal
hopper to "run out" on to track A-1 . It hit a passenger coach that
was sitting in the Station on #4. He said that the damaged coach was
removed and then #4 left town with only one coach...

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now,

Skip Salmon




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