"Taking Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren

[NW Mailing List]

Ok, I am new to the details of steam locomotive operation so I need an explanation here.  If the "front cover door" in the story is the smoke box door and the locomotive was in the roundhouse, then the fire was probably out in the firebox.  We will assume that the "small boom" was caused when the lit cigarette came in contact with an accumulation of combustible gas.  With no fire in the firebox, what was the source of the combustible gas?
Any help with an explanation would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Rick Huddle
Delaware
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List<mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 
  To: NW Mailing List<mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2009 8:21 AM
  Subject: "Taking Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren


  Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with 8 of the Brethren and 
  Friends of the Virginian Railway. We signed a card for Tom "Cornbread" 
  Victory, who is now living in an Assisted Care Facility. Tom is one of the 
  first of the Virginian Brethren who allowed me into this precious group of 
  living railroad history. He says that I gave him the name "Cornbread" when 
  I commented that he "ate an awful lot of it", just after I started meeting 
  with the Brethren in 2004. His memory is now failing him, but the sparkle 
  is still in his eyes, and he loves to talk about the "Ole Virginian". If 
  you would like to send him a card, send to: Tom Victory, Berkshire Health & 
  Rehab, 705 Clearview Drive, Room 69, Vinton, VA 24179.

  I told the Brethren about speaking to about 75 members of NARVRE (National 
  Association of Retired & Veteran Railway Employees) Tuesday at the Roanoker 
  Restaurant. I spoke on the activities of the Rail Groups in the Roanoke 
  Valley and upcoming events. They especially liked the November excursion 
  trips to Bluefield and Shenandoah. I told them some "Cornbread" stories and 
  explained what we are doing to restore the Virginian Station in Roanoke.

  The DVDs shown were taken at (1) Wabun at the "remains" of the last 
  Virginian Transformer Station from Narrows, for 88,000 volts to be 
  transformed to 11,000 and 220 volts for VGN electric locomotives and power 
  for Roanoke facilities; (2) Riverside, of a coal train just released from 
  the passing siding at Kumis and (3) a coal train passing through "downtown" 
  Ironto.

   From last week's report, Abe Burnett's mother's cousin, Arno Lawrence (not 
  Arnold) was a telegraph operator at KV (Kelleysville).

  Passed around was the July 2009 "Trains" Magazine with several good 
  stories. One was about Amtrak food being tested by celebrity chefs before 
  being fed to passengers; another was about railroad "truths": one implying 
  that the 4 foot 8 and 1/2 inch standard gauge did NOT originate from the 
  width of two horses rear ends; the one the Brethren liked best: an 
  explanation of how "red light" districts for bordellos got their nick name. 
  Seems that train crews would leave their lanterns, still lit, outside the 
  "houses of ill repute" to let the callers know where they were, so they 
  could be "apprehended" for their next run. Also the article gave an 
  explanation of the term "cut and run", coming from steam engines, running 
  low on water; they would cut off from their train and run to the next water 
  tank....

  The ebay report this week includes the "deal of the year": a copy of H. 
  Reid's "The Virginian Railway" was purchased on the "Buy it Now" feature 
  for $4.99. Other sales: 3 Slides of VGN Electrics for $64.98; Print and 
  negative of 2-8-4 #507 for $11.11; Article from "Railway Age" about "Tunnel 
  Lining on the VGN for $21.78; Pullman Co. annual pass on the VGN for $9.99; 
  1926 article about the VGN Power Plant at Narrows for $27.00 and a 1935 VGN 
  Stock Certificate (20 Shares) for $24.99.

  Landon Gregory remembered early in his career on the VGN, staying at a 
  Boarding House in Altavista. He said there were about 20 fellows staying 
  there with only one bathroom that had no windows. Meals were 25 cents and 
  the room rented for 50 cents a night. Showers were taken at the nearby 
  Barbershop for 15 cents...

  Rufus and Raymond discussed an incident that happened in the Roanoke VGN 
  Roundhouse when "Hustlebubble" Mattingly was on his way to work and passing 
  through. Being a very "curious" fellow, he saw that the front cover door 
  was open on one of the big steam engines. He proceeded to climb up to "take 
  a look". As was normal in those days, most employees smoked almost 
  "anywhere and anytime". When his cigarette entered the locomotive opening 
  there was a small boom and "Hustlebubble" was thrown to the floor. He was 
  not injured but "didn't light one up for a long time afterwards".

  Time to pull the pin on this one!

  Departing Now from V248,

  Skip Salmon

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