"Taking Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren

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Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with eight of the Brethren
and Friends of the Virginian Railway. Landon Gregory is home recovering
from hip replacement surgery. We observed a new fish on the menu at Country
Cookin' called "pangasius". It is a new "no bone shark catfish" that tastes
"just like chicken" said VGN clerk Wis Sowder.

We discussed who and how we will be traveling to Victoria to meet with the
other Virginian Brethren at the Gathering on October third.

Passed around was the September/October "Turntable Times", newsletter of
the Roanoke Chapter NRHS. The cover has two photos of Chesapeake Western
Baldwin Diesel Switch engine #663 in original CW livery with Brakeman
"Sandy" Winegard, Chapter member, posing with the engineer and another
brakeman. This and other "Turntable Times", some with VGN items, can be
seen on the Chapter's web site: www.roanokeNRHS.org
This CW #663 is one of the "Lost engines of Roanoke" and now belongs to the
Roanoke Chapter and plans are to cosmetically restore her.

This Monday's "100 years ago today" in the Roanoke paper listed the
following: "Plans for the new passenger station of the Virginia railroad
were this morning placed in the hands of City engineer Gibboney". For some
reason, those who work at "The Roanoke Times" think the name of our beloved
fallen flag was "The V-I-R-G-I-N-I A Railroad".

Frank Breedlove, VGN brakeman and conductor, brought an article from
Roanoke's other newspaper, "The Roanoke Star Sentinal", from 9-18-09
entitled "September 11 Remembered at Old Passenger Station". This article
told about our flag pole dedication ceremony on 9-11-09. It also told of
what we are doing with the restoration project and included a color photo
of our flag at half mast.

Also shown was a 9-17-09 article in the "The Roanoke Times" about the VGN
Station's renovation. This article prompted an editorial in the same paper
on 9-22-09 in which the "Times" editor challenged the Roanoke Chapter to
have a "grander vision" for a use of the Station other than "a storage
facility with a few offices" (their words, not ours). The Brethren had a
great discussion about this and were disappointed with the "Times" opinion.
Also shown was the ad that will appear in this Sunday's paper for the Fall
Excursion Trains on November 7 to Bluefield and November 8 to Shenandoah.
Information about these trains can be obtained from calling 540-774-0611
and the Chapter web site listed above. Also in this Sunday's paper in
Roanoke, Richmond and Charlotte, will be the ad for application for bids
for a contractor to perform Phase I of the Renovation of the VGN Station.

Also discussed was the tragic fire at the N&W Bedford Station Restaurant. I
showed the Brethren a photo that Blue Ridge Chapter Director Norris Deyerle
sent showing the Station in service in the 1950s with a Powhatan Arrow
approaching. Several recalled eating "real" catfish at the restaurant.
Landon Gregory has told us about working there after the merger. When Smith
Mountain lake dam was being constructed, a spur track was put in near the
new N&W/VGN connection at Hurt and Altavista. It was called the "dam
track". Landon said that when passengers were waiting on the train at the
Bedford Station, they could hear all railroad radio traffic. After many
messages referring to the "dam track" were broadcast, and several ladies
were obviously distresses hearing the language used, Landon explained to
the ladies what the track was.

We discussed the Open House this Saturday at the Roanoke Chapter facility
at the Roanoke Industrial Park that will be open to the public for train
rides between 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM. All Chapter Rolling Stock, including
VGN, and "The Lost Trains of Roanoke" can be observed.

Yard Engineer William Scott has a golfing buddy who is trying to quit
smoking cigarettes. Scotty said that "he told me he'd tried everything
including the nicotine patches, 'OPs" (Other People's), 'AKs' (Any Kind)
and fake cigarettes. I told him to try what I used that helped me: carrot
sticks". He said "That didn't work, couldn't get 'em to light".

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon



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