The Enigma of Walt Willard

[NW Mailing List]

I was 16  and lived in Bluefield when that happened. I remember the wreck cars being called out, my brother T. C. Arnold Jr. was one of the brakeman. It was passed around that Mr. Willard( a very much respected engineer on the Poky Division) was dead at the throttle from a heart attack  when rounding the curve. My brother, B. L. Arnold was killed June 6, 1956 at Arista Mountain. The blue light at the call office was lit for both accessions.
Gene Arnold
Gloucester, Va.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 9:41 PM
  Subject: The Enigma of Walt Willard


   While finishing my book on the 611 1956 wreck, 'Midnight on the Pocahontas' I have been looking through details and realize I do not have that much information on the engineer, Walter Willard. What I do know about him:
  Born: August 4, 1895
  Died:January 23, 1956
  Home: Princeton, West Virginia
  Married to: Carrie Viola Gordon; no children
  Family: Brothers James, John, J.W. "Spot" Willard, Benjamin Willard, at least three sisters. I do not know the parents or where they came from.
  Hired on the N&W in 1909.
  Character: Don't know. I would like to get some idea on what the man might have been like so he is not cast as a 'villain' (which I personally don't want to do) especially if someone sees this book and decides to make a film of it.
  If any of you can supply any information please email me at ljp611 at ntelos.net or reply to this message.
  Thank you.
  Lois J. Ponton
  611 Historian


   


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