"Takin' Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren by Skip Salmon

[NW Mailing List]

Last night, on the day after Pearl Harbor Day this year, I had the pleasure 
of "Takin' Twenty" with nine of the Brethren and Friends of the Virginian 
Railway. There was talk of "Remember Pearl Harbor" since all of the 
Brethren either fought in WWII or worked during it. Bill Spencer even 
served in occupied Japan after the surrender. All agree with those 
historians who say that the A-Bomb saved many American lives and a canvas 
of the parking lot of the Brethren's vehicles showed no Japanese 
cars...only Fords, Buicks and Cadillacs.

 From last week, I got a response from Kevin EuDaly, editor and printer of 
the N&W (and VGN) Historical Society's prestigious magazine "The Arrow". 
Kevin lives in Kansas City and responded "I 'bagged' a deer about three 
weeks ago with my Explorer. Though the deer experienced major damage (i. e. 
death), the Explorer only would up with the front facia cracked in several 
places and the license plate bent. I was on my way duck hunting, so your 
report and recent events here 'out west' make it seem the stars are aligned 
somehow".

I passed around a photo from railpictures that the Brethren especially 
enjoyed. It is a 1970 Tom Sink photo of a coal train crossing New River on 
the high bridge (east end)at Glen Lyn, VA pulled by two SDs one GP and an 
RS11 and the train is reflected in the river. To view go to:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=346414

Also passed around was the latest "NS Biz" which is mostly about the 
finishing of the Heartland Corridor tunnel project. One interesting photo 
was of a "High/Wide" load detector now in service by NS. This prompted me 
to tell the Brethren about an incident in 1964 when I was an apprentice 
electrician serving in the Armature Room in Roanoke Shops. We were asked to 
make a device using Selson motors hooked to a long arm to measure the 
heights of auto racks after one incident where several loads of Buicks were 
turned into convertibles... There was a discussion about TOFC and COFC, but 
the Brethren remember no such cars ever seen on the VGN.

The Jewel from the Past is from December 8, 2004: "A discussion of the 
heating of the yard office brought out that before the Safety Department 
was created, sometime in the late '40s, clerks would have to 'obtain fuel 
for heat from yarded coal hoppers'. When C. W. Dowdy was made VGN 
Superintendent of Safety, he stopped this dangerous practice and required 
that a coal supply be placed at each office. The clerks would sometimes 
still 'shop from the hoppers' for better lump coal. 'Slick' Inge remembered 
that at Glen Rogers, a hard coal was mined that 'burned like oil'. He said 
that sometimes conductors would spot the 'hard coal' next to their cabooses 
so that the 'possum bellies' could be filled with something besides 
knuckles. 'Possum bellies' is a term used for the under body storage boxes 
that knuckles and some tools were stored on the cabs".

 From last week and the question about who the famous person was that made 
many movies but only one TV commercial for "Southern Maid" doughnuts, the 
answer is Elvis. Landon Gregory answered this one when I gave the Brethren 
a hint: He passed through Roanoke twice on N&W passenger trains going and 
coming from the service. Landon happened to be in the Roanoke Passenger 
Station at the time.

I reminded the Brethren about the Candy Cane Shifter with free train rides 
this Saturday at the old Viscose, Silk Mill, lead track. The event is from 
9AM top 4PM. We will give a great door prize of a
Athearn train set and Santa will be on the observation car taking kids 
orders for toys.....Come by if you can.

The ebay report this time includes the following VGN items sold: 1937 
Public Timetable for $16.29; VGN cast iron brake lever diagram plate for 
$46.67; and a builder's photo of #100 Squarehead for $16.49.

Frank Breedlove has not attended one of our sessions for a while and had a 
lot to tell last night. He told of swapping one double barrel shot gun for 
a boat, trailer with new tires and new battery, and two boat motors. One of 
the Brethren said "that wasn't a trade but a robbery". Frank is one to pass 
on good jokes and last night he was "wound up". He told of an Indian who 
rode a train and ordered a ham sandwich from the dining car. When the 
sandwich came, he raised the bread and observed a very thin slice of ham. 
He inquired of the waiter "Who slice ham?". The waiter answered "the cook". 
The Indian replied "tell him he almost missed!". My favorite was the one he 
told about the drunk well digger who dug a well that was so crooked that he 
"fell out"!.

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon

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