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

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with eleven of the
Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway. Several of the Brethren
attended the Funeral yesterday of Lee Ann Sowder, wife of our own Wis
Sowder, VGN Clerk and "Gentleman Farmer". She was a very precious lady
who attended several of our sessions at Country Cookin', and will be
missed very much. We signed a Happy Birthday Card for Bill Daniel who is
the grandson of VGN New River Division Superintendent, George Daniel.
Bill will be sixty on Valentine's Day next week.

During our session was shown another of Steve Smith's DVDs off the NS
Research Car. This one starts just west of Kumis and goes past V259.9
and on to the Salem Connection to the N&W side. This is probably the
most familiar section of the old VGN to most of the Brethren, and all
recognized local sites. Especially interesting was the crossing of the
viaduct near Yateman's, where the VGN crossed over the N&W, west of
Wabun. There are still large insulators on the bridge from the
electrification of the VGN. Remains of the last large transformer bank
foundations could be seen when the train passed the Wabun Station area,
just west of Poor Mountain Road.

Passed around was the Spring 2012 "Classic Trains" magazine. The main
article is entitled "Battleship of the Rails" about the Pennsylvania RR
S2 6-8-6 steam turbine locomotive. This type of turbine uses gears to
get the power to the drivers, unlike the N&W "Jawn Henry" that had
traction motors. VGN didn't need to purchase a turbine...they already
had a giant turbo-generator in Narrows, VA...

The Jewels from the Past are from November 10, 2005: "Wis Sowder and
Robert 'Abner' Glass talked about George Pappas, a Weighmaster at
Sewells Point. He could weigh the coal and mix the correct blend while
it was being loaded aboard a collier, and keep up a hot game of 'knock
rummy', all at the same time. 'Abner' said while checking car numbers at
the Pier, on several occasions, the wind coming off Hampton Roads would
blow the brakeman off the car. He said they learned quickly 'to crawl on
hands and knees on top of the coal'. I showed the Brethren a photo of a
VGN RWY First Aid Box that is currently on ebay. 'Slick' Inge remembered
'getting a tourniquet out of one just like it for Emory White, who had
just gotten his leg injured'. 'Cornbread' Victory told about Benny Russo
getting saved and repenting, bringing back to the Yard Office a pile of
VGN tools he had stolen. Victory said there was a 'mad rush from the
'sinners' to take possession of the returned tools'".

The ebay report this time has the following VGN items sold: "VRR" T. L.
Moore etched tall globe lantern for $81.00 ???; Black and White negative
of VGN #125 GE 1946 Publication Photo for $53.22; VGN Builder Photos (2)
of #505 and #900 for $23.49; Slide of #507 and #126 for $15.00; VGN Pyle
National Headlight for $406.32 and a "VGN. RY." etched, short globe
lantern 2-44, K2473 for $448.00.

I passed on to the Brethren about this Saturday's "Train Lovers" Day at
the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The newly restored N&W Safety Car
#418 will be open. The Roanoke Chapter NRHS will be giving rides on
cabooses and tool car from 10AM to 5PM. Admission is $5.00. Come join us
if you can.

My friend Dave sent us a "Redneck Medical Dictionary" which defines
"dilate" as to live long, and "terminal illness" as getting sick at the
airport.

Our friend Bob Cohen sent the Brethren this one; A Pastor goes to the
dentist for a set of false teeth. The first Sunday after he gets his new
teeth, he talks for only eight minutes. The following Sunday his sermon
is only ten minutes. The third Sunday, he talks for 2 hours and 48
minutes. The congregation asked what happened? Pastor explained: the
first Sunday his gums hurt so bad he couldn't talk for more than 8
minutes, and the second Sunday his gums hurt too much to talk for more
than 10 minutes. But, the third Sunday, he put his wife's teeth in by
mistake, and he couldn't shut up.

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now, from V248,

Skip Salmon

CDVI

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