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

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with eight of the Brethren
and Friends of the Virginian Railway. We signed a Happy Birthday card for
Bill Daniel, grandson of Virginian Railway Superintendent George Daniel and
son of a VGN car peck. Bill is the "youngest" of the group and turns sixty
on Friday.

The Jewel from the Past is from July 14, 2006: "Jeff Sanders brought an
8-1-1960 copy of N&W 'Sidings and Team Tracks in Roanoke Terminal, Switch
List' showing all of the businesses served by the line shortly after the
N&W-VGN merger. Some of the sites served on the VGN side were: Auto Spring
and Bearing (auto parts); Double Envelope (paper products); John M. Oakey
(undertaker caskets); Old Dominion Distributing (beer); Miller and Rhoads
(department store warehouse); Wren Lumber; Roanoke Mills (Martha White
flour); and Pure Oil Company". You see, the VGN RWY DID haul something
besides coal!

Passed around for the Brethren to peruse was a copy of a Virginian Railway
9-1-1937 Public Timetable that I entered into the system of the N&W (and
VGN) Historical Society at the Archives work session last week. Under
"Special Information for Passengers" is the following : CHILDREN under 5
years of age free, when accompanied by parent or guardian, 5 years of age
and under 12, one-half fare, 12 years of age and over, full fare". BAGGAGE
MAXIMUMS. No single piece of baggage exceeding 300 pounds in weight or a
single shipment exceeding $2,500.00 in value, will be checked. Free
allowances subject to tariff stipulations as to contents, weight, value and
size". And my favorite: BICYCLES (not motorcycles), BABY CARRIAGES, DOGS
AND GUNS are transported in baggage cars subject to tariff regulations".
Landon Gregory said that motorcycles were too heavy and had to be hauled in
a box car.

I told the Brethren about the Roanoke Chapter NRHS safely giving over 3,000
rides on the "Candy Cane Express" last week end at the Virginia Museum of
Transportation. We used a leased NS MP15 switcher for power, Chapter's
"Devil Lake" lounge car and N&W caboose and Jeff Shelton's N&W caboose. The
waiting line was continuous and most times there was over an hour's wait
for the ride up to 10th Street Bridge and return. One lady said it reminded
her of Disney World but "we liked the ride better".

Thanks for all of the responses about the tracks being laid at Apple Ridge
Farm becoming the "first rail line ever in Floyd County, VA". The Roanoke
Chapter NRHS is going to be a part of another Apple Ridge Farm "first" by
helping with a facility to house the third "eBase USA". There is one now in
Antarctica and another in India. The one at Apple Ridge will be the first
in the USA. An eBase is a free standing educational center that is run by
solar power and wind turbine energy. The purpose is to teach children
around the world the importance of energy conservation. More on this later.

At our last meeting of the Virginian Station Committee, a gentleman from
the Roanoke River Investment, LLC spoke to us. I passed on to the Brethren
a map showing what this group is going to build across Jefferson Street
from the old Virginian Railway Complex in Roanoke. It includes housing for
nearby Virginia Tech Medical School students, retail shops, restaurant, a
crossing at grade of the NS Winston-Salem line to access a micro-brewery
and kayak landing, etc. This gentleman express his and Carilions's wish
that our Station become the Amtrak Station in Roanoke.

Then there's this about "How to start a fight": When our lawn mower broke,
my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed. But somehow I always
had something else to take care of first. Finally she thought of a clever
way to make her point. When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in
the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I
watched her silently for a short time, and then went into the house. I was
gone only a minute, and came out again and handed here a toothbrush. I said
"When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway".
The doctors say that I WILL be able to walk again, but will always have a
limp!

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon

CDL

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