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

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with twelve of the
Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway. Visiting with us were George
and Betty Harman from Princeton. Betty is the niece of Russell "Slick" Inge
and George is a retired conductor from Norfolk Southern. They brought some
more of "Slick"s' Virginian Railway artifacts to be donated to the Station
Project in Roanoke. Included are: train order hoop, many Inge family VGN
RWY annual passes, train order hook,small tools and photos. The centerpiece
of this group is a small box containing 6 buttons used by "Slick's" father,
George Washington Inge, who was a brakeman on the VGN passenger trains.
These are the temporary buttons used by passenger crews that slipped over
their regular blazer buttons. One even has a portion of a broken button
inside. After the train arrived at the end of the trip, they crew would
simply take these off and put them in their pocket and their jacket would
become a regular blazer again. Thanks to Betty and George for donating
these precious items.

I asked Raymond East about a transfer caboose used after the merger in the
Roanoke Shops area, that had an old VGN Fairbanks Morse cab as its shelter.
On top of the cab was a small toy riding horse. Raymond said he worked on
the second trick Roanoke Shops transfer and remembered the horse but could
not remember the name it was given. I think its name was "Trigger".

For Show and Tell I took the Fall 2013 "Classic Trains" and a photo I got
last Sunday of the Virginian Heritage unit #1069 on coal train NS762 at the
VGN Station in Roanoke. I have posted the photo on this site under "Skip's
Photos". I also posted it on the Heritage sight that posts current
locations and photos of all of NS Heritage units. The "Classic Trains" has
a great section about EMD Geep locomotives.

I have a friend Flemon Nelson who is trying to complete his collection of
Virginian Railway date nails. He needs a 1942 and 1951 to complete his set.
Anyone out there have these and are willing to help Flemon? They have round
heads and shafts.

Also for Show and tell I took my most recent Antique Shop purchase, a belt
buckle showing a Virginian Railway switch key and logo.

The Jewel from the Past, like those in George Harman's Hamilton Model 23 is
from July 5, 2007: "I also showed a refusal letter that was on ebay for a
time claim where a crew wanted extra pay for unloading ballast and cinders
near Victoria. Wis Sowder said after the merger in Norfolk, his brother
Keith helped management of N&W with the "baskets of time claims" resulting
from the blending of N&W and VGN crews. We talked about the Ford Plant
closing in Norfolk. Wis said he remembered when #72 (a JUST IN TIME train
dedicated to the Ford Plant) hit the yard, a form was used to record the
time of every movement, switching and make up, and all used haste to get it
out of town as fast as possible".

Landon Gregory and Gordon Hamilton were discussing old cars when Gordon
asked if we knew the definition of a carburetor. "It is a French definition
of 'leave it alone'". This reminds me of a story submitted by a Friend of
the Virginian , Dutch Tubman who send this: "Water in the
carburetor...Wife: "There is trouble with the car. It has water in the
carburetor". Husband: "Water in the carburetor? That's ridiculous" Wife: "I
tell you the car has water in the carburetor". Husband: "You don't even
know what a carburetor is. I'll check it out. Where's the car? Wife" In the
swimming pool."

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon

CDLXXXII

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