Takin' Twenty with the Virginian Brethren by Skip Salmon

[NW Mailing List]

Last night on the twelfth anniversary of 9-11-01, I had the pleasure of
"Takin' Twenty" with nine of the Brethren and Friends of the Virginian
Railway.  I asked each of those attending what they remember about that
day, 12 years ago when our Nation was attacked by terrorists.  Most
recalled watching this historic event as it happened on the news and all
agreed it changed all of our lives forever.



Gordon Hamilton brought the August 2013 "Railway Age" with the Virginian
Railway Heritage  unit #1069 on the cover coming through Natural Tunnel.
Felix Price, former VGN Power Director at Narrows, said this photo reminded
him of the old EL-2bs.  He and Gordon both remembered them being called
"Round-noses" instead of "Streamliners".  Felix also thought the New York
Central would have merged with the VGN instead of N&W because both had
electric locomotives at that time.  Felix and Gordon discussed power
distribution at Narrows and Felix recalled times when the N&W would call
and be added on VGN power at the Matoaka substation.  He also said N&W
would "cut in on us for power sometimes (unannounced) and almost shut us
down".  Felix could not remember when the VGN needed N&W power.



I showed photos of last weekend's Salmon Fallout #3 family reunion and
shootout in Franklin County.  One showed my nephew Ben splitting a .50
caliber maxi-ball from a muzzle loader hitting an axe and bursting two
balloons.  The other showed my middle son Stephen shooting the .50 Barrett
long range rifle at a target over 300 yards away.



The Jewel from the Past is from August 2, 2007:  "The best story of the
night was the email, with photos, of our friend Steve Smith who 'took
twenty' with the Brethren last year.  He is in the Navy stationed in Japan
and sent us photos of him on top of Mount Fuji mountain/volcano with a
Virginian Railway patch attached to his walking stick".



George Harman of Princeton sent me the "Seven Degrees of Blond" so I asked
the Brethren to determine their favorite degree.  They picked this one:  "A
married couple were asleep when the phone rang at 2 AM.  The very blond
wife picked up the phone, listened a moment and said 'How should I know;
that's 200 miles from here!' and hung up.  The husband said, 'Who was
that?'  The wife answered, 'I don't know, some woman wanted to know if the
coast is clear'".



Gordon Hamilton, who grew up in Princeton, WV, told us he has the authority
to tell this one:  "Did  you hear about the small town in the interior of
West Virginia who refused to allow Taco Bell to sell a franchise in their
area.  The mayor responded "We already have a phone company!"



Time to pull the pin on this one!



Departing Now from V248,



Skip Salmon



CDLXXXVIII
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