"Takin Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren by Skip Salmon

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with seven of the Brethren
and Friends of the Virginian Railway. Attending for the first time with us
was Bob Lambert, retired NS Signal Department Supervisor.  Bob lives near
our beloved Wis Sowder on the slope of Bent Mountain in Roanoke County.
 Bob and the Brethren discussed many railroad stories and shared memories
of many fellow workers.  Bob told of a Mama Bear and three cubs who are now
raiding his trash cans.  Bob is not fond of the new "Darth Vader" NS
signals...


 For Show and tell I took Chase Gunnoe's now famous photo of the N&W J  611
posing on the Spencer Turntable last weekend with a gaggle of E and F EMD
diesels and one Alco streamliner diesel.  611 was definitely the "Belle of
the Ball".  I also took the July "Trains" magazine.  This issue has a great
article on page 22 about our own local Amtrak "Cardinal".  The story was
mostly about how the Buckingham Branch is upgrading for Amtrak between
Clifton Forge and Orange, VA.  Also page 56 brought back memories for me
showing two of the Delaware & Hudson Alco C-628 units just like the ones I
was assigned once during the N&W 1978 Strike somewhere near Buffalo, NY.  I
was taken to a bowling alley by cab and told that my train was behind the
building.  Out back were the Alcos and a train.  Page 58 has a "Steam
returns after 55+ years" showing the Southern #630 and SD-40 helpers on April
12 this year during the NS 21st Century Steam excursion between Grundy, VA
and Devon, WV.


 John Morris from Alexandria, OH is the winner from the many entries
received  for the N&W-VGN "Building to a Vision" pin, for identifying Otis
Campbell's day job:  glue dipper in the furniture factory.  Several
responded with "ice cream truck driver".  This was only in the reunion
show.  This week's question is:  What are the school colors of Mayberry
Union High School?  Send your answer and mailing address to gkholine at cox.net
for the drawing for another pin next week.  Also from last week, I was
chastised by several (and pardoned) for spelling Dolly's last name
incorrectly.  It is Dolly Parton!


 I told the Brethren the good news that the N&W Y6a #2156 is scheduled to
return to VMT from St. Louis  for a 5-year display soon.  This is a swap
with VMT's EMD FT "B" unit to compliment the FT "A" demo unit that the
St.Louis Rail Museum has.  Several remembered "Wick" Moorman speaking of
"wanting our Y back" at the N&W (and VGN) Convention several years back.
 Looks like the trinity of steam may be on display in Roanoke again with
the J #611 and A #1218 sitting with the #2156.


 There was a lot of discussion about NS stock breaking the $100 per share
last week, and still hovering around that mark.  The Brethren could not
resist saying that the old VGN had a big part in making this possible.


 I passed on to the Brethren, from our good friend Greg Elam, that at last
week's big auction in Victoria, a VGN brass heart shaped lock sold for
$850.  A VGN spittoon brought $475.


 The Jewel from the Past, like those in a Hamilton 22 jewel G. C. T. 24
hour military 4992-B is from November 29, 2007:  "Ronnie Victory told a
story on his Dad.  Seems Cornbread took his van to the dealership this week
because it was running a little rough.  After about 10 minutes, the
mechanic told Cornbread it was fixed, 'just crap in the fuel tank'.
 Cornbread responded, 'how often do I need to do that'"...


 Time to pull the pin on this one!


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DXIX






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