"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.  We signed a Happy Birthday card for
Virginian Yard Brakeman James Economy.  James will be 85 Sunday.


Attending with again from Ft. Pierce FL was Tom "Saltwater" Salmon.  Tom
and his wife Judy are staying in the Roanoke area after the N&W (and VGN)
Historical Society Convention to work in the Archives.  Yesterday Tom and I
spend time working the the General Office East Archives.  "Oh what
treasures lurk in those yet unopened boxes" is the anxious theme to this
work.  Tom announced to the Brethren that our own Landon Gregory was
awarded the prestegous H. Reid Memorial Award at Saturday night's banquet
of the Society.  This award, named after the newspaper man and famous VGN
author, is given for "outstanding efforts in the preservation of the
history of the Virginian Railway".    Congratulation Landon.


Last Saturday over 90 conventioneers visited our Virginian Station
Restoration in Roanoke.  After a short briefing they were able to tour the
facilities and we had tables set up with Virginian Artifacts and Virginian
Brethren there to explain them and answer questions.  Brethren attending
were:  Landon Gregory, Dewey Houck, Raymond East, Wis Sowder, Gordon Glen,
Greely Wyatt and Frank Breedlove.  I have posted two photos on this site at
"Skip's photos".  Also they were able to view the 2009 interview I did with
Virginian Yardmaster Rufus Wingfield.  We gave away 22 door prizes and each
got a "goody bag" upon leaving.


The Jewel from the Past like those in an Illinois Watch company 23 jewel
"Sangamo Special" with Montgomery dial is from December 13, 2007:  "  Jimmy
Whittaker and Cornbread discussed an old friend they remembered.  Seems
engineer "Hustle-bubble" Mattingly was very fond of his new transistor
radio.  He carried it everywhere and hung it on the windshield wiper of the
yard engine.  sometimes he would be so engrossed in the music, he would not
see a hand signal.  Once cornbread said he ignored a signal and hit a cut
of cars very hard...'That woke him up', Cornbread said.


For Show and Tell I took the August 2014 "Trains" magazine.  Page 36 has
"611-next chapter" about the Class J's trip to Spencer for steam
restoration and photos of the journey down the old Virginian to get there.
 Page 38 "The Last Great Roundup" is about the streamline (diesels)
gathering with the 611 steamer as the center of attraction.


The winner of this week's pin is Alan Cox of Richmond for correctly
answering tar as the substance that would help Opie's teeth if he chewed
it.  This week's question for another pin is:  What animal foot print did
Opie make on the ground that sent Barnie into a panic?  Send your answer
along with your home mailing address to me at gkholine at cox.net


Then there's this:  Last week my bride Judi was taking our youngest
grandson Ryan to Vacation Bible School, and running a little late.  She
came to a stop sign and didn't quite stop.  As they proceeded she said "I
think I just messed up".  Ryan spoke up, "I don't think so Grandma, that
police officer just did the same thing.  Judi said "Oh my, are the police
car blue lights on"?  Ryan answered "Yes...No...Yes...No...Yes...No...


Time to pull the pin on this one!


Departing Now from V248,


Skip Salmon


DXXIII



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