"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. Attending with us from Peoria, IL was
Michael and Fran Shockley.  They were visiting family in nearby Rocky
Mount, VA and on their way home via Beckley, WV.   This was our Christmas
meeting and the last one this year, since Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve
are on Wednesday nights.


 Greely Wyatt gave us several "nuggets" of VGN gold during his
conversations.  He was talking about the best jobs on the VGN in the
Mechanical (Electrical Department then).  His choice was the Electrician
who was in charge of keeping the EL-C transformer oil maintenance and
testing up to standards.  Seems that this oil had to be kept clean or it
would cause problems.  On board filters did most of the work but scheduled
maintenance required that the oil be clean and tested.  Greely said "it had
to pass a 22,000 volt test without arcing over a 1/4 inch gap".  The part
that made Chemistry Major Micheal Shockley cringe is when Greely told all
the  oil was "the best thing around to keep hands and arms clean of grease
and grime".  Back then they knew nothing of pcps and dangers of handling
transformer oil.  Greely also gave a clinic on diesel and electric horns
and whistles.


 For Show and Tell I took a Tidewater Railway drawing of July 25, 1906
"Electric Interlocking at South Junction Norfolk & Southern RR Crossing".
This blueprint showed the Tidewater (VGN) main line crossing the Norfolk &
Southern at Carolina Junction.  The N&W went from Norfolk (Union Station)
to Virginia Beach and this is where the VGN passenger trains went off the
VGN main to get to Norfolk and Union Station.  The interesting part of this
drawing is the nomenclature on the 3 N&S tracks.  North one was "West
Bound-Electric" (street cars); Middle was "East Bound-Steam and Electric"
and South was "West Bound-Steam". One "Note" on the drawing says " "N&S is
an electric road using both rails for return circuit".  This prompted a
discussion about the running of street cars and Tidewater passenger trains
on the same track, signaling and safety.


 The latest ebay sale standout is a Seth Thomas #2 Pendulum mahogany clock
with VGN logo selling for $1300.


 Frank Breedlove brought a very nice lantern for Show and Tell but when all
saw that it was an N&W, most were disappointed that it was not VGN.  Frank
told us about talking to an FBI agent in South Yard during WWII about the
movement of trains and then VGN President Buckholtz...


 The Jewel from the Past is from May 22, 2008:  "The Brethren especially
enjoyed Gordon Hamilton's articles from the early days on the VGN.  They
liked the fact that the N&W turned down an offer to buy the Tidewater line
in 1907.  The one about the man with a gun on a train who 'became
OBSTREPEROUS and was led off the train by officers and was GESTICULATING
and invited the officers to call on him later' was really liked.  They also
enjoyed one that 'set up' the VGN when H. H. Rogers refused N&W's offer to
move coal for 3.5 mil per ton when he wanted a rate of 3 mil per ton.  'I
shall build a road of my own to carry the coal to tidewater'.  Boy, a penny
was really worth something back then!'"


 Then there's this from Michael Shockley for Frank:  A Mechanical Engineer
dies and goes to hell.  He's hot and miserable, so he decides to take
action.  The A/C has been busted for a long time so he fixes it.  Things
cool down quickly.  The moving walkway motor jammed, so the unjams it.
People can get from place to place more easily.  The TV was grainy and
unclear, so he fixes the connection to the Satellite dish and now they get
hundreds of high def channels.  One day, God decides to look down on hell
to see how his grand design is working out and notices everyone is happy
and enjoying umbrella drinks.  He asks the devil what's going on?  The
devil replies "Things are great down here since you sent us that
engineer."  What?? An engineer?  I didn't sent you one of those, that must
have been a mistake.  Send him back up right this minute."  The devil
responds. "No way!  We are going to keep our engineer.  We like this guy."
God demands, "If you don't send him to me immediately, I'll sue!"  The
devil laughs.  "Where are YOU going to get a lawyer?"


 Time to pull the pin on this one!


 Departing Now from V248 and wishing all a Merry Christmas!
 DXLVII


 Skip Salmon








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