"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
our good friend Harry Bundy.  Harry worked for the original Norfolk
Southern as an Operator at Tidewater Junction, and worked with the
Virginian employees in that area. He retired from the new Norfolk Southern
as System Engineer, and is now one of the faithful caretakers of N&W and
Virginian artifacts as an archivist.  Harry turns 77 next Tuesday.


 Most of the conversation of the night was about the death this week of one
of the most famous Virginian Railway enthusiasts, author Lloyd Lewis.
Lloyd "took twenty" with us several times and the Brethren had fond
memories of those visits.  I remember when he had just gotten back from
teaching English in China and telling us about having each student take on
an American name.  Lloyd was proud to tell us that one chose the name
"Jesus Christ".  Gordon Hamilton knew Lloyd growing up in Princeton with
him and how his Mother was famous for her voice, and her singing in the
area.  Landon Gregory remembered talking to Lloyd about a month ago about
the old VGN for his latest book.  Several knew Lloyd's father, Glenn, who
was an official in the VGN Signal Department.  We will all miss his
infectious smile and genuine love of all things VGN.


 For Show and Tell I took the August, 2015 "Trains".  Page 8 says
"following the fatal Philadelphia wreck, Amtrak announced it will be
installing inward-facing cameras on it s fleet of ACS-64 electric
locomotives and on all new ones purchased".  Pages 22-31 features "Last
Man", a study of rail lines using one man crews.  Pages 37-45 are devoted
to the "611 Reborn" about the Fireup 611 restoration and her return to
Roanoke with great photos of her return on May 30, 2015.  Page 58 has
photos and article about the return to Roanoke of N&W Y6a #2156 and the
"Big Three" now back in the place of their births.  Also on May 30 I had
the honor of sitting at the same table with editor of "Trains" and this
article Jim Wrinn at Hotel Roanoke at a dinner for those who helped with
the project.  Jim is a great fan of the VGN and especially likes the NS
Heritage unit #1069.


 The 611 trips last weekend were a success with over 5,000 passengers
safely riding behind 611 out of Roanoke to Lynchburg and return in the
mornings and to Walton and return in the afternoons.  I saw many of you on
the trains and by the tracks.


 Thanks to those of you who questioned me about the Squarehead #118.  It
was a typo, the Topps card sold was #118 and it was of VGN Electric #101.
I wonder if the card came with bubble gum?


 The Jewel from the Past is from September 11, 2008:  "Rufus Wingfield
talked about poker being a popular past time at the VGN Yard Office and
mentioned a B. Turner loosing two paychecks in a row playing it.  When his
wife complained to the VGN Superintendent, the poker was
stopped...'actually just slowed down a little'."


 Then there's this:  An elderly couple was visiting the Smith Mountain
Lake, VA area of Franklin-Bedford Counties trying to find a vacation home.
A Bedford County Deputy pulled them over for driving too slowly.  "Officer,
What's wrong? I was going the speed limit, 24 miles per hour.".  "Sir,
that's the 'route number', answered the officer.  Just then, he notices the
driver's wife in the passenger seat.  Her eyes are bulging, and she's as
white as a ghost.  "What's wrong with her?"  "Oh, she'll be all right in a
minute.  We just got off Route 116."


 Time to pull the pin on this one!


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DLXVI
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