"Takin' Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren by Skip Salmon

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with six of the Brethren
and Friends of the Virginian Railway. I was able to tell the Brethren the
good news that I met with G&H Construction yesterday morning and they are
ready to start Phase II to finish the restoration of our VGN Station in
Roanoke.  One item we discussed is the time capsule we will be putting in
the building, and I asked the Brethren to be thinking of items they would
like to be placed in it.  If you have an idea of what to put into a VGN
capsule let me know at gkholine at cox.net


 We had lots of Show and Tell items.  Landon Gregory brought a great plaque
made by our good friend Bobby Dudley with piece of rail and the VGN logo
and "Richest little railroad in the world" cut into the wood.  He also
brought a current map by the Department of Rail and Public Transportation
of the 13 Virginia railroads active in the Commonwealth.


 My Show and Tell was the special "611 in Steam" put out by "Trains
Magazine".  "Trains" Editor Jim Wrinn in the introduction asked "Of the
1,125 4-8-4 locomotives built for 36 railroads in North America why would
"Trains Magazine" prepare a special magazine for just one of them?  This
publication answers this inquiry.  The cover shows 611 climbing the grade
at Blue Ridge, VA.  Pages 22-29 has an excellent article by our own Friend
of the Virginian Ken Miller "The N&W Class J".  Page 57 shows 611 crossing
the SOU trestle at Altavista on the old VGN.  Page 36 is a great photo of
sister J #607 pulling the Powhatan Arrow under the VGN at Glen Lyn.  Page
40 is "N&W, the Alamo of Steam".  This special magazine is a must for
anyone who loves steam and especially interesting to N&W 611 fans...a must
have!


 The Jewel from the Past is from October 9, 2008:  "Rufus Wingfield brought
a July, 1960 N&W Magazine highlighting the new connections of VGN-N&W at
Kelleysville and Vinton (Tinker Creek Connection).  The item that got the
most attention was about Cornbread's rooster.  Seems his daughter got an
"Easter Chick" as a lot of kids did then, and when it grew up turned out to
be a pretty mean rooster.  Cornbread decided to take the rooster, which the
girl had named 'Tom' after her Dad to work.  'Tom' liked trains and the men
at South Yard and 'Tom' sort of adopted everybody'.  Ruf and Raymond East
said the rooster would 'eat anything a person would'.  He became a mascot
of the VGN workers but for some reason did not like Trainmaster Otis
Karnes. Yard crews taught Tom to crow on command."  Note:  Several of the
Brethren recalled Cornbread taking "Tom" with him on deliveries to the "W"
side and he could get the rooster to crow on command at rail crossings to
amused motorists.  To see a photo of both Toms go to "Skip's Photos" album
on this site.


 Yesterday on ebay, a small Virginian Railway safety-first pin marked "10
18-31" sold for $207.50.  I took mine last night and had Virginian Clerk
Wis Sowder hold it to show you.  See Wis and the pin on this site under
"Skip's photos".


 Then there's this:  A blond goes to work one morning crying her eyes out.
Her boss asked sympathetically, "What's the matter?"  She replies, "Early
this morning I got a phone call saying that my mother had passed away.  The
boss, feeling sorry for her, says "Why don't you go home for the day? Take
the day off to relax and rest.  "Thanks, but I'd be better off here.  I
need to keep my mind off it and I have the best chance of doing that
here."  The boss agrees and allows the blonde to work as usual.  A couple
of hours pass and the boss decides to check on her.  He looks out from his
office and sees the blond crying hysterically..."What's so dad now? Are you
gonna be okay?" he asks.  "No! exclaims the blonde.  "I just received a
horrible call from my sister.  Her mother died too!"


 Time to pull the pin on this one!


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DLXXI
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