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

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the honor of "Takin' Twenty" with three of the Brethren
and Friends of the Virginian Railway. Because of the pending snow storm, we
almost had the whole restaurant to ourselves.  Wis Sowder told us of the
last storm in his area on the lower side of Bent Mountain when a six foot
snow bank blocked his road.  He said all of his neighbors used shovels to
try to open it up and a contractor came along with a bull dozer and did the
job.  We also talked about the "Snowbird Special" train out of Roanoke in
the 70s when we were sent to Bellevue and Buffalo to keep the "switches
swept" in those yards.


 The conversation changed to the NS combining of the Virginia Division into
the Pocahontas Division and I showed them a cartoon out of the "Bluefield
Daily Telegraph" showing Pocahontas being lead away from the Division HDQ
with the Caption "You'll like it in Roanoke".  I have posted a copy of this
cartoon on this web site under "Skip's Photos".  I told them that CSX is
also making changes in their Divisions with the closing of their Huntington
Division and dovetailing it into the Atlanta, Baltimore, Florence, Great
Lakes and Louisville. We all are wondering what is next?


 The Jewel from the Past is from December 11, 2008:  "The new TV show
"Extreme Trains" was mentioned and an incident of the Union Pacific having
a wheel set change out out in the middle of the train was brought up.  This
caused some discussion of VGN train repairs.  Raymond East said if a train
broke in-two on a trestle, a new knuckle would have to be 'cooned' over the
other coal hoppers to get to the effected car.  We must now add "car
cooning" to our rail vocabulary!"


 The session was cut short when we were reminded that cars were having
trouble keeping traction in the parking lot.


 Then there's this:  One day John bumped into an old friend of his, Rob,
from high school.  "You look great John, how do you stay looking so young?
Why you must be 60 already, but you don't look a day over 40!" Rob
exclaimed.  "I feel like I'm 40 too!" replied John.  "That's incredible"
exclaimed Rob, "Does it run in the family? How old was your dad when he
passed?"  "Did I say he was dead?" asked John.  "He's 81 and is more active
than ever.  He just joined the neighborhood basketball team!" responded
John.  Whoa!  Well how old was your Grandfather when he died?"  "Did I say
he died" asked John.  Rob was amazed.  "He just had his 105th birthday and
plays golf and goes swimming each day!  He's actually getting married this
week!"   "Getting married?!"  Rob asked.  If he's 105 why on earth does he
want to get married?!   John looked at Rob and replied  "Did I say he
wanted to ?"


 Time to pull the pin on this one!


 Departing Now from V248 with my snow shovel oiled up,


 Skip Salmon


 DXCI
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