"Takin Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren by Skip Salmon

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Last night I had the honor of "Takin' Twenty" with four of the Brethren and
Friends of the Virginian Railway. We signed "Happy Birthday" cards for two
of the most famous Brethren, Russell McDaniel and Greely Wyatt. Russell was
the Virginian Master Mechanic at Victoria in December 1959, at the merger
and he retired as Manager Motive Power and Equipment for N&W.  Mr. Mac will
be 94 this Sunday.  Greely, who is known as the guru of Virginian electrics
and diesels turned 90 yesterday.  Greely was recently given an award for
his life long work with Habitat for Humanity, for the many houses he helped
build for the needy.  At the presentation on local TV, it came out that
when the H for H had a special home build by the ladies of the group,
Greely, AKA Mary, showed up in a frock complete with wig and hammer!


 I told the Brethren about the Roanoke Chapter NRHS giving rides safely to
hundreds of people last Saturday at the VMT.  The centerpiece of Saturday's
events was the 611 on display under steam.  For a fee, one could have a cab
inspection, take photos and blow the famous whistle.  After waiting in line
and paying their fee, most were not quick with the whistle blowing and
those working the event got a very large dose of the 611 crossing, three
longs and one short, blasts.


 The ebay report this time includes the following Virginian items sold:
Color Slide of  VGN Pacific #214 for $18.29; 1907 large globe lantern
embossed "VGNR" for $910.00 and an "obsolete" VGN RWY "Special Agent" badge
#1 for $318.53.


 The conversation turned to the "old days" when a lot of people made their
own whiskey.  It came out that two of the Brethren were actively involved
in the manufacture or transportation of hooch.  One said that he gave
permission for several of his "cousins" to put a still on his property.
"We made several batches until someone came in the middle of the night and
moved it to an undisclosed location off our property".


 I told the Brethren about AEP recently donating an EMD SW1001 switcher
locomotive to the Roanoke Chapter NRHS.  The 1000 HP switcher served the
now closed power plant at Glen Lyn, VA since 1969.  The AEP #1 is now
marked RNRH #1 and is awaiting shipment to Roanoke to join the Alco T6 #41
and EMD GP30 #522 in the Chapter's stable.


 The Jewel from the Past is from January 29, 2009:  "Frank Breedlove, VGN
Yard Conductor, as he was leaving, told the Brethren: "Never undertake a
vast project with half vast plans".


 Then there's this:  Mosquitos are in the news lately because of the zika
virus.  So this might be important. Say an old VGN Fireman on the Norfolk
Division said "One summer night on a hotshot run I had shoveled about
fifteen tons of coal into the locomotive firebox.  I fainted from
exhaustion and staggered to my seat box, leaving the fire door wide open.
Regaining consciousness, I noticed a steady stream of mosquitoes being
drawn into the fire door by the draft of the engine.  I thought the steam
pressure would go down, but I was too tired to look a the steam gauge or
warn the hogger.  Imagine my surprise when the steam pressure went up so
high that the safety pop valve opened and started blowing off steam!  You
see them skeeters were so big, oily, and fat that they made more steam than
we could use.  But I overcame this easily by opening the fire door just
wide enough to let in enough mosquitoes to keep the boiler hot and not burn
them up any faster than they could breed in the swamps beside the track.
After learning this, I had an easy job, and was later appointed traveling
Fireman of the entire Division!"



 Time to pull the pin on this one!


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DCIV
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