FM Trainmasters

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Fri Mar 21 00:02:55 EDT 2008

Listers:
My thanks also for the great discussion on the eventual demise of a very interesting motive power component, the FM's.
As Bruce suggested, we can check our photos of the 1776/173 duo for a 'cut-down' time line. I know that I photo'd the duo on New River bridge at Radford. Also I recall a trip to Martinsville that I rode, possibly to a race, that the Roanoke Chapter sponsored the excursion.
If anyone in the Roanoke Chapter can nail that, it may be of help.
Isn't it sad that only one TM (I think, a CP unit in Canada) is preserved.
I don't think we've kicked this one around before like we have "the correct shade of N&W maroon".
Charlie Long


-----Original Message-----

>From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

>Sent: Mar 20, 2008 11:03 PM

>To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

>Subject: Re: FM Trainmasters

>

><html>

><body>

>Jeff<br><br>

>I suspect Gordon or others that worked in Motive Power during this period

>may have the answer to this. What I have heard from low level

>motive power people was that a former VGN MP man in a very high position

>turned the last VGN TM into a slug. It was not Jack Fishwick. No way I

>could ever dreamed a CEO of the N&W would have been involved in this

>low level decision. <br><br>

>For those not familiar I was in Marketing during this period. But,

>I shared lunch from time to time with many Motive Power people. It

>was at one of these lunches that I got my third, or forth or etc. hand

>info. Guess this is where I should stop and leave it to others to

>provide answers. Perhaps a few more years will provide an accurate

>answer.<br><br>

>Jim Blackstock<br><br>

><br>

>At 11:35 PM 3/19/2008, you wrote:<br>

><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><font size=2>My apologies and

>belated thanks to you, Jimmy, for initiating this lively discussion!<br>

></font> <br>

><font size=2>Even though I was around during that time period, there have

>been many people who have been members, and thus contributors to

>"TT", especially N&W/NS folks, who have moved on for

>various reasons, and have taken this kind of info with them. So, unless

>they are now on this Mailing List, what they knew is most likely lost

>forever.<br>

></font> <br>

><font size=2>I agree completely that saving all the info we can will be a

>joy to future historians. I know what pleasure it brings me just to find

>some little "nugget" (to borrow from Gordon) from the past. In

>fact, it is often the smallest and most obscure details that fascinate me

>the most.<br>

></font> <br>

><font size=2>Keep the questions ... and the answers ... coming. We

>all have a lot to learn.<br>

></font> <br>

><font size=2>Jeff<br>

></font>

><dl>

><dd>----- Original Message ----- <br>

>

><dd>From:</b> <a target=_blank href="mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org">NW Mailing

>List</a> <br>

>

><dd>To:</b> <a target=_blank href="mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org">NW Mailing List</a>

><br>

>

><dd>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 19, 2008 12:06 PM<br>

>

><dd>Subject:</b> Re: FM Trainmasters<br><br>

>

><dd>On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 10:03 PM, Jeff wrote:<br>

>

><dl>

><dd><font size=2>Bruce,<br>

></font>

><dd> <br>

>

><dd><font size=2>Thanks for your inquiry which has brought forth a very

>interesting discussion.<br>

></font><br>

>

></dl><br>

>

><dd>Actually, <font size=2>Jimmy Lisle gets credit for opening this can

>of worms -- I mean, starting this interesting thread :-)<br><br>

>

><dl>

><dd>I do remember the rumors of the day that floated around concerning

>the "deliberate" non-action toward saving the 173, and I

>personally would not rule that out. I just don't think we will ever see

>any "smoking gun" documentation.<br>

></font>

><dd> <br>

>

><dd><font size=2>In a later post, I appreciate the further clarification

>by Robb Fisher regarding specific dates of the program, numbers, classes,

>etc. Robb, you obviously have much more specific info than I do. I did

>find a note in my records that the 173 wasn't converted until 1981, which

>you verified for me.<br>

></font><br>

>

></dl><br>

>

><dd>I had no expectation that anyone would come up with actual

>documentation (paper, an audio recording, whatever) of whichever honcho

>ordering the destruction of the Trainmaster. But we are a little further

>along in what we do know, that there was a slug conversion program and

>173 was a part of it. Now if there is a way to back up the Turntable

>Times info with a second source, we will be even further ahead.<br><br>

>

><dd>Part of my impetus for pushing for data and details is to better

>document what we know now, while there is access to people who may know

>"the rest of the story" (no matter what story we may be talking

>about). Ron Davis, Roger Link, and Gordon Hamilton present the list with

>great news stories from 100 and 50 years ago that give a good glimpse of

>what was going on on and around the N&W at the time. Some of those

>stories have sparked lively discussions about "where was that

>location?" or "what type of engine was that and what happened

>to them?" If we can gather the information that is available now,

>then these types of questions 100 years from now might be easier to

>answer, i.e., when someone finds the photos of that 1776-173 excursion,

>then there will be a way for curious people to know when the 173 was

>converted (and its eventual fate as a slug) and what happened to the

>1776.<br><br>

>

><dd>It is the least we can do as historians interested in the

>N&W.<br><br>

>

><dd>Bruce in Blacksburg<br><br>

><hr>

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