Fwd: [VirginianRailwayEnthusiasts] "Takin' Twenty with the Virginian Brethren"

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--
Skip Salmon

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To: VirginianRailwayEnthusiasts at yahoogroups.com
From: "Charles E. Salmon, Jr." <gkholine at cox.net>
Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 11:31:14 -0000
Subject: [VirginianRailwayEnthusiasts] "Takin' Twenty with the Virginian Brethren"

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with 7 of the
Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway. I told the Brethren
about having the "Friends of the VGN" patch on my jacket recognized at
the Krispy Kreme yesterday by a Mr. Ratcliff of Copper Hill, VA. He
worked for the VGN for over 40 years, talked a lot about "Slick" Inge
and promised to "Take Twenty" with us in the future. I also told them
about Donnie Bailey and Bobby Graham, Mullens VGN engineers, who
attended the "Friends of the Virginian Railway at Milepost 2008" and
also said they would like to "Take Twenty" with us.

The June issue of "Trains" magazine was passed around with little
fanfare except for the article "CSX brawl gets down and dirty" on page
10 about their board member elections.

The ebay report was given: VGN Rwy. belt buckle (I hope someone
did NOT take the face off a heartshaped lock) for $45.44; "V.Ry."
Handlan tall globe lantern for $536.99; A 1924 VGN "Science of
Locomotive Management" book for $66.40; A VGN 1956 Norfolk Division
Timetable #23 for $57.89 and a 1943 VGN Operating Rule book for $58.63.

I told the Brethren about Ross Rowland, Jr., of 1976 Freedom Train
fame, visiting the work session last week at the Archives of the N&W
(and VGN) Historical Society. He and his "entourage" were extremely
interested in anything the Historical Society has in their records
concerning a coal fired turbine locomotive (like "Jawn Henry"). Wonder
what they are "up to?" He did buy lunch for the group that day.

At the Archives Thursday evening "pizza and slides" session, Gordon
Hamilton shared with us slides from a trip he took in the cab of an
SD45 on an Elmore to Roanoke coal train after the merger. They showed
great shots of the train and former VGN locations such as Elmore,
Clark's Gap, Inglesides, Kumis and many more.

I showed the Brethren Landon Gregory's winning photo at the "FVR @
MP 2008". This photo has been posted on this site under "People". It
was taken by Landon's lovely wife Sondra, and shows Landon receiving
train orders "somewhere, sometime" as a Virginian Railway operator.
Can you identify one very unusual aspect of this photo??

Cornbread was exceptionally active at the session and told about
his favorite (next to Rufus Wingfield) yardmaster, Bill Whittaker,
brother of our recently departed Jimmy Whittaker. Seems that Bill
reminded him of the famous deputy of Sheriff Andy Taylor, Barney Fife.
Cornbread said that Bill had the same swagger and aloofness of the
famous TV character. Seems that Bill, as yardmaster, had little
patience for one of his conductors, a fellow named Flannigan, who was
extremely "long in the tooth" when reporting derailments and such.
Once after a chiding for being long winded, the conductor gave this
account of a derailment in the yard: "Off again, On again, Gone again,
Flannigin".

I think I will pull the pin on this one.

Departing Now,

Skip Salmon









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