"Taking Twenty with the Virginian Brethren"

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Tonight I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with ten of the
Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway. Attending for the first
time was Chad Jordan, son-in-law of our Billy Daniel. Chad is an
engineer for Norfolk Southern on the Winston-Salem District, and shared
several stories about his assignments. He regularly has the Bellews
Creek coal train out of old VGN South Yard with pusher, and recalled
several "run-ins" with computer recommended brake and throttle
positions. Chad and his son Keegan, along with Billy, are avid rail
fans and can be seen at local train shows and on occasion taking photos
along the right of way. All three wore their "Friends of the Virginian
Railway" caps and shirts tonight.

I showed the Brethren several photos of the original Princeton
Passenger Station before it was torn down and replaced with the current
Museum. These were scanned at the work session of N&W (and VGN) HS
Archives for an upcoming article for "The Arrow". Bob Rowland
remembered as a boy visiting the Station with his Grandmother, who was
know by the locals in Princeton as "Aunt Kate". He told the Brethren
about "Aunt Kate" winning a Princeton Wood Chopping Contest against men
and boys. The prize was a brand new double-edged axe. Bob tried it
out 70 years ago as a ten year old, and when he raised it to chop a
piece of firewood, he struck himself in the head with the handle. He
showed us a mark on his head to prove it!

The ebay report includes: A Virginian cast iron Cuspidor
(Spittoon) for $225; EL-2B 5X7 #127 photo for $21.78; and a trackside
photo at Elmore for $12.

We showed 3 different DVDs during the meal. Landon Gregory
brought one on the Panama Canal and one on Caribbean Color from his
recent Cruise to Panama. I showed "50 Years After Link", featuring
locations of the N&W Steam photographer 50 years after O. Winston
Link's famous pictures were shot there.

I also brought several photos and a newspaper article about the
tragic accident yesterday where a driver of a dump truck was struck and
killed on a crossing on the old VGN near MP 254 behind the Kroger
Warehouse between Glenvar and Wabun. Chad Jordan said the speed on
eastbound coal trains was about 35 MPH at this spot. Also shown was
two photos that I took recently of the newly painted NS caboose 555551
used on North Delivery. We now know that this caboose and most likely
an "Operation Lifesaver" NS locomotive, will bring Santa Claus to the
O. Winston Link event on the first Saturday in December.

Cornbread brought two photo albums of recent pictures he took
while visiting VGN gatherings and locations.

Someone mentioned how cold it has been lately and watching their
grandchildren wait in the cold for their school busses. Scotty said
that he remembers school and that he stayed in the first grade for so
long, the teacher brought him apples. Cornbread said that he had a
friend in Tennessee who never graduated from high school. He was only
there two terms, "Truman's and Eisenhower's".

Time to pull the pin on this one.

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon