"Taking Twenty with the Virginian Brethren"

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Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with 12 of the
Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway. We signed a Happy
Birthday card for William W. Scott, engineer who was born on Christmas
Eve 1939. "Scotty" is the youngest of our group and one of the most
faithful to our sessions.

Landon Gregory told the group about the passing away of Raeford
Lindsey, VGN Operator who worked at AG in Roanoke before transferring
to Norfolk. Raymond East said that Raeford lived in the Hell Bend area
near Altavista, VA. I also passed on the Brethren about the
passing of Jack King of Princeton, VGN car distributor and chief
dispatcher.

Scotty bragged on how much his grandchildren enjoyed riding the
Roanoke Chapter NRHS "Candy Cane Shifter" last Saturday. I told the
Brethren that we had over 300 ride on the caboose or tool car behind
the Alco T-6 #42 during the nine trips the little train made. Many
adults admitted that this was their very first ride on a real train.

At the N&W (and VGN) Historical Society Archives Work Session
last week, I discovered a very unusual item purchased by VGN AFE #9073
dated January 5, 1959 and costing $178.06. It was for "one Motorola
or equal transistorized megaphone". The purpose or use of this
megaphone was very specific. Anybody out there want to take a guess as
to what its intended use was on the VGN. I will give the answer before
Christmas. Rufus Wingfield, former VGN Yardmaster, came close but none
of the Brethren knew for sure.

I got a response from last week's "Takin' Twenty" about the
mentioned Hudson Hornet. Bill Mosteller responded "my parents first
car was a 1949 Hudson Hornet. They bought it used and found a long
list of defects in the glove compartment. Initially, they couldn't
believe they all applied to this car, but over time, they changed their
opinion. It was the first car with a curved windshield, and it
leaked ".

I passed around the December Norfolk Southern "Newsbreak" that
listed our own Jeff Sanders as one of the 2008 Spirit Awards for
Performance. Jeff pointed out to NS Officials that the "normal" brake
test was not complete when using Remote Controlled Locomotives and he
established a brake test that was correct and complete.
Congratulations Jeff!

Our "Road Trip" to the N&W Historical Society is now scheduled for
January 30, 2009 at 3PM. The Brethren are looking forward to this
special showing, just for them of Virginian artifacts and materials at
the Society's Archives.

The Brethren were asked about the Leas and McVitty Tannery in
Salem. Rufus and Raymond remembered receiving cars, especially on
Monday morning, that were routed on to the "W" side for delivery to the
tannery. Ruf remembered one such Monday when he came "face to face
with a cow hide hanging out a box car door". Ruf said "it was still
dark and I almost had to change my drawers".

The pay of yard engineers and such came up and it was asked what
current rates are. Consensus was that engineer's basic pay is in the
$200 a day range and Ruf answered that he made less than $10 a day when
he started with the VGN.

At last Saturdays running of the "Candy Cane Shifter" R. L. Seay,
former N&W brakeman spent some time with me as we waited for the next
train to load the anxious riders. He told me several stories about
working the Salem Shifter. One was when he worked the Leas and McVitty
Tannery in Salem. He said that the Shifter would pick up gondolas full
of "fleshings" from the many hides processed in the tannery. After
picking up these cars, they proceeded to work west of the Tannery. It
got dark and as a rookie brakeman was adding some boxcars, he mistook
the L&M gon for something else and stepped into the "fleshings" up to
his waste. The conductor would not let him back on the caboose until
he washed off his clothes and even then he smelled really bad. R. L.
also told me about working several trips on the Powatan Arrow, crack
N&W Passenger Train. He said that a lady "from up North asked the
Conductor as they passed Pembroke, 'what is the name of that big
river'! The conductor answered "Why that's the New River". She
immediately responded "Why do they call it that?" The savvy conductor
answered in this best SW Virginia drawl "Ma'am they just finished it
last week!".

Since the next two Wednesdays are Christmas Eve and New Year's
Eve, we decided to "Take Twenty" next time on January 7. The Brethren
and I want to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon







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