"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 started out making
the final plans for this Friday's Special Open House for them by the
N&W (and VGN) Historical Society at their Archives in Roanoke. Most
plan to attend to see the VGN artifacts, photos, files, maps,
drawings and other VGN RWY items that will be displayed for them. We
appreciate Archive Director John Snidow and his wife Jean, who have
worked on preparations for our visit.

The answer for last week's question "What US President was given
a $5 fine for speeding by a Washington DC Police Officer" according
to History Forum, is U. S. Grant who was on a horse at the time.
They also cite the first traffic ticket for a speeding automobile was
issued to New York City cab driver, James German, in 1899. He
was "ticketed for buzzing recklessly about the streets of his city
at the unthinkable speed of 12 MPH". Maybe that's why Westinghouse
engineers set the low speed for the VGN "Squareheads" at 12 MPH!

Landon Gregory and Ernie Hubble represented the Brethren at the
event in Princeton and Glen Lyn last Saturday. Landon gave the
Brethren a report. He especially enjoyed talking to George Lewis,
who worked in the VGN Signal Department.

The ebay report shows sales of: Vintage VGN photo of a train
wreck $39.95; Vintage VGN double photo of the train wreck $39.95; VGN
Rwy Co. "Rules Governing Hiring" for $7.49; VGN Date Nail Set for
$75.00; "Cut Devil" VGN Spike Hammer for $32.26; VGN Public Timetable
for $17.11 and an amber short globe lantern marked "VGN Rwy" did not
make reserve price with a high bid of $799.59.

I passed around three photos. The first was one from the "Old
Roanoke" web site taken about 1912 showing early VGN yard operations
in Roanoke with no Flour Mill or Victory Stadium and with a dirt
horse race track where a lot of VGN facilities were built later. The
second and third photos are now "new photos" on this site under "Page
Photos". The first shows VGN PA #201 with a passenger train at the
Page Station. This one shows a caboose signal light being used to
indicate switch position with the use of an adapter to align the
correct color. The third is a post 1957 color shot at Page. Note
the 1957 Pontiac near the tracks. The Page photos are from the Steve
Settle Collection.

I showed the Brethren a DVD "Legends of the Blue Ridge" which
highlights N&W steam trains from areas around Roanoke. It also has a
short clip of VGN EL-2bs in action. Also passed around was a list of
the mistakes, furnished from one our readers, in Raymond East's new
Virginian Railway book.

Rufus and Raymond talked about various happenings in the VGN
Yard. Ruf remembered James "Missy" Marvin who was a color blind yard
engineer and "would brush his teeth for about 30 minutes before
starting a shift". Raymond told about Lonnie "LL" Hager who "left a
caboose at the Box Plant without setting the hand brake, and had to
call the Station for its unscheduled arrival".

Frank Breedlove, as he was leaving, told the Brethren "Never
undertake a vast project with half vast plans".

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon

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