"Taking Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren

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Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with ten of the Brethren 
and Friends of the Virginian Railway. We signed two Happy Birthday cards. 
Landon Gregory, who started his VGN career in 1956 as an operator at 
Abilene, and actually sent some messages with dots and dashes, turned 73 on 
Tuesday. Landon retired as Chief Dispatcher Virginia Division in 1993 from 
NS with 37 years service. The same day our Narrows Power Plant man Felix 
Price turned 84. Felix retired in 1985 as a line gang electrician in 
Roanoke Shops with 36 years service. I enjoyed working with Felix several 
years when I filled vacation spots as Line Gang Supervisor. Attending for 
the first time was Kenny Wingfield, Rufus' son. Kenny was asked how he 
remembered his Dad's Virginian Railway career. He said "Dad wasn't home a 
lot and we left notes to each other. He told us that he was at work all the 
time...at least that's what he said". Kenny works with the FBI and drives a 
three wheeled Harley...

Passed around was a photo of the "Nutbush waiting shed", newest addition to 
the Victoria Rail Park. The Brethren told me to tell Greg Elam "it would 
look good in VGN orange". Also passed was an incredible photo of a soaring 
eagle that Gary Mullis took on the Altavista District in October near 
Moneta. He was photographing trains when he spotted the large majestic 
national symbol flying above the old Virginian Railway tracks. Scotty said 
that "it must be the incarnated soul of an old VGN engineer checking on the 
line".

I mentioned that I was going to write more about our friend Abe Burnett. 
Rufus Wingfield remembered that Abe always wore his railroad hat and 
sported a nice gold watch and chain. He and Scotty, almost in unison, 
recalled that Abe told all that would like to see two trains crash head on 
(with no crews on board of course). Scotty also remembered relieving him 
once while on the Extra Board and Abe had his wife throwing switches for 
him. Several also remembered Spike Burnett, Abe's father who also worked 
with the Brethren.

The December "Trains" was passed around with almost no mention of NS in 
this issue. Also passed were the informational fliers that will be given 
passengers this Saturday and Sunday on the Roanoke NRHS Chapter's Excursion 
Trains to Bluefield and Shenandoah. Our trains will have 3 Amtrak 
locomotives and 18 cars including one NS Research Car #32. The whole 
Spencer train is scheduled to arrive today, via the Hurt Connection and VGN 
to Roanoke. Maybe that eagle will give it an escort.

In response to Frank Bongiovanni, I asked the Brethren about G-5 low side 
gondolas. Raymond East remembered that they were mostly used to carried 
cross ties to and from the Salem Koppers treatment plant as well as 
pulpwood, when it was necessary. This prompted Gabby Davis whose father was 
a machinist in the VGN Roundhouse in Roanoke, to recall watching pulpwood 
cars being loaded. He said that there were almost never any fork trucks 
used and some of the "good ole boys could hurl a 6 foot log from the ground 
like it was a toothpick". As far as the high capacity G-3,G-4 style, most 
just remember seeing a lot of them full of coal and that they didn't call 
them "Battleships".

We talked about a recent discussion on the N&W sight about steam 
locomotives. The terms "Straight A's" and "Slanted 6's" were used to 
describe a functional characteristic of some steam engines. Do you know 
what that function was? Answer next week for those who do not.

The discussion turned to the recent purchase of Warren Buffett's Berkshire 
Hathaway Inc. of the BNSF Line for $34 Billion dollars. Landon reminded all 
that Buffett also owns about 1% of NS Stock. He reported that after this 
news of the BNSF purchase hit the Stock Market, NS stock went up about $2 a 
share. Could Buffett be a descendant of Henry Huttleston Rogers?

I told the Brethren that at a meeting on Tuesday we looked at possible 
situations that we may face on the weekend excursion trains. We talked 
about the H1N1 Swine Flue and that we will have on each car hand sanitizing 
solution. This led to a discussion about the symptoms of the flu. Glen 
McLain mention that most flu patients have a runny nose. This prompted Wis 
Sowder to comment "Noses have been running in my family for years..."

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon


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