"Takin' Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren by Skip Salmon

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with seven of the 
Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway. We signed a Happy 
Birthday Card for Wis Sowder. Wis started his VGN career in March, 1951, 
as a Crew Caller in Roanoke. There he served as yard Checker, 
Booking-out Clerk, Roundhouse Clerk and Weigh-Master. At Alta Vista, Wis 
was a Station Clerk, and he served at Sewells Point as a Barney yard 
Clerk. After the N&W merger in 1959, he was Assistant Weigh-master, 
Timekeeper, Piggyback Clerk and retired in 1987 from NS in the GOB East 
with 36 years service. Recently I did a video recorded interview with 
Wis, where he disclosed to me that his most unusual assignment on the 
VGN was to keep the fire burning between rails at Sewalls Point to thaw 
coal for unloading. He also mentioned a fellow clerk Richardson, who the 
men called "Twilight" because he was "very smart but was always 
'sidetracked'". Wis will be 85 this Sunday.

The ebay report this time includes these VGN items sold: 1921 Annual 
Pass for $35.00; Slide of VGN 2-8-2 in 1957 for $27.79; Builder's photo 
of VGN 2-10-10-2 for $33.76 and a Slide of VGN EL-C #139 in Roanoke in 
1959 for $22.28. Relating to ebay, I was asked to give a "heads-up" when 
I posted some VGN items for sale on ebay...so "heads-up"!

The Jewel from the Past is from March 24, 2005: "'Ruf' Wingfield spoke 
of Otis Karnes, a General yardmaster, who liked for everyone to work 16 
hour days. 'Cornbread' Victory remembered once thinking he might get 
fired for not doubling over a shift. Otis was transferred to Norfolk, 
and when the Fairbanks-Morse diesels were first in service, someone told 
Otis that the MU receptacles, where the 27 pin jumper cables plugged in, 
were radios. Otis was 'seen several times with the MU cover lifted 
trying to speak to the Yard Office'".

The conversation turned to how much smoke was visible in the yard when 
several yard steam engines were in service at the same time. Raymond 
East and Wis Sowder commented on seeing "Smoke Abatement Inspectors" 
visit many times. I told the Brethren about my grandfather, George P. 
Craig, who ran a steam powered yard crane (and derrick car), and how 
proud he was of his certificates of "Good Smoke Abatement".

Passed around was the March-April "NS-Biz". This issue has NS CEO Wick 
Moorman on the cover because he was named "Railway Age" "Railroader of 
the Year". Also this issue highlights a new NS Service Award to be given 
after 2-1-11 to employees with 10 or more years service. They can now 
choose between the traditional lapel pin or quality gifts from a special 
catalog. The Brethren commented that the VGN " didn't have the pins or 
catalog!".

Last Saturday, in the Roanoke area, the Blue Ridge Marathon, possibly 
the most grueling 26 mile+ race in the nation, was held in a driving 
rain storm. My friend Rae Brown sent me a photo of a friend of his, who 
won a trophy in this race, that was donated by NS, made form a rail 
spike. I showed the photo to the Brethren. Also passed around was the 
latest copy of the "Oriskany Grapevine" with the cover story "Granddaddy 
Newton's Trains", written by my brother Mike. This article tells the 
story of the now abandoned C&O rail line and train that ran between 
Eagle Rock and New Castle, VA. I helped him research this article with 
the input of our good friend Louis Newton who wrote the book "Rails 
Remembered" which documents this line. Several of the Brethren 
remembered when the line was in operation.

I was very proud to show the Brethren my latest acquisition of VGN 
artifacts, a January 1933 to January 1949 copy of the New River and 
Norfolk Division Office of Road Foreman of Engines Seniority List. This 
list was traced directly to our revered Russell "Slick" Inge. He gave it 
to a good friend of mine, who I bartered for some other VGN items.

A dentist ran out of anaesthetic just before the last extraction for the 
day was scheduled. He gave the nurse a very large needle, instructing 
her to "jab it hard into the patient's butt" when the signal was given, 
so it would take his attention away from the tooth extraction. It all 
happened in an instant. Afterwards, the dentist asked the patient "Hurt 
much?". The patient hesitated, "Didn't hardly feel it come out. And, 
man, those roots were really deep!"

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon

CCCLXIV

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