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

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Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with nine of the Brethren
and Friends of the Virginian Railway.  Attending for the first time was VGN
Clerk Wis Sowder's grandson Dillon.  Also attending with us was Wis's
daughter Rickie (twin sister of Vickie) and up from Florida was Tom
"Saltwater" Salmon who is in town for the work session of the N&W (and VGN)
Historical Society Archives.


 For Show and Tell, I took the Oct/Nov/Dec 2014 Roanoke Chapter NRHS
"Turntable Times" newsletter.  On the cover is Dorr Tucker's photo of an
eastbound  #4 Pocahontas as it rolled into Roanoke in December 1967 with 11
cars visible.  In the back ground is "where the new Amtrak station will be
placed, more than 47 years later!"


 I told the Brethren of a local TV story about the razing of the "remains"
of the old Lane Furniture Plant in Altavista.  This once busy factory and
customer of the VGN RWY, supplied the famous Lane Cedar Chests to thousands
around the world.  My wife and I, as did many others, got a miniature of
one when we graduated from high school in Roanoke.  My Mom's prized
possessions were kept in one of the originals.  Only one building and the
"guard shack" will be left in order to provide space for an Industrial Park
in Altavista, VA.  Wis Sowder recalled having to check waybills daily to
make sure enough  box cars were provided the plant during the 1950s.  He
also said a tank car of furniture glue was spotted once a week.  Landon
Gregory worked at Altavista as the second trick  Telegrapher/Clerk and
billed (for less than a car load) each and every cedar chest made that day
that was shipped "around the world".  He remembered stamping "NOIBN"  for
no other indicator being noted" on each bill.  I recall one story Russell
"Slick" Inge told when was working Trainmaster Norfolk Division when a
special passenger train with VGN President Beale and one of the Lane
Brothers stopped at the factory.  Slick said the whole Norfolk Division was
blocked for about a hour while Mr. Beale and Mr. Lane discussed "something
wooden that they passed back and forth".  Slick said he found out later
that Mr. Lane was making a special gun stock for Mr. Beale's rifle at the
famous factory.


 The Jewel from the Past is from May 22, 2008:  "Bob Rowland told a story
about a VGN car peck who was investigated for smelling like alcohol on duty
and his defense at his investigation.  Seems the car inspectors used an
alcohol solution on very cold and icy nights to 'lace up' the air hoses on
coal hoppers and he said the alcohol smell was from 'issued materials and
not hooch'".


 I was able to report to the Brethren that our Candy Cane Express train
(Alco T-6 #41, two Powhatan Arrow coaches and two N&W cabooses) safely
carried over 3700 people on a ride from Virginia Museum of Transportation
up to 10th Street and back last Saturday and Sunday.  Santa  rode the first
one and it was a great pleasure to see and hear the children (and adults)
experience their first real train ride.


 We also talked about Sunday being the 73rd anniversary of the bombing of
Pearl Harbor.  Bill Spencer was in the group of US Soldiers who prepared to
invade Japan but became part of the occupying troops after the atomic bomb
was used.  He told us last night about hearing about the bombs and having a
relief of not having to face the invasion.


 Then there's this:  After the Pearl Harbor and atomic bomb talk, there was
a discussion about how travel was different in the forties and fifties.
Bill Spencer told the following which I was asked to pass on to you.  A
Jewish Rabbi,  Indian Holy Man and a lawyer were traveling together in the
mid-west and needed a place to stay for the night.  Since there were no
Holiday Inns everywhere back then, they asked a farmer if he could put them
up for the night.  He said he could, but only had provisions for two.  The
third would have to stay in the barn.  The Hindu Holy Man said he was used
to sparce conditions so he would stay.  After a while he returned to the
house and said cows were holy in his country so he could not sleep with a
cow.  The Rabbi stepped up and went to the barn.  Shortly he returned and
said he could not sleep in the same building with a pig.  So the lawyer had
to go to the barn.  Shortly after, a knock was heard on the farmer's door
and when he opened it there stood the cow AND the pig!


 Time to pull the pin on this one!


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DXLVI
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