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

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the honor of "Takin' Twenty" with six of the Brethren and
Friends of the Virginian Railway.  The talk of the night was the Amtrak
Train #188 wreck near Philadelphia.  At about meeting time was when we
discovered that the recorder indicated the train was traveling over 100 MPH
just before derailing.  This lead to a discussion about train speeds.
Landon Gregory remembered riding an N&W Powhatan Arrow out of Norfolk about
1958 (not sure whether there was steam or purple diesels on the head end)
and observing a speedometer on a business car over 100 MPH west of
Petersburg.  I told the Brethren about the GP-9 "Redbirds" having a
mechanical speed recorder (most steam did not have) that had a recording
devise on a tape that gave a constant recording of engine track speed.
These units also had an overspeed device that we set for freight diesels at
64 MPH and passenger diesels at 79 MPH, I think.  If this speed was
exceeded, a penalty application of the brakes occurred and the train was
stopped.  These speed recorders had a door that gave access to the speed
recorded tape that we sealed with a wire lead seal at each inspection or
removal of tapes.  Gordon Hamilton told the Brethren about removing the
tape from the lead locomotive after a wreck near Salem, VA.


 For Show and Tell, I took three photos from the railpictures.net showing
the following:  Newly painted Norfolk Southern SD60E #911 painted at
Juniata Shop in honor of First Responders; Photo of N&W J-Class #611 under
steam on the turntable at the Spencer Shop and the N&W Y6a Class #2156
showing articulation at the curve exiting the east portal of Welch tunnel
in Welch, WV on her way back to Roanoke on Tuesday.  I also showed the
Brethren a  VGN 1701 form 1-2-1957 at Victoria where a VGN Fireman was
given 10 demerits for failure to report at 11 PM for assignment on the 3rd
shift helper yard run to Sewells Point, 12-14-1956.  This was signed by VGN
Superintendent Strickland.  This form was part of some items I entered into
the N&W (and VGN) Historical Archives at last week's work session.


 We signed a Happy Birthday Card for VGN RWY diesel and electric guru and
Mullens Electric Formen Greely Wyatt. This card has a photo of Greely and
his "favorite fan" Frank Bongiovanni on the front.  Greely will turn 89 on
Monday.


 The Jewel from the Past is from July 24, 2008:  "Raymond East, VGN Hogger
and Glen McLain, VGN Clerk got into a discussion about the need and reason
for several colorful VGN nicknames.  The Smithson brothers, W. N. "Cocky"
and W. H. "Lemonhead"  were first.  "Cocky" was called this, not because of
his confidence of work experience, but for his relationships with the
ladies.  "Lemonhead" was a member of the VGN baseball team and got his
nickname when he proceeded to third base that was occupied by another VGN
player and someone in the stands yelled "you dumb lemonhead, go back to
second".  Seems "Dogface" Hudson and O. A. "Goathead" Smith got theirs just
because they resembled dogs and goats."


 Then there's this:  A mother and her young son returned from the grocery
shop and began putting away the groceries.  The boy opened the box of
animal crackers she had got him and spread them all over the table.  "What
are you doing?" his mother asked.  "The box says you can't eat them if the
seal is broken," the boy explained.  "I'm looking for the seal to see if
it's broken".


 Time to pull the pin on this one!!


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DLXIII






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