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

Thu Jun 4 13:31:05 EDT 2015

Be nice to have pictures of all the surviving brethren to go with their names . Ron H 

     On Thursday, June 4, 2015 6:54 AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

 Last night I had the honor of "Takin' Twenty" with seven of the Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway. The big news of the night was the return of the N&W J-class #611 to Roanoke last Saturday.  Landon Gregory and I had the privilege of riding this train from Lynchburg to Roanoke.  I have never seen as many people lining every possible viewing point along the route than this train had.  Someone said they bet there were over a million photos taken during the triumphant return of the Queen of Steam locomotives back to her birthplace. When we got back into Roanoke and the train was spotted for de-boarding, I got off and heard loud cheers behind me.  It was almost all of Landon Gregory's family cheering his deboarding.  I told him I thought maybe Elvis had sneaked on the train and was coming back to Roanoke again!

 I showed the Brethren a photo I got on Sunday at the Virginia Museum of Transportation of the N&W Big Three of Steam posing together.  About noon, NS finally spotted the Y6a #2156 next to the J #611 and A #1218 for this, yet again historic photo.  There were thousands attending this event showing that rail history is still a big part of our society and it is up to folks like us to keep it alive, especially the part about the VGN!

 For Show and Tell I took the Summer 2015 "Classic Trains".  Page 8 has a photo that brought back memories from 1977.  This is when a blizzard crippled Buffalo and Bellevue.  I was on a special train "The Snowbird Special" sent to Bellevue to help keep the railroad moving.  The photo showed a long line of open gondolas and hopper cars full of snow that was being moved south to help get rid of it.  Perhaps Boston should have used this method of moving snow this year.  Page 69 shows a March 1953 photo at Walton, VA of an N&W Y6a #2144 on the Bristol line with freight.

 I showed the Brethren a photo of a special VGN RWY "rattle" that my youngest son Josh had made for my grandson namesake CESIII.  I have posted this photo on this site under "Skip's Photos"

 I also told the Brethren about finding out that the Glen Lyn AEP power plant that was serviced by the VGN RWY for years was shut down May 29th and the doors welded shut.

 The Jewel from the past is from August 21, 2008:  "In response to an email from one of this site's members, Delbert Whitlow, I asked the Brethren if they knew any of the VGN personnel mentioned.  The only one they knew was Harry "Cub" Reed, Conductor.  Bob Rowland said he remembered calling him for road assignments. Cornbread said he worked with another famous VGN Conductor, Major Wood.  He recalled once Major and "Cub" were cooking on their cab and 'someone got the corn meal mixed up with the flour and ruined the gravy.'"

 I showed the Brethren a Clearance Card and "19" train orders sent to me by Jeff Hensley from Pikeville, KY who "Took Twenty" with us several weeks ago.  These showed N&W using VGN tracks in 1956. Landon Gregory explained to us the "ins and outs of such a movement"

 Then there's this:  Jeff also sent a list of "Railroad Daffynitions"  These were the favorites:  'CREW CALLER':  Sadistic character who takes fiendish delight in making calls too short for time to eat.  Sheds crocodile tears for rawhide crew.  A friendless soul. 'FIREMAN': A mental midget who's hero is the Engineer.  Is usually found talking to a beanery queen or trying to figure his time.  Also coaches student brakemen. and 'CONCUCTOR': Grouchy.  A dour soul.  Big head and flat feet.  Continually giving rear brakemen sage advice about women, farming and how to run an engine."

 Time to pull the pin on this one!

 Departing Now from V248,

 Skip Salmon

 DLXI
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