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

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I has the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with seven of the Brethren
and Friends of the Virginian Railway.  Most of the early conversation was
about the Tuesday collision of two NS trains near Dublin, VA when one
locomotive was turned over, two crew members taken to the hospital, and 18
cars derailed.  Also 20,000 gallons of lube oil was spilled.  The empty
tri-level train somehow overcome a loaded westbound near the Radford Army
Ammunition plant, and the collision occurred.   8 cars on the first train
were derailed including the lube oil tanker, and 10 auto racks left the
track on the trailing one.  Unit 9100 was the overturned loco.  At meeting
time, NS had not given the cause or speed of the wreck.  Of course the
Brethren "speculated" several scenarios including signal failure and human
error.  It happened at 4PM.  Of course most of the Brethren blamed Landon
Gregory who retired as Chief Dispatcher Virginia Division for not knowing
what happened...


 The ebay report this time includes the following VGN RWY items sold:  H.
Reid "The Virginian Railway" hardback for $27.50; a VGN RWY uniform
jacket??? for $60.00; and a 1954 advertisement for Fairbanks Morse Train
Masters, featuring the VGN RWY for $5.00.


 The Jewel from the Past, like a Hamilton size 18, 21 jeweled model 940
with a double sunk dial is from
September 11, 2008:  "I asked Cornbread if the Virginian Railway ever gave
employees 'personal days'.  He pondered and then answered 'Yes they did.
If you were lucky enough to have the weekend  off, they were called '
Saturday and Sunday.'"


 For Show and Tell I took a railpictures.net Dennis A. Livesey July 4, 2015
photo of the J-class #611 standing in the station in Roanoke with the
Pelican loading passengers for the Walton trip, and North Delivery passing
with NS caboose (platform) 555085 saluting the queen of steam.  If the
overhead walkway were removed and the 30MPH track put back to 15MPH in the
photo, it would be a scene from 1955 instead of 2015.


 We also discussed the news from the roanoke times stating that "for the
first time ever, natural gas has passed coal as the biggest source of power
generation".  Also a letter to the editor from Marty Martin of Roanoke
sparked conversation.  Marty wrote:  "With all the revenue generated to the
Roanoke City economy since the 611's return from Spencer, NC, I cannot
believe the Western Virginia Water Authority is charging the Virginia
Museum of Transportation for the water used to fill the engine's tenders.
Come on water authority; how cheap!"


 Then there's this:  Karen was driving home in Northern Arizona when she
saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. She stopped
the car and offered the woman a lift.  With a silent nod of thanks, the
woman got into the car.  Resuming the journey, Karen tried to make small
talk.  The old woman just sat silently, until she noticed a brown bag on
the seat next to Karen.  "What in bag?" she asked.  "It's a bottle of
wine.  I got it for my husband."  Speaking with the quiet wisdom of an
elder, the Navajo woman said:  Good trade".


 Time to pull the pin on  this one!


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DLXVII




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