"Takin Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren by Skip Salmon

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Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with seven of  the
Virginian Brethren and Friends of the Virginian Railway.  Attending with us
for the first time was Adam Sowder, grandson of former Virginian Railway
Clerk Wis Sowder.  Adam is a Junior at nearby Cave Spring High School and
is very much into computer science.  He told the Brethren about a program
he is in that uses robotics in competition.  Adam looks so much like his
Grandfather that we suspect he could have passed for Wis in the early
nineteen forties.  Any robots on the old VGN?


 I have looked anxiously every day since last Thursday for delivery of a
Henry rifle in response to my challenge of last week.  Since none arrived,
here is the answer to last week's inquiry:  Builders of the original rail
line that goes through the Great Dismal Swamp in east Virginia used
sections of stove pipe around their lower legs to fiend off rattle snakes.
I have another challenge for you  prompted by something I found recently in
a stack of VGN RWY Requisitions on General Storekeeper (form 666) dated
11-11-52.  It is a request for replacement of four hickeys (two of 1/2 inch
and two of 3/4 inch) by Princeton General Storekeeper V. W. Miller.  If you
know what a "hickey" is, send your answer to me on the back of a red L. L.
Bean Downtek 65-fill down Baxter State Parka Size XL to my home address.
The first correct answer will prompt shipment of a 2017 Norfolk Southern
calendar.


 I told the Brethren that I have been told that this year's J Class #611
Excursions will have in consist an end dome lounge car off the California
Zepher.  This prompted Landon to tell of a recent trip he made
cross-country by rail (and ship) to Alaska.  When asked if it was cold in
Alaska he responded "Yes, it was so cold I saw two beagles trying to
jump-start a rabbit."


 I told the Brethren about the new security system that was installed in
the Virginian Station this week as a donation by local vendor
Audiotronics.  Also we now have installed the original Yard Office clock
that used a Western Union signal to adjust to correct time every hour, in
the South Yard Office.  This is the pendulum clock that VGN train crews
synchronized their watches for standard VGN time for years.


 The Jewel from the Past is from July 16, 2009:  "When Rufus saw Bill's old
photo of the Roanoke Yard Office, it caused him to recall a small wire hook
hanging from the ceiling in the locker room that he could not identify.  He
observed it for a long time and finally when he was transferred to the
second trick, the answer came.  VGN Brakeman O. J. "Rap" Meadow was using
the hook to keep his bag lunch from being invaded by large VGN rats".


 Then there's this:  Several of us were discussing dogs and what breed our
kids and grandkids have.  Landon said he has a theory about why dogs drink
out of the toilet.  "It's because the water in there is a lot colder "..
Wis Sowder asked "How does he know that?"


 Time to pull the pin on this one!


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DCXXXVI
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