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

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the honor of "Takin'Twenty" with three of the Brethren and
Friends of the Virginian Railway.  Wis,  Landon and I discussed news of the
day about the pending storm heading our way.  We all were glad that our NS
stock seems to be on the rise.


 For Show and Tell I took the May issue of "Trains" for them to peruse.
Page 15 "Iconic beaver returns to Canadian Pacific"...we didn't know it had
left.  Page 21 tells of about NS opening a new diesel loco shop in Chicago
serving 25 units with 25 craft workers;  and Page 47 "Thomas the Bank
Engine" is about how a lot of rail groups make lots of money with the
iconic little British smoker.  Ironically at the end of the last article is
mentioned the IC "Marti Gras" an observation car that the Roanoke Chapter
sold to several years is making money "hand over fist" after a restoration
to the "City of New Orleans" theme.


 I told the Brethren about current plans relating to the Exhibits and other
stuff at the newly restored Virginian Station.  Also the Roanoke Chapter
NRHS is planning a fourth of July picnic there for Chapter members at the
best spot in Roanoke to observe the gigantic fireworks display on
Independence Day.


 From last week I did not get a correct answer to my question about the
"twister" mentioned in a former "Takin' Twenty" Report.  The twister used
by VGN employees was twisted pieces of paper or "tinfoil" that was
carefully placed in the nostrils of sleeping VGN employees to wake them.
One such napper was very upset when awakened and threatened to go the
boss.  "What will you tell him you were doing when you discovered the
twister?" ended thus dust up....


 The Jewel from the Past is from September 10, 2009:  " Frank Breedlove,
VGN Brakeman and Conductor also played third base for the Virginian
Baseball Team.  Once after a game with a team that had a very fast, but
wild pitcher, Frank was asked if he got any hits.  He answered "yes, one in
the gut, one in the butt and one in the back".  Most agree the best VGN
player was Elmer Gene "Bunk" Gibson.  Gibson once inquired about an ad in
the Roanoke paper for ballplayers for the Roanoke Red Sox of the pro
Piedmont League.  He tried out and they asked him to play the next day in a
game at Maher Field, just across Naval Reserse Ave from the VGN Yard.
"Bunk" who worked in the Yard, marked off sick and went to the afternoon
game.  When he hit a triple, the PA blasted out his name, the Yardmaster
said "here I am paying a Brakeman time and a half and "Bunk" is playing
ball.  Frank said "Bunk" was also an avid deer and turkey hunter and
considered himself a professional sportsman.  Once he and Frank were on
their way hunting to Watts Creek in "Bunk's" 1961 American Rambler.  When
they arrived, "Bunk" was anxious and loaded his Model 12 Winchester in the
Rambler and accidentally shot out the back window.  Frank said he took the
car to the deer checking station and told the warden that 'he wanted to
check in a 2 point Rambler'".


 Then there's this:  As the Sunday school teacher described how Lot's wife
looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt, Carl interrupted "My
mommy looked back once while she was driving, and she turned into a
telephone pole!"


 Time to pull the pin on this one.


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DCXLVI
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