Virginian Crazies 2019 edition

[NW Mailing List]

Frank - great report on this year's Crazies! Do you have to be crazy about
the VGN to tag along, or just crazy in general? Sounds like a fun time...

One additional note about David Helmer, as a volunteer he was instrumental
in the fundraising effort to build, and secure estate prints for, the O.
Winston Link Museum in Roanoke. I missed getting to know him by just a few
years when I came on the board there. His daughter, Delta, told me of his
role there. As a board member for many years, he was also close to the
week-to-week administration of the museum, helping them to chart a
sustainable course. He had vast fund-raising connections in the railroad
world, and didn't hesitate to use them.

Stephen Warren - Roanoke


On Sat, Oct 19, 2019 at 10:51 PM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
wrote:

> We just had another successful Virginian Crazies weekend in Mullens (Twin
> Falls).  As usual the lodge was very accommodating.  We had about 15
> attendees; we had some new faces, and some regulars were unable to make it
> this year.  We went to Polk Gap tunnel (I think I got that right), and
> visited Tom Marshall’s grave in Matheny.  Family plot: he’s buried with
> his parents.
>
>
> Friday evening was the usual business meeting (less than 30 minutes)where
> we had some photos, books, and kits for exchange (thank you again Bob
> Liljestrand/Bob’s Photos; more Virginian photos every year).  We also
> showed the group the plaque we had made for the Virginian Crazies, with
> names for our deceased members*, with, sadly, room for more in the future.
> We have been going on for approximately 13 years now, and we have six
> names on the plaque already.  The plaque was turned over to the local
> guys for a decision as to where to hang it.
>
>
> As promised, we also discussed time and place for next year.  It is not
> settled, meaning we are open to suggestions, comments, complaints,
> concerns, but so far it’s looking like we will be back at Twin Falls, again
> the second weekend in October of 2020.  I’m sure you all understand that
> any weekend is bad or impossible for someone.
>
>
> Also everyone was invited to attend the Norfolk & Western/Virginian
> Railway Historical Society convention in Cleveland next June.  There was
> some concern because it was put out that the convention next year will be
> emphasizing the post 1964 N&W; it was made clear that the Virginian
> Interest Group will have it’s annual meeting at that convention.
>
>
> This seems like a good time/excuse to put out some clarification.  There
> are three Virginian Railway “groups”.  There is this Yahoo group, which
> at last count has over 1000 members, and is one of the more active and long
> lived of the single railroad Yahoo groups.  The group was started, as far
> as I know, by Mark Fisher about 15 years ago.  As noted, it will be
> migrated to groups io in the near future…we hope.
>
>
> There is the Virginian Interest Group, which is a bunch that meets at
> every NWHS convention.  The group consists of whoever comes to the
> convention that is interested in attending the meeting.  We have updates
> on upcoming or at least proposed Virginian models, and a vigorous exchange
> of information and presentations.  When Rick Stone started the new NWHS
> in 1984 he promised to “take care of” the Virginian; NWHS has made good on
> that promise.
>
>
> Finally there is the Virginian Crazies.  That’s the group of us that meet
> every Fall, and it sort of coalesced around the celebration of the 100th
> anniversary of the railroad coming to Mullens.
>
> We’re doing well, I would say, for those of us who follow/model a railroad
> that has been gone for a longer period than it existed.
>
>
> *The six deceased whose names are on the plaque:
>
> Mark Fisher: the founder of the Yahoo Virginian Group.  Because he was
> taking care of an elderly mother, he made it to one meeting after she
> passed, and he died before the next year’s meeting.  One heck of a nice
> guy.
>
>
> Jack Feller: one of the predominant historians of Mullens, who wrote a
> 5(?)volume history of Mullens, and willingly provided a lot of information
> to us who came from out of town.
>
>
> Sarge McGhee: WWII Marine.  Had worked for the railroad.  Best known to
> us as the man who is responsible for all the railroad murals around the
> city.
>
>
> Lloyd Lewis:  retired from the railroad industry.  He wrote or edited
> approximately four books on the Virginian.  When he was able to make it
> to Crazies he was simply priceless as a tour guide and walking historian.
>
>
> David Helmer: also retired from the railroad industry.  Was involved with
> VMT and may have been helpful in getting the ELC there.  Broadened our
> horizons one year by presenting a seminar on the railroads of……Vietnam.
>
>
> Tom Marshall.  Noted Virginian historian.  Great friend and tour guide.  Until
> his death essentially hosted the Virginian Crazies weekends in cooperation
> with the lodge.  Incredible source of information, including stacks of
> photos, paperwork, and information from his father who had worked on the
> railroad.
>
>
>
> Frank Bongiovanni
>
>
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