"Taking Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Wed May 6 21:38:54 EDT 2009


Tonight I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with seven of the Brethren
and Friends of the Virginian Railway. We signed a Happy Birthday card for
Virginian steam locomotive hostler Ronald "Scotty" Hunter who turned 82
today. Scotty began his career with the VGN in 1945 at Elmore and tells
many accounts of the steam era. He is an avid HO modeler and works with the
group that has their layout in the Virginia Museum of Transportation and
can be seen at almost all of the rail events in our area.

The response from our "first 100 days of this current Administration in
Washington" poll was more that I predicted but showed that most of you
agree with the Brethren.

Past around was the June 2009 "Trains" magazine that had a chart that
reflects our current economic conditions entitled "Stored Class 1
locomotives". UP topped the list with 1,300 of their 8,500 units stored;
BNSF has 700 of their fleet of 6,750 idle. The Brethren found the CSX-NS
comparison the most interesting: CSX has 495 of their 4,000 stored but NS
with a 4,000 locomotive fleet also has only 110 stored. Wonder if the VGN
ever stored any...

Landon Gregory brought a recent "yard sale" item for "Show and Tell". It
was an early brass switch lock with V A R Y stamped on it complete with a
key marked the same. The yard sale was on his block near VGN Milepost 238
(Niagara).

The DVD shown was one I got off the Internet of the Norfolk Southern
Kentucky Derby Special with "F" ABBAs pulling 15 coaches going through
Summerhill, PA heading for Louisville. One of the Brethren commented
"Wonder how many Mint Juleps are on that train?"

The ebay report includes: VGN 1920 Estimates Record Ledger for $19.99; a
Matchbox Model A van marked with VGN logos for $31.00; a 1935 VGN Stock
Certificate for $20.49 and a black and white photo of Square Head 104 in
Roanoke with coal tipple and hoppers above it for $20.52.

I told the Brethren about Rail Days and Celebration at the Station at O.
Winston Link Museum this Saturday from 10-2. The A Class 1218 will be on
display with part of Kentucky Derby Train shown in the DVD. Other
activities and reasons to attend this event on Saturday include night photo
shoot (for a fee) on Saturday Night. This is a joint event by OWL and VMT
with assistance from the Roanoke Chapter NRHS and N&W HS.

Wis Sowder told the Brethren about a sale he made recently of a big rock in
the middle of his creek. He sold the rock for $200 to a fellow who was
furnishing a lawyer's rock garden. He also told the Brethren that for the
past several years, he has not seen a copper head snake on his farm. He
attributes this to the increase in numbers of wild turkeys seen on his
property.

Ruf recalled helping a fellow VGN employee make a visit to Florida in his
old age after the friend agreed to pay for everything. Ruf said that the
fellow got sick on the trip and he had to wait on him hand and foot there.
Raymond asked Ruf if he got anything for his efforts and Ruf replied "I got
doodily squat". After a few questions about what he had to do to get the
fellow back to VA, Glen McLain said "Ruf, looks like you got the doodily
and the squat".

John McDaniel a friend of mine who is an avid VGN fan and lives beside the
old VGN main line in Wabun (Sears on old Timetables) told of visiting VGN
engineer Bruce M. Bohon shortly before his death. Ruf Wingfield remember
Mr. Bohon and that his son was a brakeman on the VGN. Bruce was "up in his
nineties" and was asked by John if he covered much of the New River
Division. His answer was: "Son I've spit on every cross tie between Roanoke
and Deepwater!".

Time to pull the pin on this one!

Departing Now from V248,

Skip Salmon



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