Turntable Times is published monthly as the newsletter of the Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, Inc. Opinions and points ofview expressed herein are those of the staff members of the Turntable Times and not necessarily reflect those of the members, officers or directorsof the Chapter. Items of interest should be sent to Editor Kenny Kirkman, 590 Murphy Road, Collinsville, VA 24078-2128.

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDRoanoke, VA

Permit No. 89

Editor, Turntable TimesRoanoke Chapter NRHSP.O. Box 13222Roanoke, VA 24032-1322

UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The September Meeting Locationwill be at the O. Winston Link

Museum.

September 15 - General Meeting

October 4 - Board Meeting

October 30 - Chapter OutingSee inside for details

October 20 - General Meeting

November 1 - Board Meeting

November 17 - Annual Meeting

December 15 - Holiday Gathering

Dated MaterialPlease do not delay

Volume 37, Number 8 & 9August/September 2005

The Official Newsletter of theRoanoke Chapter, National

Railway Historical Society, Inc.

http://community.roanoke.com/RoanokeChapterNationalRailwayHistoricalSociety

is still in use from Lynchburg southward to apower plant complex at Hyco, NorthCarolina, just north of Roxboro. South ofRoxboro several miles has been removed.Durham and Person County officials hadhoped to turn the land into a paved trail forbicycle and pedestrians. (Various Sources).Editor's Note: Longtime Roanoke ChapterMembers and many railfans will recallSouthern locomotive 4501 powering a con-vention special from Durham to Lynchburgthen Roanoke as part of the 1977 NRHSConvention. The historic Harpers Ferry trainstation, built in 1894, will be restored toresemble how it appeared in the 1930s. Thefacility, which could open by 2007, will beused by the town, MARC commuters, Amtrakand the National Park Service. Plans includerebuilding a tower dismantled years ago andreplacing the station's rotted timber founda-tion with concrete. (From the Blue RidgeDispatcher).

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 1

EDITORKenney KirmanKKIRKMAN50@hotmail.com

MIXED FREIGHTRobin R. Shavers

SMALL RAILSDave Measheykndmeashey@msn.com

HISTORIANKenneth L. Millerklmiller@rev.net

All materials should besent directly to the Editor:Kenney Kirman590 Murphy RoadCollinsville, VA 24078-2128

Volume 37, Number 8 & 9August/September 2005

Turntable Times is publishedmonthly as the newsletter ofthe Roanoke Chapter, NationalRailway Historical Society, Inc.Opinions and points of viewexpressed herein are those ofthe staff members of theTurntable Times and not nec-essarily reflect those of themembers, officers or directorsof the Chapter.

Cards and FlowersIf you know of a Chapter Member who is sick, lost a loved one

or has a new birth in the family, please contact Bonnie Molinary.Bonnie is responsible for Chapter cards and flowers and can bereached at 362-0273.

Deadline for Turntable TimesThe deadline for the next issue of Turntable Times is Monday,

September 19, 2005. Please send articles, information andexchange newsletters to: Kenney Kirkman, Editor Turntable Times,590 Murphy Road, Collinsville, VA 24078-2128.

Material for Turntable TimesWe are always in need of articles, photos or news items for the

Turntable Times. Due to copyright restrictions, we cannot reprintarticles from most newspapers; a condensed rewritten articlecrediting the source, however, is acceptable.

For those interested, a PDF of the Turntable Times is posted onthe website when the issue goes to the printer, at least ten daysbefore seeing it in the mail, check the website for last minuteannouncements as well. This issue was posted on July 1st.

Cover PhotoThe summer heat beats down on the steel rails while the

cicadas drone at the quiet little hamlet of Villamont. The quiet isbroken, first by a distant whistle, then the pounding of Class A,No. 1242 as she trundles one of those seemingly endless stringsof black hoppers west, back for more loads from the Pocahontascoal fields. Summer 1954, John Krause Photo.

From The Head End

The Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Societywill hold its next regular meeting on Thursday, September 15, 2005at 7:30 pm. Our meeting location will be at the Link Museum locat-ed in the former N&W Passenger Station, 101 Shenandoah Avenue.Please enter on the lower level at trackside, our meetings are heldin the theatre/auditorium downstairs.

Our program will be Pocahontas Glory Volume 2, featuringRoanoke and the surrounding areas. A great show, come partici-pate!

Meeting Notice

1 10

dollars. Recently, a passenger on a MARCcommuter train, going from Baltimore toWashington, DC, handed the Conductor alady's wallet. The Conductor inspected theitem, to see whether it had any identifica-tion in or on it. Looking inside the wallet,the Conductor found several hundred dol-lars in twenty-dollar bills. The trainman alsodiscovered the person's driver’s licenseinside. As the train made stops at Odenton,and Bowie State University, he called direc-tory assistance on his cell phone in anattempt to get the woman's number. AsMurphy's Law would have it, the numberwas unlisted. A promising look on the train-man's face now turned into a frown.

The MARC employee felt like he had toget this dilemma solved. The train was leav-ing New Carrolton and next was UnionStation. It was at the end of his day, sixround trips between Baltimore andWashington. It was Friday, and the over-crowded 5:25pm northbound train was next.But, the railroad employee knew that as heenjoyed thinking of his plans for the week-end, someone was in deep agony with los-ing that wallet. The Conductor decided tohold onto the lost item, and on Saturday, hewould mail the wallet using the address onthe driver’s license found inside. This wasnot a fail safe idea, the Conductor told him-self. What if the person had moved? Wouldthe Post Office forward the item, or would itstay lost out there in "postal land" forever?Attempting some kind of guarantee, hemailed the item with a signature confirma-tion due at delivery point. He paid the extraprice and waited into the next week forresponse.

Seven days later, our MARC Conductorreceived a note from a lady in Fairfax, VA.The note said she was so glad to get her wal-let back, inside were all of her identificationcards and of course, the huge wad of twen-

ty-dollar bills totaling more than $300. Shewrote how surprising it is to find an honestperson to do such a good thing. The nextday, the MARC employee received a box ofcandy and a check from a very happy ladyfrom Virginia. On the box it said, "To theMARC Conductor, Gary Ballard. Thank youvery much!" Hey, what can I say? My momalways said being honest is the best way.

N.C. Railroad MuseumArchaeology Exhibition

The North Carolina Railroad Museum(NCRM) will present an exhibition of

industrial archaeology on Sunday, October 2,2005 at Bonsal, N.C., near Apex. The exhibi-tion is designed to highlight the study ofrailroad history and related materials as areal part of the science of archaeology.

The exhibit is expected to consist of pho-tographs and artifacts as used by the rail-roads of North Carolina, and knowledgeableguides will be available to explain the itemson display.

The NHVRy itself will also be operatingthat day with five trains, starting at 11 a.m.,over four miles of track in Chatham andWake counties.

The New Hope Valley Railway will also behaving Halloween trains on Saturday Oct. 29and Santa Trains December 3,4,10 & 11.

For more information, visit www.nhvry.orgor call 1-919-362-5416 to speak with theyardmaster on duty.

Here and Thereby Kenney Kirkman

Norfolk Southern is holding onto a 21mile corridor between Durham and

Person County NC because it thinks there isa possibility that trains could again rollthrough the area. The 21 mile corridor ispart of the one time N&W route thatstretched from Lynchburg through SouthBoston and Roxboro to Durham. The route

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 2

9 2

Joe Austin Rememberedby Dorr Tucker

Long time Roanoke Chapter memberJoseph H. Austin passed away on July 9,

2005. Joe was 79 and had been a staunchsupporter of our Chapter since its inceptionas a reorganized group in 1967. Joe wasalways willing to pitch in wherever hecould. He never claimed, or pretended tohave, a mechanical ability, but supportedour efforts no matter what the Chapter wasplanning or working on.

Joe served numerous times on the Boardas well, beginning in 1968 as the Chapter’sfirst National Director, becoming Vice-presi-dent in 1969 and 1970, and a Director in1971 and 1972. He returned as Vice-presi-dent again in 1975 and President in thatBicentennial year of 1976. Joe then took awell-deserved break from the Board for sev-eral years, but returned as a Director in 1984and 1985. He again served as President in1989, then back as a Director in 1990, 1991,1992 and 1993 before “retiring” at age 67.

During all this time, Joe was a faithful

worker for the Gift Shop operation and con-tinued that presence right up to his lastweek. If our Chapter had a Mr.PublicRelations it was Joe Austin. Joe's supportand enthusiasm for the Chapter were trulyUNsurpassed. In recent years, Joe had beena regular at both the VMT & the LinkMuseum Gift Shops. However, Joe’s activeparticipation goes back 37 years. We remem-ber that in November 1968 when we operat-ed two excursions with Nickel PlateBerkshire No. 759, Joe tackled the commis-sary car operation and was so busy doing sothat he hardly saw the locomotive during

the two days of operation. Yet, as a rail-fan he was trackside whenever he hadthe opportunity. Joe was at home in arail setting whether he was talking tocompany executives or Junior High stu-dents.

He was not afraid to talk to anyoneabout the Chapter: whether it wasdrumming up support for an excursionor an outing or soliciting new member-ship. He was in attendance at our firstmeeting in December 1967 and was atthe Link Museum working in the giftshop on July 5. He was always there forthe Chapter through the years. Hisinfectious smile, his ever-present senseof humor and his friendship will besadly missed.

Quantico. The money is reported to be inplace for the construction of a second adja-cent bridge, but VRE riders will be first to letyou know when it's built.

Look for a newly changed First-class menuon Amtrak's Acela trains by time you readthis. No longer will there be fully cookedmeals served to one's seat. A smaller “cold”item will include a wicker basket containingfewer things such as a plastic wrapped sand-wich, chips and drink.

Breakfast will look more like a fruit loversspecial than anything else: a bagel, smallfruit bowl and beverage.

Amtrak says it needs to look at theexpense of providing meal service, and torecapture some of the money lost in provid-ing the well liked full service meals. Thisapproach also includes Amtrak's long dis-tance trains with ideas on how to take inprofits such as letting passengers eat anenjoyable meal at the train station.

This idea is no doubt comes fromAmtrak’s marketing people, the same peoplewho haven't tried to find a meal at the smallplatform in Huntington, WV. Anyone whohas stood on the platform in Elkhart, INduring a snow storm in the cold dead ofnight waiting for train No. 30 The CapitolLimited, will no doubt say the lack of anynearby eatery along with 14 degree tempsand a 40mph wind will make the strongestperson forget about eating before boarding.Perhaps the jury is still out on this one.

Good news from Capitol Hill. Amtrak isslated to get it's money. Things look like thecarrier will get the funds needed to operatea year, situation normal though. The word isapproximately $1.2 billion has been agreedupon. Amtrak's boss, David Gunn, has start-ed various needed upgrades to the compa-ny's physical plant in the Northeast, as stat-ed in the onboard magazine "Arrive." Theneeded money goes toward deferred equip-

ment repairs, and track work.Much progress has been made.

Interlockings have been rebuilt. This is aplace with many switches that allows a trainto go from one track to another. With a 4 or6 track mainline, the number of switchesproviding route variables is mind boggling.The old interlockings were worn out andmany a waiter on a train memorized whenthe train reached the next interlocking. Itwas always hard to stand up with a tray ofhot coffee when traveling over these roughtrack sections.

Another example of money being directedto necessary repairs is going on at the hugeSusquehanna River bridge at Harve de Grace,MD. Each of the two tracks on this big steelbridge is being re-laid with new ties. Newwalkways along the outside edge of the spanare being installed. Going around the coun-try, one can see enthusiasm to improvetrain travel, especially on medium and longdistance routes. While attending the NRHSconvention in Portland, I was impressed ona trip aboard Amtrak's Cascades Servicewhich features Talgo low center of gravityequipment. Portland's Union Station is cer-tainly a jewel of that city. Access from trainto Seatac airport in Seattle, WA. certainlyreflects the train making itself available totoday's traveling trends.

Although many lawmakers have shownwell, their support for a national passengerrail system, word goes around that PresidentBush is ready to veto any big dollar amountas mentioned. This comes at a period whengas continues to head for the $3.00 mark.Already, high octane gas in the Washingtonarea is right at that amount. Regular gas is at$ 2.69 in the suburbs. It would seem like theright time to have as many as 300 to 600people ride on one train.

Last but not least, a lady has been reunit-ed with her wallet and several hundreds of Both: Richard D. Shell

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 3

3 8

hopper. This hopper has two air hoses so itis designed to open the hoppers by air andalso has the new reflective yellow stripesdown the bottom. For some reason, theroller bearings are painted blue. (note: thisarticle was to have been in last monthsissue, but was simply missed in production)

Passenger Train Update: Sept. 05by: Gary Ballard

As you read this, the nation's school sys-tems are in session. Safety is the big

word as the children hit to the street tocatch the bus. On their way to school, somewill walk close to railroad tracks primarilydue to the close proximity of schools, busesand trains. Railroads are taking part inspreading the word on safety.

In the Chicago area, many kids walk alongor have to cross live tracks during a schoolday. Metra, the local commuter rail carrierserving the Windy City, is providing somefree learning tools to teach rail safety. Areanewspapers report that Metra is sendingstuffed pouches full of pencils, erasers, andrulers. The items have stamped messagessuch as,”Stay sharp around train tracks", onthe pencils. This is all geared to being awareof the dangers associated with walking nearrailroad tracks.

Metra says some 800,000 kits are beinghanded out at a cost of approximately $460,000. The railroad hopes the kids will seethe messages, and take the lessons and putthem into their daily routine, as in walkingto and from school. The campaign is aimedat elementary and middle school children.

Union Pacific is directing goodwill effortstowards hundreds of high school principals.This fall UP will provide education consul-tants, at no cost to the principal or theschool district.

The consultants are paid for under a pro-

gram known as the Union PacificFoundation. The Principals' Partnership isUP's signature giving program. Senior Vice-president of Union Pacific, Bob Turner, saysthe railroad believes that strong leadersbuild strong schools. More than 800 princi-pals have signed up and each will beassigned a private consultant.

The consultant provides research briefs,studies, training, best practices or network-ing to assist the principal.

Important issues cover anything from stu-dent achievement gaps, mentoring newteachers to literacy. The program is not justfor school principals, but to other educatorsand the public at large.

From school to the price of gas at thepump. As some contestants on TV's gameshow The Price is Right yell out "higher" or"lower" to the price of a certain prize, manyof us are yelling "higher" when we fill upthese days. Train passengers on northernVirginia's VRE trains thought they'd seekrelief by parking the car and taking the trainto their job. In August, many VRE riderscould have walked faster on foot than totake the train.

As reported by the Free Lance-Star, CSXTransportation, who owns the tracks, sayswork crews failed to finish track-work ontime, erring on the side of safety.

During the middle of August, CSX hadplaced a 20 mile construction zone. Crewswere testing new signals and switchesbefore allowing trains to move at full trackspeed. This meant that morning delays hap-pened with some VRE trains running behindschedule by an hour. Evening delays were asmuch as an hour and 45 minutes.

The CSX tie-ups occurs on a 20 milestretch of track between Spotsylvania andPossum Point. Railfans may be familiar withPossum Point, it's the location of the singletrack bridge along the water, just north of

Joe Austinby Gary Ballard

Ialways think back at the many times Joesmiled or laughed about something, usual-

ly right in the middle of a project. He knewwhen to inject a little humor to carry a seri-ous moment over, so to speak. He was anavid video watcher when it came to trains.He knew which ones were good to watchand which ones were produced poorly.

He always had a supportive word of thevideos that I made (sometimes being theprogram we watched at a Chapter meeting ).When I made a video to be viewed on aChapter bus trip, I'd mail him a copy just toget his opinion whether it would be of inter-est to the others. Joe always had somethingthat was enlightening to write in response.

Of the many "huge" helpful hands thatthis Chapter has had, Joe will be deeplymissed. We all will remember his love ofworking with the public and helping themto understand the love of trains.

Our gift shop owes much gratitude to Joefor doing a job well done whenever heworked behind the sales counter. The rail-road stories along with his enthusiasm heshared with the customers, is priceless.

Condolences

Aside from the passing of Joe Austin,noted above, a number of other mem-

bers have suffered a loss in recent weeks.Richard and Kim Shell lost Kim’s father,

on July 14th.Cheryl Chandler passed away on June 30.Jane André is recovering from surgery.Eddie Mooneyham’s wife, Angie and

daughter Abby were in a horrific car crashon July 27th. Lucikly, both are now homeand doing well.Notice of Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the Roanoke

Chapter of the National Railway HistoricalSociety will be held at the O. Winston LinkMuseum on Thursday, November 17, 2005.The meeting will begin at 7:30 pm. At thistime we will hold our annual election inwhich four (4) directors will be elected.

Our nominating committee is headed upby Walt Alexander. Board members whoseterm is up are as follows:

Lawanda ElyCarl JensenBill Mason

David MeasheyNominations will be accepted from the

floor at the Annual Meeting, please be sureyou have that persons consent before mak-ing a nomination. The committee is search-ing for nominees for these four positions

Instructions for Absentee Ballot: This yearwe will elect four (4) directors by secret bal-lot. Any member in good standing may voteby absentee ballot.

Please Note: if you are interested in run-ning, or know of another Chapter memberwho is, please contact the nominating com-mittee as soon as possible.

To vote by absentee ballot, one must:1 - Request an absentee ballot from the

Secretary or a member of the nominatingcommittee. The nominating committee ischaired by Walt Alexander. You will receive(a) one ballot; (b) one "ballot" envelope; and(c) one mailing envelope.

2 - Mark the ballot (vote for not more thanfour (4) directors. If more than four (4) votesare cast, the ballot will be discarded).

3 - Place the ballot in the "ballot" envelopeand seal. Do not put your name on the bal-lot or "ballot" envelope.

4 - Place "ballot" envelope in the mailingenvelope. Write your name and returnaddress on the mailing envelope and mailto;

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 4

7 4

Roanoke Chapter, NRHSP.O. Box 13222, Roanoke, VA 24032-1322or the envelope may be hand delivered to

the Secretary anytime before the election atthe annual meeting.

Mixed Freight - Augustby Mr. Robin R. Shavers

Imust say I'm quite elated at trains blowingfor grade crossings that in the past had

been a no blow. My first encounter withsuch occured June 30th in Ashland, Va. Forthose whom don't know about Ashland's lay-out, the former Richmond, Fredericksburgand Potomac Railroad high iron lays right inthe heart of the little town. There are aboutsix grade crossings. With the horn ban lift-ed, it was an experience to behold. Someengineers just blew a few short toots. Somejust let the engine bell announce their pres-ence. The majority blew the standard gradecrossing warning for all of Ashland's cross-ings. Railfans present with video cameraswere having a field day. I spoke with thegrandmother of a hardcore 11 year old rail-fan and she was glad to hear the trainsblowin' thru town. She was happy that a lotof folks in town were not happy with blar-ing airhorns. "These people need to havetheir nerves rattled" she declared. "I've beena resident of this town for 30 years and I'mstill viewed as an outsider. Those blowinghorns do to those morons what I cannot"she declared.

Normally in the past, the annual AltoonaRailfest has been held during the first week-end of October. This year it will be the lastweekend of September. For more informa-tion, phone 814-946-0834.

Virginia's Governor Mark Warner signedlegislation in June making $23 million avail-able for railroad infrastructure projectsannually. It is known as the Rail

Enhancement Fund which took effect July 1,2005. The funds can be tapped if the statereceives a minimum matching contributionof at least 30% from nonstate sources.

In June, Norfolk Southern finally got acoal rate dispute resolved that surfaced backin 2002. Duke Power and ProgressiveEnergy's (PGNX) Carolina Power & Light filedcharges that Norfolk Southern overchargedon coal shipments and raised coal haulingrates by 50% in one year alone. Duke Powerrequested a refund of $50 million. Duke lostwhen railroad regulators determined thatNorfolk Southern's rates were not excessive.Duke also lost a case against CSX on claimsCSX coal hauling rates were excessive.

Here is another ten year milestone toremember. This coming September willmark ten years since the name BroadwayLimited was dropped by Amtrak. The trainwas renamed The Three Rivers.

Mixed Freight - Septemberby Mr. Robin R. Shavers

Last month I commented on how much Ienjoyed hearing CSX freights blow thru

Ashland after that community like so manyothers forgot to file an application with theFederal Railroad Administration for “quietzone” status. It takes three weeks for thequiet zone to go in effect. I also mentionedhow the grandmother of a young hardcorerailfan expressed her happiness with thetrains blowing too. Our statement was shortlived as the quiet zone came back onTuesday, August 9th.

Over the past several years, I have keptyou readers informed on the latest happen-ings involving Norfolk Southern's rail linethru Farmville. On Friday, July 15th, NSoperated its last revenue train over that lineeastward with two locomotives and a fewcars. The train passed thru Farmville around

with any member" or something to thatnature. They were polite in squeezing by toperform a task on the layout and that was it.Other visitors from what I observed weretreated likewise. In another situation atanother open house I deposited cash into acontribution jar right in front of two of theclub's members with them looking on, not a"Thank You" from either. Things like theseare not the way to attract new members orcreate a positive PR within the community.Along ethnic/racial lines, quite a few havecommented that they feel tolerated, but notreally accepted.

Conflict of interest. A number of would bemembers claimed this as their reason fornot joining or dropping out. Railroad hobby-ist definitely have our likes and dislikes.Some are into restoring old rolling stock,some would rather concentrate in the hereand now. This is but one of many examples.

Benefits of memberships. More and morepeople are determining that they don't needto hold membership with an organization toenjoy the hobby. To a degree, I can see andunderstand this point of view. Everyone hasa reason or reasons for joining an organiza-tion. Sometimes these reasons are achieved.Sometimes they are not. When I joined theNRHS back in 1979, it was for the reason ofenjoying the railroading hobby on a regularbasis with people of parallel interest. Thishas yet to happen.

The above reasons people expressed to mecame from a diverse number of individualsover the past 20 years. Those of us whomhold memberships and are REALLY con-cerned about the future of the NRHS andother organizations may want to ask our-selves and fellow members are we guilty ofsome of the above reasons. Are we the solu-tion for helping the organization flourish orstagnate to a sluggish existence and eventu-al death?

Chapter Outing-October 30by Walt Alexander

Unfortunately, the original Chapter outingof October 8-9 did not get nearly enough

participation to justify its operation.We are now offering a single short day trip

that will involve a rather unique opportuni-ty for members to ride some rare mileage.

On Sunday, October 30th we will be tak-ing the Abbott bus northward to ride on theformer Chesapeake Western Railway. Thiswill be the final day of operation of theirfirst foray into excursion train operation.

It will be a nice day of fellowship and fun.The exact details are not set as of this writ-ing, but will involve the train ride, a specialstop with the bus to photograph the trainon the trip we do not ride. And a nice meal(at your own expense) at one of the tworestaurants located in Staunton’s depot. Ifwe are lucky, we may also see Amtrak’sCardinal pass in one or both directions.

This is to be a very reasonably priced tripbut we need your participation to make itwork. Call Walt Alexander at 345-5826 oremail at terrapin66@cox.net.

First Hopper out of RoanokeShops

by Skip Salmon

Ihave been checking the progress at the CarShop in Roanoke Shops of the new alu-

minum hoppers that are being manufac-tured there. On May 12, 2005. I happen tobe going down Campbell Avenue andnoticed that a brand new hopper was sittingoutside of the paint shop portion of theshop. I naturally stopped and took a photo. Isked one of the workmen if these were forNorfolk Southern and he said that they werenot. He also stated that this was the first ofan order of 250 and they were waiting forthe stencils to come in to complete the first

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 5

5 6

Regional Railroad TrainSymbols

Buckingham Branch Railroad: TrainSymbols

Z626 - Doswell CrewZ628 - Doswell - RuffinZ629 - Doswell - LouisaZ630 - Staunton - CharlottesvilleZ631 - Staunton - Clifton ForgeZ789 - Rock, Verdon-Clifton ForgeUses CSX locos.Z790 - Rock, Clifton Forge - VerdonUses CSX locosZ799 - Charlottesville - LouisaOperates to Orange when necessary.Shenandoah Valley Railroad SymbolSV-1 Staunton - Harrisonburg(Submitted by Mr. Robin R. Shavers)

Are We Part of the Problem?by Mr. Robin R. Shavers

Afew years back, I commented that one ofthe most common subjects I hear dis-

cussed at model railroad events and proto-type railfan functions is the future of thehobbies and attracting new members tokeep organizations such as the NRHS vibrantand progressive. Last fall a Roanoke Chaptermember voiced a parallel concern for hischapter since many senior members arebeing called home by The Creator and withage and health issues preventing othersfrom doing what they once could. NationalDirector E. Norris Deyerle of our sister BlueRidge Chapter NRHS expressed his personalconcern on this issue within the pages ofThe Blue Water Dispatcher June 2005 edi-tion. I personally do not have an answer tothis issue but I will offer some commentary.As a child growing up in the sixties, a phi-losophy I often heard from the lips of highschool and college folks whom society labled

as activist was as follows: You are either partof the problem or part of the solution. Ialways opted to be part of the solution evento this day.

When I meet other raifans trackside ormodeling hobbyist at shows and similiarevents, I almost always ask the person ifthey hold membership with a modeling orprototype club or organization. Over half saythey do not. If their answer is no, I will usu-ally ask why they aren't. Here are some ofthe most common reasons why people arenot members or do not care to join proto-type and model railroad organizations. Keepthis in mind too. Some of the reasons whyfolks don't care to join are also reasons whyothers elect not to renew their membershipsor just pay dues and remain in the back-ground.

Unawareness. It's amazing the number oftrain enthusiast out there that are unawareof local or relatively close organizations sothey claim. With information and communi-cation being like it is in today's society, thisreason really doesn't hold much tonnage.

Internal conflicts and interpersonal dramawithin some organizations ranked high inkeeping folks away. Hobby clubs should befun and enjoyable like the hobby itself.

Inhospitable members. This too rankedhigh. Many people spoke of attending meet-ings, open houses and other organizationalfunctions and not feeling welcomed.Members were basically not friendly andvery unwelcoming. I can testify to this fromseveral past experiences. A few years agowhile attending the Altoona Railfest, I visit-ed the club facilities of the Altoona modelrailroad club that was having an open houseas part of the Railfest. I was there for anhour viewing their operating layout. NOTONE member spoke to me or welcomed meto their open house or said "If you have anyquestions or comments, feel free to speak

1:30 p.m. A week or so later, a work crewbegan removing a few crossties betweenProspect and Pamplin. By the time this is inprint, a full scale railroad removal projectwill be in full gear and nearing completion.

The 34 mile right of way is hoped tobecome a linear park for hiking, biking andhorseback riding. It will be two years thiscoming December since Norfolk Southernbegan forwarding all it's westbound trafficvia it's other line south of Farmville. As arailfan, I really miss seeing and hearingtrains roar and blow thru Farmville, especial-ly at night. For me it was like dessert after abanquet of railfanning in Lynchburg,Roanoke or Bluefield.

The Blue Ridge Chapter NRHS pulled off asuccessful RAIL DAY 2005 this past August6. There were many vendors on hand and agood attendance though not as strong as lastyears. Contest wise, there was a large selec-tion of photos to vote on. A 16 year old sub-mitted 15 entries.

Merle Haggard and His FavoriteModels

In 1966, Merle Haggard, the rising starbehind such country hits as "The Bottle

Let Me Down", and "Sing a Sad Song", knewexactly what he wanted to do with his newfound riches. "I ran out and blew about aquarter of a million dollars building thegreatest model railroad anybody'd everthought of," says Haggard, now 67, his FortKnox-worthy baritone as resonant as ever.The sprawling layout - which boasted 750feet of track and became the centerpiece ofhis brand new Bakersfield pad - landed theformer jailbird in Life magazine and madehim an instant model-railroading legend.

Haggard's preoccupation with trains con-tinues to this day. And no wonder: his boy-hood home, in the Bakersfield suburb ofOildale, was a converted 40-foot Santa Fe"reefer"; his dad worked on the Santa Fe and

the Southern Pacific; he began hoppingfreights well before puberty; and the firstsong he heard upon his release in 1960 fromSan Quentin was the classic Hank Snowtrain ballard "Hobo Bill's last ride."

By Haggard's estimate, his current invento-ry of rolling stock—scattered around hisranch in the Sierra Nevada foothills nearRedding, California—runs upwards of 300cars, and just under 40 engines, including acouple of big Santa Fe 2-10-4 locomotivesand the georgeous Southern Pacific 4-8-4, thetrain that was decked out in patriotic huesfor the Bicentennial, which Haggard salutedin his 1976 single, "Here Comes theFreedom Train." For track, Haggard goes withnickel silver ("shows up real easy"), his pre-ferred scale is the brawny “O” (a.k.a one-quarter inch, which is one forty eighth life -size.

What about real trains? "They've lost someromance with me," he says. "What you and Iare talking about is just a memory. And it'slike the music I was involved with: all theway from Jimmie Rodgers to Johnny Cash,there was the train. When Johnny died, itwas kind of like watching the train leavetown. There's only two or three cars on thetrain still. When George and me and Williego, that train'll be gone. The train of countrymusic will be a thing of the past." In theensuing long pause, you can just about heara lonesome whistle blowing. "That might bea song. I just might work on that."

(Above article was written by Mark Rozzoand appeared in TRACKS magazine). Thestory was submitted by Mr. Robin R.Shavers, who notes that TRACKS magazineis not a magazine about railroading. It's amagazine that covers the music scene.

Robin also mentions that he has knownfor over twenty years that living legendcountry singer Merle Haggard has had athing for trains, and that the same is truefor Gary Coleman, Neil Young, the late FrankSinatra and of course the late and legendaryJohnny Cash.

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 6

5 6

Regional Railroad TrainSymbols

Buckingham Branch Railroad: TrainSymbols

Z626 - Doswell CrewZ628 - Doswell - RuffinZ629 - Doswell - LouisaZ630 - Staunton - CharlottesvilleZ631 - Staunton - Clifton ForgeZ789 - Rock, Verdon-Clifton ForgeUses CSX locos.Z790 - Rock, Clifton Forge - VerdonUses CSX locosZ799 - Charlottesville - LouisaOperates to Orange when necessary.Shenandoah Valley Railroad SymbolSV-1 Staunton - Harrisonburg(Submitted by Mr. Robin R. Shavers)

Are We Part of the Problem?by Mr. Robin R. Shavers

Afew years back, I commented that one ofthe most common subjects I hear dis-

cussed at model railroad events and proto-type railfan functions is the future of thehobbies and attracting new members tokeep organizations such as the NRHS vibrantand progressive. Last fall a Roanoke Chaptermember voiced a parallel concern for hischapter since many senior members arebeing called home by The Creator and withage and health issues preventing othersfrom doing what they once could. NationalDirector E. Norris Deyerle of our sister BlueRidge Chapter NRHS expressed his personalconcern on this issue within the pages ofThe Blue Water Dispatcher June 2005 edi-tion. I personally do not have an answer tothis issue but I will offer some commentary.As a child growing up in the sixties, a phi-losophy I often heard from the lips of highschool and college folks whom society labled

as activist was as follows: You are either partof the problem or part of the solution. Ialways opted to be part of the solution evento this day.

When I meet other raifans trackside ormodeling hobbyist at shows and similiarevents, I almost always ask the person ifthey hold membership with a modeling orprototype club or organization. Over half saythey do not. If their answer is no, I will usu-ally ask why they aren't. Here are some ofthe most common reasons why people arenot members or do not care to join proto-type and model railroad organizations. Keepthis in mind too. Some of the reasons whyfolks don't care to join are also reasons whyothers elect not to renew their membershipsor just pay dues and remain in the back-ground.

Unawareness. It's amazing the number oftrain enthusiast out there that are unawareof local or relatively close organizations sothey claim. With information and communi-cation being like it is in today's society, thisreason really doesn't hold much tonnage.

Internal conflicts and interpersonal dramawithin some organizations ranked high inkeeping folks away. Hobby clubs should befun and enjoyable like the hobby itself.

Inhospitable members. This too rankedhigh. Many people spoke of attending meet-ings, open houses and other organizationalfunctions and not feeling welcomed.Members were basically not friendly andvery unwelcoming. I can testify to this fromseveral past experiences. A few years agowhile attending the Altoona Railfest, I visit-ed the club facilities of the Altoona modelrailroad club that was having an open houseas part of the Railfest. I was there for anhour viewing their operating layout. NOTONE member spoke to me or welcomed meto their open house or said "If you have anyquestions or comments, feel free to speak

1:30 p.m. A week or so later, a work crewbegan removing a few crossties betweenProspect and Pamplin. By the time this is inprint, a full scale railroad removal projectwill be in full gear and nearing completion.

The 34 mile right of way is hoped tobecome a linear park for hiking, biking andhorseback riding. It will be two years thiscoming December since Norfolk Southernbegan forwarding all it's westbound trafficvia it's other line south of Farmville. As arailfan, I really miss seeing and hearingtrains roar and blow thru Farmville, especial-ly at night. For me it was like dessert after abanquet of railfanning in Lynchburg,Roanoke or Bluefield.

The Blue Ridge Chapter NRHS pulled off asuccessful RAIL DAY 2005 this past August6. There were many vendors on hand and agood attendance though not as strong as lastyears. Contest wise, there was a large selec-tion of photos to vote on. A 16 year old sub-mitted 15 entries.

Merle Haggard and His FavoriteModels

In 1966, Merle Haggard, the rising starbehind such country hits as "The Bottle

Let Me Down", and "Sing a Sad Song", knewexactly what he wanted to do with his newfound riches. "I ran out and blew about aquarter of a million dollars building thegreatest model railroad anybody'd everthought of," says Haggard, now 67, his FortKnox-worthy baritone as resonant as ever.The sprawling layout - which boasted 750feet of track and became the centerpiece ofhis brand new Bakersfield pad - landed theformer jailbird in Life magazine and madehim an instant model-railroading legend.

Haggard's preoccupation with trains con-tinues to this day. And no wonder: his boy-hood home, in the Bakersfield suburb ofOildale, was a converted 40-foot Santa Fe"reefer"; his dad worked on the Santa Fe and

the Southern Pacific; he began hoppingfreights well before puberty; and the firstsong he heard upon his release in 1960 fromSan Quentin was the classic Hank Snowtrain ballard "Hobo Bill's last ride."

By Haggard's estimate, his current invento-ry of rolling stock—scattered around hisranch in the Sierra Nevada foothills nearRedding, California—runs upwards of 300cars, and just under 40 engines, including acouple of big Santa Fe 2-10-4 locomotivesand the georgeous Southern Pacific 4-8-4, thetrain that was decked out in patriotic huesfor the Bicentennial, which Haggard salutedin his 1976 single, "Here Comes theFreedom Train." For track, Haggard goes withnickel silver ("shows up real easy"), his pre-ferred scale is the brawny “O” (a.k.a one-quarter inch, which is one forty eighth life -size.

What about real trains? "They've lost someromance with me," he says. "What you and Iare talking about is just a memory. And it'slike the music I was involved with: all theway from Jimmie Rodgers to Johnny Cash,there was the train. When Johnny died, itwas kind of like watching the train leavetown. There's only two or three cars on thetrain still. When George and me and Williego, that train'll be gone. The train of countrymusic will be a thing of the past." In theensuing long pause, you can just about heara lonesome whistle blowing. "That might bea song. I just might work on that."

(Above article was written by Mark Rozzoand appeared in TRACKS magazine). Thestory was submitted by Mr. Robin R.Shavers, who notes that TRACKS magazineis not a magazine about railroading. It's amagazine that covers the music scene.

Robin also mentions that he has knownfor over twenty years that living legendcountry singer Merle Haggard has had athing for trains, and that the same is truefor Gary Coleman, Neil Young, the late FrankSinatra and of course the late and legendaryJohnny Cash.

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 6

7 4

Roanoke Chapter, NRHSP.O. Box 13222, Roanoke, VA 24032-1322or the envelope may be hand delivered to

the Secretary anytime before the election atthe annual meeting.

Mixed Freight - Augustby Mr. Robin R. Shavers

Imust say I'm quite elated at trains blowingfor grade crossings that in the past had

been a no blow. My first encounter withsuch occured June 30th in Ashland, Va. Forthose whom don't know about Ashland's lay-out, the former Richmond, Fredericksburgand Potomac Railroad high iron lays right inthe heart of the little town. There are aboutsix grade crossings. With the horn ban lift-ed, it was an experience to behold. Someengineers just blew a few short toots. Somejust let the engine bell announce their pres-ence. The majority blew the standard gradecrossing warning for all of Ashland's cross-ings. Railfans present with video cameraswere having a field day. I spoke with thegrandmother of a hardcore 11 year old rail-fan and she was glad to hear the trainsblowin' thru town. She was happy that a lotof folks in town were not happy with blar-ing airhorns. "These people need to havetheir nerves rattled" she declared. "I've beena resident of this town for 30 years and I'mstill viewed as an outsider. Those blowinghorns do to those morons what I cannot"she declared.

Normally in the past, the annual AltoonaRailfest has been held during the first week-end of October. This year it will be the lastweekend of September. For more informa-tion, phone 814-946-0834.

Virginia's Governor Mark Warner signedlegislation in June making $23 million avail-able for railroad infrastructure projectsannually. It is known as the Rail

Enhancement Fund which took effect July 1,2005. The funds can be tapped if the statereceives a minimum matching contributionof at least 30% from nonstate sources.

In June, Norfolk Southern finally got acoal rate dispute resolved that surfaced backin 2002. Duke Power and ProgressiveEnergy's (PGNX) Carolina Power & Light filedcharges that Norfolk Southern overchargedon coal shipments and raised coal haulingrates by 50% in one year alone. Duke Powerrequested a refund of $50 million. Duke lostwhen railroad regulators determined thatNorfolk Southern's rates were not excessive.Duke also lost a case against CSX on claimsCSX coal hauling rates were excessive.

Here is another ten year milestone toremember. This coming September willmark ten years since the name BroadwayLimited was dropped by Amtrak. The trainwas renamed The Three Rivers.

Mixed Freight - Septemberby Mr. Robin R. Shavers

Last month I commented on how much Ienjoyed hearing CSX freights blow thru

Ashland after that community like so manyothers forgot to file an application with theFederal Railroad Administration for “quietzone” status. It takes three weeks for thequiet zone to go in effect. I also mentionedhow the grandmother of a young hardcorerailfan expressed her happiness with thetrains blowing too. Our statement was shortlived as the quiet zone came back onTuesday, August 9th.

Over the past several years, I have keptyou readers informed on the latest happen-ings involving Norfolk Southern's rail linethru Farmville. On Friday, July 15th, NSoperated its last revenue train over that lineeastward with two locomotives and a fewcars. The train passed thru Farmville around

with any member" or something to thatnature. They were polite in squeezing by toperform a task on the layout and that was it.Other visitors from what I observed weretreated likewise. In another situation atanother open house I deposited cash into acontribution jar right in front of two of theclub's members with them looking on, not a"Thank You" from either. Things like theseare not the way to attract new members orcreate a positive PR within the community.Along ethnic/racial lines, quite a few havecommented that they feel tolerated, but notreally accepted.

Conflict of interest. A number of would bemembers claimed this as their reason fornot joining or dropping out. Railroad hobby-ist definitely have our likes and dislikes.Some are into restoring old rolling stock,some would rather concentrate in the hereand now. This is but one of many examples.

Benefits of memberships. More and morepeople are determining that they don't needto hold membership with an organization toenjoy the hobby. To a degree, I can see andunderstand this point of view. Everyone hasa reason or reasons for joining an organiza-tion. Sometimes these reasons are achieved.Sometimes they are not. When I joined theNRHS back in 1979, it was for the reason ofenjoying the railroading hobby on a regularbasis with people of parallel interest. Thishas yet to happen.

The above reasons people expressed to mecame from a diverse number of individualsover the past 20 years. Those of us whomhold memberships and are REALLY con-cerned about the future of the NRHS andother organizations may want to ask our-selves and fellow members are we guilty ofsome of the above reasons. Are we the solu-tion for helping the organization flourish orstagnate to a sluggish existence and eventu-al death?

Chapter Outing-October 30by Walt Alexander

Unfortunately, the original Chapter outingof October 8-9 did not get nearly enough

participation to justify its operation.We are now offering a single short day trip

that will involve a rather unique opportuni-ty for members to ride some rare mileage.

On Sunday, October 30th we will be tak-ing the Abbott bus northward to ride on theformer Chesapeake Western Railway. Thiswill be the final day of operation of theirfirst foray into excursion train operation.

It will be a nice day of fellowship and fun.The exact details are not set as of this writ-ing, but will involve the train ride, a specialstop with the bus to photograph the trainon the trip we do not ride. And a nice meal(at your own expense) at one of the tworestaurants located in Staunton’s depot. Ifwe are lucky, we may also see Amtrak’sCardinal pass in one or both directions.

This is to be a very reasonably priced tripbut we need your participation to make itwork. Call Walt Alexander at 345-5826 oremail at terrapin66@cox.net.

First Hopper out of RoanokeShops

by Skip Salmon

Ihave been checking the progress at the CarShop in Roanoke Shops of the new alu-

minum hoppers that are being manufac-tured there. On May 12, 2005. I happen tobe going down Campbell Avenue andnoticed that a brand new hopper was sittingoutside of the paint shop portion of theshop. I naturally stopped and took a photo. Isked one of the workmen if these were forNorfolk Southern and he said that they werenot. He also stated that this was the first ofan order of 250 and they were waiting forthe stencils to come in to complete the first

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 5

3 8

hopper. This hopper has two air hoses so itis designed to open the hoppers by air andalso has the new reflective yellow stripesdown the bottom. For some reason, theroller bearings are painted blue. (note: thisarticle was to have been in last monthsissue, but was simply missed in production)

Passenger Train Update: Sept. 05by: Gary Ballard

As you read this, the nation's school sys-tems are in session. Safety is the big

word as the children hit to the street tocatch the bus. On their way to school, somewill walk close to railroad tracks primarilydue to the close proximity of schools, busesand trains. Railroads are taking part inspreading the word on safety.

In the Chicago area, many kids walk alongor have to cross live tracks during a schoolday. Metra, the local commuter rail carrierserving the Windy City, is providing somefree learning tools to teach rail safety. Areanewspapers report that Metra is sendingstuffed pouches full of pencils, erasers, andrulers. The items have stamped messagessuch as,”Stay sharp around train tracks", onthe pencils. This is all geared to being awareof the dangers associated with walking nearrailroad tracks.

Metra says some 800,000 kits are beinghanded out at a cost of approximately $460,000. The railroad hopes the kids will seethe messages, and take the lessons and putthem into their daily routine, as in walkingto and from school. The campaign is aimedat elementary and middle school children.

Union Pacific is directing goodwill effortstowards hundreds of high school principals.This fall UP will provide education consul-tants, at no cost to the principal or theschool district.

The consultants are paid for under a pro-

gram known as the Union PacificFoundation. The Principals' Partnership isUP's signature giving program. Senior Vice-president of Union Pacific, Bob Turner, saysthe railroad believes that strong leadersbuild strong schools. More than 800 princi-pals have signed up and each will beassigned a private consultant.

The consultant provides research briefs,studies, training, best practices or network-ing to assist the principal.

Important issues cover anything from stu-dent achievement gaps, mentoring newteachers to literacy. The program is not justfor school principals, but to other educatorsand the public at large.

From school to the price of gas at thepump. As some contestants on TV's gameshow The Price is Right yell out "higher" or"lower" to the price of a certain prize, manyof us are yelling "higher" when we fill upthese days. Train passengers on northernVirginia's VRE trains thought they'd seekrelief by parking the car and taking the trainto their job. In August, many VRE riderscould have walked faster on foot than totake the train.

As reported by the Free Lance-Star, CSXTransportation, who owns the tracks, sayswork crews failed to finish track-work ontime, erring on the side of safety.

During the middle of August, CSX hadplaced a 20 mile construction zone. Crewswere testing new signals and switchesbefore allowing trains to move at full trackspeed. This meant that morning delays hap-pened with some VRE trains running behindschedule by an hour. Evening delays were asmuch as an hour and 45 minutes.

The CSX tie-ups occurs on a 20 milestretch of track between Spotsylvania andPossum Point. Railfans may be familiar withPossum Point, it's the location of the singletrack bridge along the water, just north of

Joe Austinby Gary Ballard

Ialways think back at the many times Joesmiled or laughed about something, usual-

ly right in the middle of a project. He knewwhen to inject a little humor to carry a seri-ous moment over, so to speak. He was anavid video watcher when it came to trains.He knew which ones were good to watchand which ones were produced poorly.

He always had a supportive word of thevideos that I made (sometimes being theprogram we watched at a Chapter meeting ).When I made a video to be viewed on aChapter bus trip, I'd mail him a copy just toget his opinion whether it would be of inter-est to the others. Joe always had somethingthat was enlightening to write in response.

Of the many "huge" helpful hands thatthis Chapter has had, Joe will be deeplymissed. We all will remember his love ofworking with the public and helping themto understand the love of trains.

Our gift shop owes much gratitude to Joefor doing a job well done whenever heworked behind the sales counter. The rail-road stories along with his enthusiasm heshared with the customers, is priceless.

Condolences

Aside from the passing of Joe Austin,noted above, a number of other mem-

bers have suffered a loss in recent weeks.Richard and Kim Shell lost Kim’s father,

on July 14th.Cheryl Chandler passed away on June 30.Jane André is recovering from surgery.Eddie Mooneyham’s wife, Angie and

daughter Abby were in a horrific car crashon July 27th. Lucikly, both are now homeand doing well.Notice of Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the Roanoke

Chapter of the National Railway HistoricalSociety will be held at the O. Winston LinkMuseum on Thursday, November 17, 2005.The meeting will begin at 7:30 pm. At thistime we will hold our annual election inwhich four (4) directors will be elected.

Our nominating committee is headed upby Walt Alexander. Board members whoseterm is up are as follows:

Lawanda ElyCarl JensenBill Mason

David MeasheyNominations will be accepted from the

floor at the Annual Meeting, please be sureyou have that persons consent before mak-ing a nomination. The committee is search-ing for nominees for these four positions

Instructions for Absentee Ballot: This yearwe will elect four (4) directors by secret bal-lot. Any member in good standing may voteby absentee ballot.

Please Note: if you are interested in run-ning, or know of another Chapter memberwho is, please contact the nominating com-mittee as soon as possible.

To vote by absentee ballot, one must:1 - Request an absentee ballot from the

Secretary or a member of the nominatingcommittee. The nominating committee ischaired by Walt Alexander. You will receive(a) one ballot; (b) one "ballot" envelope; and(c) one mailing envelope.

2 - Mark the ballot (vote for not more thanfour (4) directors. If more than four (4) votesare cast, the ballot will be discarded).

3 - Place the ballot in the "ballot" envelopeand seal. Do not put your name on the bal-lot or "ballot" envelope.

4 - Place "ballot" envelope in the mailingenvelope. Write your name and returnaddress on the mailing envelope and mailto;

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 4

9 2

Joe Austin Rememberedby Dorr Tucker

Long time Roanoke Chapter memberJoseph H. Austin passed away on July 9,

2005. Joe was 79 and had been a staunchsupporter of our Chapter since its inceptionas a reorganized group in 1967. Joe wasalways willing to pitch in wherever hecould. He never claimed, or pretended tohave, a mechanical ability, but supportedour efforts no matter what the Chapter wasplanning or working on.

Joe served numerous times on the Boardas well, beginning in 1968 as the Chapter’sfirst National Director, becoming Vice-presi-dent in 1969 and 1970, and a Director in1971 and 1972. He returned as Vice-presi-dent again in 1975 and President in thatBicentennial year of 1976. Joe then took awell-deserved break from the Board for sev-eral years, but returned as a Director in 1984and 1985. He again served as President in1989, then back as a Director in 1990, 1991,1992 and 1993 before “retiring” at age 67.

During all this time, Joe was a faithful

worker for the Gift Shop operation and con-tinued that presence right up to his lastweek. If our Chapter had a Mr.PublicRelations it was Joe Austin. Joe's supportand enthusiasm for the Chapter were trulyUNsurpassed. In recent years, Joe had beena regular at both the VMT & the LinkMuseum Gift Shops. However, Joe’s activeparticipation goes back 37 years. We remem-ber that in November 1968 when we operat-ed two excursions with Nickel PlateBerkshire No. 759, Joe tackled the commis-sary car operation and was so busy doing sothat he hardly saw the locomotive during

the two days of operation. Yet, as a rail-fan he was trackside whenever he hadthe opportunity. Joe was at home in arail setting whether he was talking tocompany executives or Junior High stu-dents.

He was not afraid to talk to anyoneabout the Chapter: whether it wasdrumming up support for an excursionor an outing or soliciting new member-ship. He was in attendance at our firstmeeting in December 1967 and was atthe Link Museum working in the giftshop on July 5. He was always there forthe Chapter through the years. Hisinfectious smile, his ever-present senseof humor and his friendship will besadly missed.

Quantico. The money is reported to be inplace for the construction of a second adja-cent bridge, but VRE riders will be first to letyou know when it's built.

Look for a newly changed First-class menuon Amtrak's Acela trains by time you readthis. No longer will there be fully cookedmeals served to one's seat. A smaller “cold”item will include a wicker basket containingfewer things such as a plastic wrapped sand-wich, chips and drink.

Breakfast will look more like a fruit loversspecial than anything else: a bagel, smallfruit bowl and beverage.

Amtrak says it needs to look at theexpense of providing meal service, and torecapture some of the money lost in provid-ing the well liked full service meals. Thisapproach also includes Amtrak's long dis-tance trains with ideas on how to take inprofits such as letting passengers eat anenjoyable meal at the train station.

This idea is no doubt comes fromAmtrak’s marketing people, the same peoplewho haven't tried to find a meal at the smallplatform in Huntington, WV. Anyone whohas stood on the platform in Elkhart, INduring a snow storm in the cold dead ofnight waiting for train No. 30 The CapitolLimited, will no doubt say the lack of anynearby eatery along with 14 degree tempsand a 40mph wind will make the strongestperson forget about eating before boarding.Perhaps the jury is still out on this one.

Good news from Capitol Hill. Amtrak isslated to get it's money. Things look like thecarrier will get the funds needed to operatea year, situation normal though. The word isapproximately $1.2 billion has been agreedupon. Amtrak's boss, David Gunn, has start-ed various needed upgrades to the compa-ny's physical plant in the Northeast, as stat-ed in the onboard magazine "Arrive." Theneeded money goes toward deferred equip-

ment repairs, and track work.Much progress has been made.

Interlockings have been rebuilt. This is aplace with many switches that allows a trainto go from one track to another. With a 4 or6 track mainline, the number of switchesproviding route variables is mind boggling.The old interlockings were worn out andmany a waiter on a train memorized whenthe train reached the next interlocking. Itwas always hard to stand up with a tray ofhot coffee when traveling over these roughtrack sections.

Another example of money being directedto necessary repairs is going on at the hugeSusquehanna River bridge at Harve de Grace,MD. Each of the two tracks on this big steelbridge is being re-laid with new ties. Newwalkways along the outside edge of the spanare being installed. Going around the coun-try, one can see enthusiasm to improvetrain travel, especially on medium and longdistance routes. While attending the NRHSconvention in Portland, I was impressed ona trip aboard Amtrak's Cascades Servicewhich features Talgo low center of gravityequipment. Portland's Union Station is cer-tainly a jewel of that city. Access from trainto Seatac airport in Seattle, WA. certainlyreflects the train making itself available totoday's traveling trends.

Although many lawmakers have shownwell, their support for a national passengerrail system, word goes around that PresidentBush is ready to veto any big dollar amountas mentioned. This comes at a period whengas continues to head for the $3.00 mark.Already, high octane gas in the Washingtonarea is right at that amount. Regular gas is at$ 2.69 in the suburbs. It would seem like theright time to have as many as 300 to 600people ride on one train.

Last but not least, a lady has been reunit-ed with her wallet and several hundreds of Both: Richard D. Shell

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 3

EDITORKenney KirmanKKIRKMAN50@hotmail.com

MIXED FREIGHTRobin R. Shavers

SMALL RAILSDave Measheykndmeashey@msn.com

HISTORIANKenneth L. Millerklmiller@rev.net

All materials should besent directly to the Editor:Kenney Kirman590 Murphy RoadCollinsville, VA 24078-2128

Volume 37, Number 8 & 9August/September 2005

Turntable Times is publishedmonthly as the newsletter ofthe Roanoke Chapter, NationalRailway Historical Society, Inc.Opinions and points of viewexpressed herein are those ofthe staff members of theTurntable Times and not nec-essarily reflect those of themembers, officers or directorsof the Chapter.

Cards and FlowersIf you know of a Chapter Member who is sick, lost a loved one

or has a new birth in the family, please contact Bonnie Molinary.Bonnie is responsible for Chapter cards and flowers and can bereached at 362-0273.

Deadline for Turntable TimesThe deadline for the next issue of Turntable Times is Monday,

September 19, 2005. Please send articles, information andexchange newsletters to: Kenney Kirkman, Editor Turntable Times,590 Murphy Road, Collinsville, VA 24078-2128.

Material for Turntable TimesWe are always in need of articles, photos or news items for the

Turntable Times. Due to copyright restrictions, we cannot reprintarticles from most newspapers; a condensed rewritten articlecrediting the source, however, is acceptable.

For those interested, a PDF of the Turntable Times is posted onthe website when the issue goes to the printer, at least ten daysbefore seeing it in the mail, check the website for last minuteannouncements as well. This issue was posted on July 1st.

Cover PhotoThe summer heat beats down on the steel rails while the

cicadas drone at the quiet little hamlet of Villamont. The quiet isbroken, first by a distant whistle, then the pounding of Class A,No. 1242 as she trundles one of those seemingly endless stringsof black hoppers west, back for more loads from the Pocahontascoal fields. Summer 1954, John Krause Photo.

From The Head End

The Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Societywill hold its next regular meeting on Thursday, September 15, 2005at 7:30 pm. Our meeting location will be at the Link Museum locat-ed in the former N&W Passenger Station, 101 Shenandoah Avenue.Please enter on the lower level at trackside, our meetings are heldin the theatre/auditorium downstairs.

Our program will be Pocahontas Glory Volume 2, featuringRoanoke and the surrounding areas. A great show, come partici-pate!

Meeting Notice

1 10

dollars. Recently, a passenger on a MARCcommuter train, going from Baltimore toWashington, DC, handed the Conductor alady's wallet. The Conductor inspected theitem, to see whether it had any identifica-tion in or on it. Looking inside the wallet,the Conductor found several hundred dol-lars in twenty-dollar bills. The trainman alsodiscovered the person's driver’s licenseinside. As the train made stops at Odenton,and Bowie State University, he called direc-tory assistance on his cell phone in anattempt to get the woman's number. AsMurphy's Law would have it, the numberwas unlisted. A promising look on the train-man's face now turned into a frown.

The MARC employee felt like he had toget this dilemma solved. The train was leav-ing New Carrolton and next was UnionStation. It was at the end of his day, sixround trips between Baltimore andWashington. It was Friday, and the over-crowded 5:25pm northbound train was next.But, the railroad employee knew that as heenjoyed thinking of his plans for the week-end, someone was in deep agony with los-ing that wallet. The Conductor decided tohold onto the lost item, and on Saturday, hewould mail the wallet using the address onthe driver’s license found inside. This wasnot a fail safe idea, the Conductor told him-self. What if the person had moved? Wouldthe Post Office forward the item, or would itstay lost out there in "postal land" forever?Attempting some kind of guarantee, hemailed the item with a signature confirma-tion due at delivery point. He paid the extraprice and waited into the next week forresponse.

Seven days later, our MARC Conductorreceived a note from a lady in Fairfax, VA.The note said she was so glad to get her wal-let back, inside were all of her identificationcards and of course, the huge wad of twen-

ty-dollar bills totaling more than $300. Shewrote how surprising it is to find an honestperson to do such a good thing. The nextday, the MARC employee received a box ofcandy and a check from a very happy ladyfrom Virginia. On the box it said, "To theMARC Conductor, Gary Ballard. Thank youvery much!" Hey, what can I say? My momalways said being honest is the best way.

N.C. Railroad MuseumArchaeology Exhibition

The North Carolina Railroad Museum(NCRM) will present an exhibition of

industrial archaeology on Sunday, October 2,2005 at Bonsal, N.C., near Apex. The exhibi-tion is designed to highlight the study ofrailroad history and related materials as areal part of the science of archaeology.

The exhibit is expected to consist of pho-tographs and artifacts as used by the rail-roads of North Carolina, and knowledgeableguides will be available to explain the itemson display.

The NHVRy itself will also be operatingthat day with five trains, starting at 11 a.m.,over four miles of track in Chatham andWake counties.

The New Hope Valley Railway will also behaving Halloween trains on Saturday Oct. 29and Santa Trains December 3,4,10 & 11.

For more information, visit www.nhvry.orgor call 1-919-362-5416 to speak with theyardmaster on duty.

Here and Thereby Kenney Kirkman

Norfolk Southern is holding onto a 21mile corridor between Durham and

Person County NC because it thinks there isa possibility that trains could again rollthrough the area. The 21 mile corridor ispart of the one time N&W route thatstretched from Lynchburg through SouthBoston and Roxboro to Durham. The route

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 2

Turntable Times is published monthly as the newsletter of the Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, Inc. Opinions and points ofview expressed herein are those of the staff members of the Turntable Times and not necessarily reflect those of the members, officers or directorsof the Chapter. Items of interest should be sent to Editor Kenny Kirkman, 590 Murphy Road, Collinsville, VA 24078-2128.

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDRoanoke, VA

Permit No. 89

Editor, Turntable TimesRoanoke Chapter NRHSP.O. Box 13222Roanoke, VA 24032-1322

UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The September Meeting Locationwill be at the O. Winston Link

Museum.

September 15 - General Meeting

October 4 - Board Meeting

October 30 - Chapter OutingSee inside for details

October 20 - General Meeting

November 1 - Board Meeting

November 17 - Annual Meeting

December 15 - Holiday Gathering

Dated MaterialPlease do not delay

Volume 37, Number 8 & 9August/September 2005

The Official Newsletter of theRoanoke Chapter, National

Railway Historical Society, Inc.

http://community.roanoke.com/RoanokeChapterNationalRailwayHistoricalSociety

is still in use from Lynchburg southward to apower plant complex at Hyco, NorthCarolina, just north of Roxboro. South ofRoxboro several miles has been removed.Durham and Person County officials hadhoped to turn the land into a paved trail forbicycle and pedestrians. (Various Sources).Editor's Note: Longtime Roanoke ChapterMembers and many railfans will recallSouthern locomotive 4501 powering a con-vention special from Durham to Lynchburgthen Roanoke as part of the 1977 NRHSConvention. The historic Harpers Ferry trainstation, built in 1894, will be restored toresemble how it appeared in the 1930s. Thefacility, which could open by 2007, will beused by the town, MARC commuters, Amtrakand the National Park Service. Plans includerebuilding a tower dismantled years ago andreplacing the station's rotted timber founda-tion with concrete. (From the Blue RidgeDispatcher).

August 2005 8/31/05 7:38 AM Page 1