Vol. 24

May 2017

No. 5

Kurt Reisweber presents the program at the May meeting of the Blue Ridge Chapter, NRHS. It's entitled WHERE THE BROAD WAY WAS NARROW and is a digital, PowerPoint, show of about 120 images of a fivemile section of the former Pennsylvania Railroad extending between Greensburg and Jeannette, Pennsylvania. Kurt and his family lived in Jeannette until June 1972. Central to that stretch was the very small community of Radebaugh, where there was a junction and two different tunnels built at very different times. One of these is the specific reason the show has its title. The images include maps, track charts, postcards, and his own photos of the area shot between 1971 and 2009. The image above shows NS pushers headed west at Jeannette, PA. Make plans to attend!

Wednesday, May 10, 2017. 6:00 p.m. Charley's Restaurant. 707 Graves Mill Rd. Lynchburg, VA

Blue Ridge Chapter, NRHS. Minutes of Meeting – April 12, 2017. President Rick Johnson called the meeting to order at Charley’s Restaurant at 7:30 p.m. He welcomed members and introduced guests. The first guest introduced, Fred Terry, invited members of the Blue Ridge Chapter to volunteer to serve as hosts on the Old Dominion Chapter excursions on the Buckingham Branch in May and June. John Tanner was unable to give the official treasurer’s report, but noted that the Chapter has more funds than it did in March. Rick Johnson reported that Bob Kaplan presented the March program on the Western Maryland Railway. “Chasing the Powhatan Arrow” was the subject of the March Fun Meeting. Skip Hansberry reported that the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway Trail group in Amherst County is in need of additional funds for projects they plan to work on in the spring and summer. Ed Fielding moved that, in recognition of a rail preservation group close to home, the Chapter give an immediate gift of $1000 to this group. The motion was seconded, discussed, and passed. Vice President Gale McKinley encouraged members to give a personal gift to the NRHS. She will try to answer questions and help members with the method of making this gift. National Representative Bob Leslie reported on recent NRHS activity: A collection in Boston is to be moved to Dallas. Plans call for digitalization of old NRHS bulletins. New rules are being drawn up for future relationships between the NRHS and local chapters. This year’s NRHS convention will be in Nashville, and the 2018 convention is tentatively scheduled to be in Cass, WV. Garland Harper, Blue Ridge Dispatcher editor, was thanked for this month’s edition, which includes pictures and reports of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus train. Rick Johnson reported that Norris Deyerle is recuperating at home from very recent surgery. Kurt Reisweber of Williamsburg will present the program at the May 10th meeting. Fred Mayer will present the June program. Jean Raas won the 50-50 drawing. The meeting was adjourned about 8:00 p.m. Gale McKinley presented the program of pictures she took, mostly in the 1980’s, of railroad stations, beginning in New York and New Jersey and concluding in Texas and Oklahoma. She told the beginning date of each station, railroads using each station, and the present situation of each station. She concluded the program with pictures from fallen flag railroads. Lloyd Lipscomb, Acting Secretary Condolences extended - Newsletter editor Garland Harper's father, Herbert Harper, a few weeks shy of his 91st birthday, died April 25 at the VA hospital in Salem, VA, following a brief illness. He was a World War II veteran and served in the Navy in the Pacific Theater. He was awarded a Purple Heart following injuries received in a kamikaze attack on his ship May 25, 1945. Following the war most of his working life was spent at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg. Pictured to the right is your Editor on the occasion of his 15th birthday with his little brother and dad. On the left is a more recent picture. The Blue Ridge Chapter extends its sympathies to Garland and extended family.

SIGHTINGS AND PHOTO GALLERY - Many unusual train moves were captured during the past month, including N&W 611, the final moves of the Ringling Bros. circus train, the Master's golf tournament train and some very late Amtraks . Enjoy the images that follow.

Rough go for Amtrak train #20 - The northbound Crescent, Amtrak train #20, which originated in New Orleans on May 4 encountered many weather related delays on it run north and arrived into Lynchburg FIFTEEN hours late the next evening. The most serious of the delays occurred when the train struck a tree near Clemson ,SC, shattering the windshield of the lead unit, #144. A Norfolk Southern unit, #9596, was added to the lead and the train continued north at a reduced rate of speed. Further delay was encountered at the station in Lynchburg to allow emergency medical personnel to remove a passenger having issues on the train. Many people were on hand at Kemper St that evening and saw the terribly tardy train as #20 arrived about the same time the Regional should have been arriving. Mike Merholz, a Kemper St. regular, took a picture of the damage engine 144 sustained.

Chapter member Ian Whaley caught the Masters Golf Tournament train passing over the Wards Rd entrance to Liberty University. April 10, 2017.

Two more views of the Masters train. Above: Skip Hansberry standing at the end of Huron Avenue captured the train crossing the James River. Below: Editor Garland Harper was at the north end of the James River trestle. April 10, 2017.

Above: The next to the last run of the Ringling Bros. Blue Unit, operating with CSX power under rainy skies today, is captured by Skip Hansberry southbound on the Norfolk Southern at Shipman, VA. Note signals old and new in the photo. Train was en route from Baltimore to Charleston, WV. May 1, 2017. Below: Your Editor caught the same train under clearing skies at the north end of the platform at Kemper Street Station. This was the last time a live Ringling Bros. train would ever be seen again in Lynchburg.

Above: As dawn breaks 611 prepares to pull south out of a yard track toward Montview Tower in preparation to board the crowds (seen next page) for the round trip to Petersburg on May 6. (John Tanner) Approximately 835 individuals bought tickets for this trip. Many Blue Ridge Chapter members have worked as cars hosts on these trips. Below: 611 pulls past the eager crowd ready to board for the trip to Petersburg. (G. Harper)

Above: The crowd lines up to board the train May 6. (G. Harper) Below: The crowds from the train and from the city crowd around the 611 during the three-hour layover in Petersburg. (G. Harper)

Above and below: Children of ALL ages enjoy posing in front of the 611. Petersburg. May 6. (G. Harper)

Two trestle shots. Above: 611 is silhouetted as it traverses Opossum Creek trestle on its way back to Lynchburg on May 6. (Skip Hansberry) Below: 611 speeds east on Cotton Mill trestle on it way to Petersburg on May 7. (G. Harper)

Head end and rear end shots. 611 speeds westbound in the setting sun at Evergreen, VA. Dome observation car Silver Solarium brings up the rear. May 7. Skip Hansberry

Above: 611 with fuel and passenger cars is stretched out on North Yard track 5. Train is backing out of Montview Yard on the start of its deadhead move to Roanoke. May 8. (G. Harper) Below: Another late Amtrak picture. #20 about nine hours late passing under the recently installed, PTC-compliant signal cantilever at Tye River. May 7. (Skip Hansberry)

Blue Ridge Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, 39 Annual th

LYNCHBURG RAIL DAY 2017 Saturday, August 12, 2017 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. BOONSBORO RURITAN CLUB 1065 Coffee Road. Lynchburg, VA 24503. Admission: $6/person, Family admission: $10. Children 12 & under free w/paying adult Your ticket purchase helps towards paying for area railroad preservation projects! OPERATING MODEL TRAIN LAYOUTS ON DISPLAY IN AIR CONDITIONED HALL ACCESSIBLE - FREE PARKING - FRESHLY PREPARED FOOD/BEVERAGES SOLD

HANDICAPPED

* * * * * * * *BARGAIN MART * * * * * * * * Model Train Items and Railroad Memorabilia “For Sale” from vendors from around our area Sales tables available to the general public, advance registration/payment required

8 foot sales tables: $33.00 each with no charge for two attendees per table

* * * * * * “WHITE ELEPHANT” TABLE * * * * * * “MAKE MONEY WHILE YOU BROWSE THE TRAIN SHOW!” Available to train show attendees, the Blue Ridge Chapter N.R.H.S. will sell your model trains and Railroad Memorabilia for a 20% commission. If your consignment items don’t sell then it costs you nothing! “White Elephant Table Guidelines” forms are available on our website. For additional LRD 2017 train show information and to rent Vendor/Sales Tables contact: LRD 2017 Vendor Table Registrar: John Tanner - Mobile (434}841-6669 [email protected], LRD 2017 Chairman: Barry Moorefeild [email protected], LRD 2017 Train Show Coordinator: Norris Deyerle – Mobile (434}851-0151 [email protected] Blue Ridge Chapter, N.R.H.S., P.O. Box 11731, Lynchburg, Va. 24506-1731

Website: www.blueridgenrhs.org

CHAPTER OFFICERS AND STAFF

President Vice President Secretary Treasurer National Representative Editor Historian Webmaster BRC Chairman. VA Rail Heritage Region Partners Rail Day Chairman

Rick Johnson, 104 Mowry Ln. Lynchburg, VA 24502 434-660-1113 [email protected] Gale McKinley, 1186 James View Dr. Lynchburg, VA 24503 434-907-1886 [email protected] Vacant John Tanner, 209 Pocahontas Dr., Forest, VA 24551-1235 434-525-1318 [email protected] Bob Leslie 3844 Peakland Pl. Lynchburg, VA 24503 434-384-9062 [email protected] Garland R. Harper, 3920 Harbor St. Lynchburg, VA 24503 434-384-7210 [email protected] Rick Johnson, 104 Mowry Ln. Lynchburg, VA 24502 434-660-1113 [email protected] John Siegle 1225 Krise Cir. Lynchburg, VA 24503 434-384-6951 [email protected] E. Norris Deyerle, Jr. 744 Chinook Pl. Lynchburg, VA 24502 434-237-4912 [email protected] Barry Moorefield [email protected] 434-821-2174

The BLUE RIDGE DISPATCHER is published by the Blue Ridge Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. Opinions expressed are those of the editor and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Blue Ridge Chapter or the National Railway Historical Society unless otherwise stated.

Blue Ridge Chapter, NRHS P. O. Box 11731 Lynchburg, VA 24506-1731 www.blueridgenrhs.org

Lynchburg Rail Day 2017. August 12, 2017.