new member

[T.K.Marletter]

Hey al I worked on Sand Patch and Cranberry for over 30 years I've got stories to tell if anyone's interested http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/wink.gif I retired in 1993

[Woodie]

Hi TK,

Sand Patch and Cranberry? Sort sounds like the Slug & Lettuce! http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/smile.gif

Stories? DO tell... Do tell ......... Maybe start with your most memorable one?

TOOT!

[Dave Hagan]

Hi T.K.Marletter, welcome to The Gauge.

Dave Hagan

[N Gauger]

Welcome to The Gauge TK!!!!!!! http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/smile.gif


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My wife says if I buy One more Train, she'll leave me...
Gee I'll miss HER!!!! :) -- N Gauger

[Sir_Prize]

Most fair greetings!
Many a happy 'listener' here. Most kind of word too. Plus, many wise model railroaders. So, your acounts will be greatly followed. Many happy travels.
http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
Keep it between the rails;
Ken 'Sir Prize'

[George]

Welcome @TG, T.K.!

I'm all ears. Let's hear first about the night the brakes failed! http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/wink.gif

George.

[Woodie]

George,

Didn't Don McLean sing about that????

TOOT!

[T.K.Marletter]

hey woodie, that's Sand Patch Grade, a wel known mountain grade on the old Baltimore and Ohio (still CSX). It the same with Cranberry, it's a steep grade (3.1% in 2 places) but not nearly as well known. Hey geoge, I never ha da time when the brakes ran out, but I was involded in a couple of near run-a-ways. :wow: To the US railroading forums, gentlemans (and ladies too)

[Catt]

Hey,TK. Welcome to Big Blue. http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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Catt! NARA#1 & A freelancer for life

[Shay2]

Hello TK !

Let the stories begin.....

Rich

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Rush Run River Logging Co. (http://trainster.20m.com)

[LC]

T.K., welcome, I'm sure you have lots to tell. Interesting!!
Lance

[T.K.Marletter]

I have 3 stories up in the US Trains forum. COME AND GET IT!! ha he ha

[Chessie_SD50_8563]

This place is preaty damn cool

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LONG LIVE THE KITTY!!!
"Everyone has the right to be stupid... just UP abuses the privlage"

[T.K.Marletter]

I like your signature, Chessie SD, btw I drove 8563 quite often from 1990-1993, (when I HAD to retire)



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[Drew1125]

Hey TK!
I grew up right next to the old L&N "short line" (now CSX) between Louisville & Cinncinatti. Did you ever get over this way? I know we would get some B&O extras through every now & then. There was a weekly passenger train too. I remember by the late 60's, it had gotten down to a single E8, & a two car cosist. (very sad) http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/frown.gif
Anyway, there's STILL some pretty hairy grades on the Short Line.

[This message has been edited by Charlie (edited 05-13-2001).]

[Virginian]

Hi there TK
Any chance you ever heard of J.W.'Bill' Kesling, runnin' N&W by the time you started.He hauled coal out of southern W.Va., mostly to Roanoke as I recall. He retired in the late 60s or early 70s...he was still working in '67. He started with the Brotherhood of Firemen and Enginemen, on The Virginian...I'm still trying to find out if he was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers..guess he must have been, eventually.
I've read your stories...great experiences, sounds like, even with 'Rookies'!! I'll be lookin' out for more!
Glad to have ya here http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
VGN


[This message has been edited by Virginian (edited 05-15-2001).]

[T.K.Marletter]

man that blueberry cobbler really fill you up.... ANYWAY..lol

Charlie... I ran onn some old L&N trackage in the late 80's up untill my retire ment , but I've never been that line, if I can remember. :sad:

Virginian.. That name sounds familiar. Was he called "jay" during his service? I was on some coal trains from Baltimore, to DC and on to roanoke (around richmond) on the B&O with trackage rights over some other roads. I was brakeman on every train I ran out there.(1965-1969, about 150)

[Virginian]

Hi T.K.
Thanks for your reply. I don't know if my granddaddy was called'Jay'...he was known as Bill to friends and family, but my grandmother called him 'Jaydubya' a lot, esp, when he was getting ready for a run. He would have been an engineer during your time, perhaps conductor during the last few years of his time...about the time you were braking 'through' . Ever heard of a big wreck at the Roanoke River near Salem, on the N&W main line...two coal trains, one full load,heading through Roanoke to Norfolk, one empties heading back up to Bluefield? summer of 67, as best I can sort it out. I was there for the summer ( Lived in Ohio by then.) Made the local papers front page. Grandaddy pulled out the cab crew (lead engine went into about 20 foot of water) He was engineer of the out bound.
I was at track side with him the next day. Still vivid in my memory...coal and cars all over the place...the crane was still on the way...all you could see of that sunk engine was the under carriage of one end.
Unfortunately, the old ICC records end in 66, at least those available on the web. I can't get information from the Unions, Va. dept. of Trans. or NS Corp. I'd really love to get more details...I will eventually have a diarama of this event as the center piece of my model Layout...family not much help...nobody back there seems to remember much and my granddaddy and mamaw are"with the good Lord". Sure wish I could find out what type engine and the # he was on...maybe I'll connect with some one from NS or someone with a very good memory that was there. The Roanoke paper is a dead end... at least til I get back there...their 'morgue' only goes back to about 96. the local library doesn't have records either. It's frustrating.
Well, that's more than enough for now.
Virginian

[T.K.Marletter]

no I can't say I remeber a whold lot, I do remember beiln in roanoke in the summer of 67 and seeing a train come in with parts of a GP9 and a highnosed SD35 coming in on flatcars, don't recall numbers though. maybe the same incident?? Hmmm.

[T.K.Marletter]

now, hold your horses virginian (just kiding)

1st of all yea my name is tim (for got to mention) and I have worked on the B&O from 1960-1993, that 33 years, 5 months, 18 days.

2nd This has been like 30 years ago so it's foggy, Yes the train was coming frommthe west, the locos are a foggy memory, I THINK it was an SD35 (hi-nose) and a GP9 on flatcars, no numbers though.

[Virginian]

Hi T.K. (It's Tim, idnit??)
I'll bet it 'twas the same...can ya remember if the flat cars were comin' from the west??
I've been thinking it was some older Geeps pulling the coal, and that my grandad's was a "New" engine consist...his lead was undamaged, but the third was hit ( he almost got all three off on to the siding) and had a big dent and the trucks were damaged..if this was the same...then I have some confirmation of locos to use...thanks http://www.the-gauge.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
VGN

[This message has been edited by Virginian (edited 05-17-2001).]

[Virginian]

Thanks for your reply T.K.
any memory you have, foggy or clear is gratefully appreciated. I'm looking forward to more stories.
VGN (fyi..my name is Lenny)