http://s453.photobucket.com/albums/qq258/GeneMoser/?start=0

This should get you to pictures of the Valley Sub-division of the Alleghany Division of the Virginia Tidewater and Piedmont Railroad. 
Gene

The thief who stole a half mile of East Broad Top track has been convicted.  Darrell Lee Denton was convicted of two charges and sentenced to 12 to 36 months for one and 9 to 12 months for the other and fined $44,000 for one charge and $10,475.22 for the other.  Apparently the rail was valued at $77,000.  Most of the rail was recovered, but had been cut up for easier transport, making it impossible to relay that section of track.  Anybody know where there is some 85 pound rail lying around? 
His lawyer has asked for a reduction in his sentence because he's a first time offender.  Of course there is the matter of the stolen car he was driving when arrested in Nebraska....
Gene

For you C&O buffs with the Bachmann K-4 who are dissatisfied with the Nickle Plate pilot on it, Peach Creek Hobbies has a lost wax brass casting pilot that is correct for C&O.  It costs about $8.  I have not bought one yet.  Father's Day and anniversary are coming, after all....  I understand there is a bit of work to cut and file, but it is one piece so soldering parts is not an issue.  Word is that it works on the Proto 2000 as well.
Also the C&O Historical Society magazine currently has a two part article on correctly detailing the Bachmann K-4.
Gene

You other other timers - what is your memory of normal colors, other than white, of frame houses in the '50s - especially rural. 
Gene

Without going to the Internet, where was/is the Tidewater Southern located?
Gene

I notice that when covered wagons are sold in sets, it's nomally an A-B set.  My memory is that most trains had an A-A as power on the point.  I know Santa Fe ran consists that might be A-B-B-A - but what was the norm?  BTW, this is just for my own interest.  I have no covered wagons and I'm not really planning on getting any.  Though a couple of C&O.....
Gene

I have some of the new 41' Accurail gons, painted in the original C&O 1948 paint scheme.  The wavy line is not easy to see, but its' there. 
This is a nice kit and they've made sure that the brake mechanism is well done, since it's visible if a car passes at eye level. 
One word of warning.  Don't try to install a Kaydee #5.  You will need whisker couplers, whether Kaydee or otherwise.  The reason is the coupler pocket mounts to the bottom of the carbody, so trying to install the coupler spring is essentially impossible.
Gene 

My wife bought me the Micro-Mark wheel cleaning kit for Chrstmas.  The insturctions are probably pre-DCC, but they say to hook the track up to a DC power source.  Has anybody used this with DCC?
Gene

My wife and I took the Auto-train to Florida back in January.  An interesting experience, to say the least.  It's amazing the difference in track quality along one mainline.  The strangest thing was the use of the horn, or lack of it.  Is there some new rule about sounding a warning for a grade crossing?  I know some cities that, out of foolishness, make sounding the horn illegal, but out in the country? 
Gene

My wife and I just got back from a cruise.  Coming home we stopped in Pensacola, Florida only to find a stuffed and mounted Frisco Mikado.  I haven't checked yet, but I think it is a USRA heavy Mike.  In any event, what is the story of Frisco being in Pensacola?  I found reference to a Muscle Shoals, Birmingham, and Pensacola Railroad which may have been a part of the Frisco, but the map did not show a direct connection between it and the rest of the Frisco. 
I knew the St. Louis-San Francisco never reaced the Bay City, but I THOUGHT it went more west than south and east!

Gene

Okay, coal mning experts, I have a problem.  The VT&P serves two coal tipples - one originally planned the other comes from plan revision by not building the second helix.  The additional one will be no problem - the conveyer belts will come from the mountain behind the tipple.  But the original plan just will not function with a mountain - the mine must have a vertical shaft and the conveyers need to go from that headhouse to the tipple.  I figure it needs to be one or two stories high at the most.  Any idea of a kit that can be used/bashed to make a headhouse?  Or should I try using DPM/Walther's wall sections to make the headhouse? 
Gene

According to a message I received through a steam locomotive group, NWSL is still in business with new owners.  It sounds good.
Gene

After using a spray can I invert it and let the nozzle clean itself.  But sometimes ..it happens.   Does anybody have a technique for cleaning clogged spray can nozzles? 
Gene

I've started construction of Mickie's Run which has two waterfalls.  Has anybody used either of the Woodland Scenics water products - the one that is already liquid or the one one must heat?  I have both.  Which should I use for the waterfalls - Which are rather large.
Gene

The Hampton Courts motel chain is donating funds to help a historic landmark in each of the 50 states.  People vote for which one in each state will receive funds.  Currently it's Nevada and the Nevada Northern is one of the candidates.  Find it below and vote. 

<http://www.hamptonlandmarks.com/VoteLandMarkResults.aspx?state=28&state\
name=Nevada> NN

Gene

I've been trying to find a standard for how trains are numbered.  Here's what I THINK I know.
In the east westbound trains are odd numbered and eastbound are even.  (I'm disregarding north-south as VT&P is a east-west railroad.)
Passenger trains are generally one or two digit numbers and freights are three or four. 
The lower the number, the higher the right, unless modified. 
Anything else?

Also, I'm thinking that whistle posts made with a metal pole and a placard date back to the 1950s or earlier on at least some eastern roads.  Correct?
Gene

I've been using a BLI C&O T-1 2-10-4 to push a track cleaning car.  It kept stalling on two different curves.  I finally looked down on the loco and tender and it appeared they touched at one point on the curves.  So I moved the tender to the far hole of the drawbar and it now works fine - there must have been a short, somehow.  The curve radius, btw, is 30 inches.  I wonder how somebody with a 4x8 can operate this horse.
Gene

I'm actually beginning to construct some roads on my layout. I'm looking for historic highway markings from the 1950s.  My memory is that the white stripe on the side of the road didn't exist back then.  I can't remember a double stripe in the center of the road - a single unbroken meant "don't pass."  I've searched under "highway markings" and "historic highway markings" with no joy. 
Any memories from guys who remember 1957, or any search suggestions?
Thanks.
Gene

Will this work?
Gene