Train Memories

My mom sent me this video

Along with the following note: I grew up about 1/10 mile from the train, the passenger trains stopped there and we rode to Bluefield and back. There are many good memories of the trains, especially during World War II then the troops would wave and throw out addresses hoping to get a letter for some one. When the passenger train went with green flags that meant a troop train would come soon. We lived close enought to see the trains and knew what different flags meant. There were very long coal trains and some times they would block the crossing for a good while, waiting to get into the Bluefield yard

Gayle again – I remember my grandma’s being right by the railroad tracks. As kids we’d often run to watch the trains. My dad worked for N & W ( Norfolk & Western) later Norfolk Southern after a merger. Dad worked for the railroad 30 years and he seemed to never lose his fascination with trains. I remember when I was in High School or College, there was a steam excursion train that came through town. My dad was the only one left in the yard that had worked on steam engines. I ‘worked’ with him that night (which means I followed him around and watched the train).

The sound of a train whistle still takes me back to my grandma’s house and I never pass a train with out sneaking a peak at the type of cars and the kind of engine.