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| VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF TRANSPORTATION |
May 2010 |
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Mark your calendars! |
May 12: Dedication of the archives of the National Association of Railway Business Women. 2:30pm
May 19: Annual Membership Meeting, 4pm. Presentations by VA Rail Heritage Region Partners; current members have received proposed By-Laws changes by mail.
June 19: Advance Auto Parts and VMT celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Class J 611.
June 25-26: Star City Motor Madness. A celebration of America's passion for the automobile and the love of cruising. Various times and locations. June 26: 12th Annual African-American N&W Heritage Celebration. 6:30-8:30pm. Featured speaker: R. David Cobbs, Jr., Norfolk Southern Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Equal Opportunity; music by the Loudon Ave Christian Church Male Chorus. Reservations required. Free. |
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Greetings!
 If it's been a while since you visited the Virginia Museum of Transportation, then Saturday will be a great day to come for a visit!
We have a lot going on--both special events and activities on that day only, plus new exhibits and improvements we've made over the past year.
You'll get to meet the wonderful people--our staff and volunteers, and the great partners we have at the NRHS, NWHS, the Link Museum and the C&O Heritage Center.
We'd be so grateful if you could join us as a member or a volunteer, and help us keep making this a great place for people who love trains or any kind of transportation.
 We'll see you on Saturday!Beverly T. Fitzpatrick, Jr.
Executive Director
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 Are you ready for Roanoke Rails? Celebrate National Train Day in Virginia's Rail Heritage Region this Saturday!
There's so much to see and do at the three rail museums in Virginia's Rail Heritage Region on May 8! Visit the C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge and the O. Winston Link Museum and the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke on Saturday and save $7 over individual museum admission. A joint ticket for the day is just $12 for a very full day of rail-related fun! Here's what's happening at the Virginia Museum of Transportation this weekend:
May 7: Norfolk Southern will pull the N&W Class J 611 out of the Museum's Rail Yard and move it along the NS mainline to serve as the centerpiece of the O. Winston Link Museum's Train Day festivities, which includes a night photo shoot at the passenger station. Movement may start as early as 9am. For safety reasons, observers are not permitted behind the Museum between the west end of the Museum and the 5th St Bridge. We recommend viewing from the Museum's Rail Yard (after 10am), the Rail Walk or the 5th or 2nd Street Bridge.
May 8: The Museum is open 10am-5pm. Parking in the Brandon Lot will be free to visitors on Saturday only.
Don't miss special equipment on display, exhibits, and activities:
- NS SD 70M Diesel Locomotive: For Train Day, NS shares a modern freight engine placed next to our steam freight giant, the N&W Class A 1218. NS personnel who are members of the Museum's African-American Heritage Committee will offer tours of the SD 70M cab and insights into modern railroading. All day.
- N&W Class A 1218: Docent talks on steam power by Louis Newton and Gordon Hamilton, members of the Norfolk & Western Historical Society, 10am-4pm.
- NS Research Car 31: John Bernie, retired NS employee, shares his experience traveling in the car to measure rail safety. 10am-4pm.
- Motor car rides on Track 1: presented by the Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. 11am-4:30pm.
- NS SD 40 Diesel Cab: Docent talks by Museum volunteers on the hour, 11am-3pm.
- Blacksmith: Glenn Bobbitt offers demonstrations 10am-4pm.
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Fred Reburn's model trains | Handcrafted wooden models of a Class A and a Class Y6 locomotive, plus two cabooses. Created by Fred Reburn, Jr. of Lynchburg from mahogany, maple, redwood, cherry, poplar, pine, and walnut.
- Train movies: enjoy selections from 611 Queen of the Fleet 11-11:30am, Train Crazy Kids 1-1:30pm, 18 Wheels of Steel 2-2:30pm.
- Children's craft activity: decorate your own 611 courtesy of Alison and Jim Stoddart, 10am-4pm.
- 1939 Railway Express Agency Truck, restored and loaned by Rodney Cox.
- 1962 Alexandria Barcroft & Washington Transit Bus provided by the Commonwealth Coach & Trolley Museum. All Day.
- Model T rides: weather permitting 11am-4pm (additional fee).
- Hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy: 10am-4:30pm (additional fee).
May 9: NS returns the 611 to the Museum. The move is anticipated to be completed by 1pm. For safety reasons, observers are not permitted behind the Museum between the west end of the Museum and the 5th St Bridge. We recommend viewing from the Rail Walk or the 5th or 2nd Street Bridge.
(Please note: schedules are subject to change. In particular, the movement of the 611 is dependent on NS operational requirements.)
Live steam rides at C&O Heritage Center |
National Train Day celebrations in Virginia's Rail Heritage Region are made possible by Norfolk Southern Corporation, xpedx, Graham-White, Roanoke Gas, Kroger, and David and Susan Goode; volunteers from the Norfolk & Western Historical Society and the Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society; and media sponsors WDBJ-7 and Clear Channel Communications. |
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Train Day Museum Store Specials Last All Month!
 Just in time for Mother's Day AND Father's Day!
All BOOKS 20% off
All HATS 20% off
All DVDs 10% off
NS Bloodline poster $2.99
Steam Locomotives poster (not laminated) $5.99
Modern Locomotives poster (not laminated) $5.99
Offer cannot be combined with other discounts. Good while supplies last, through May 31, 2010. Open Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5.
Or call to order: 540-342-5670. |
New walkway and viewing platform improves access into the Museum's Rail Yard
Deborah Case, Alan Threlkeld, and Rob Threlkeld join Bev Fitzpatrick to dedicate the new Robert D. Threlkeld Walkway. | The Virginia Museum of Transportation is most grateful to The Johnson Foundation for the new walkway that provides much better access to the Rail Yard for our visitors. The walkway was dedicated on April 17 in memory of Robert D. Threlkeld, whose life was dedicated to the railroad industry. The Foundation's trustees, Deborah Case, Alan Threlkeld and Rob Threlkeld, honored their father and brother with a ribbon cutting and unveiling on a beautiful spring morning. |
More great things to do in Virginia's Rail Heritage Region!
Opening May 6 at the O. Winston Link Museum: Railroad Passenger Stations: A Retrospective. Photographer Susan V. Lockwood takes us on a tour of area passenger stations. Through black and white photography, the show documents and preserves a vanishing landmark of our regional American transportation heritage. Through June 9. Opening Reception May 6, 5-9pm. Opening May 13: May 6, 1942, A Photographic Exhibition by Jennifer Fowler featuring 26 black and white film photographs and four alternative process pieces in honor of her grandfather who fought in World War II and held as a POW in Japan for 3 years. The work explores his memory, belongings, property, and funeral. Through July 30. This exhibit opens with Beyond the Frame, an evening of entertainment and exploration, food and spirits. John Reburn will host an artist's interview with Jennifer Fowler about her exhibition, work, and life in the style of the popular television show "Inside the Actor's Studio." May 13, 7-9pm, $5. Get to Know Your Camera: The Lighting Edition. In this class, learn about natural light, using your flash, and many of the tricks that professionals use for great shots. May 22, 10am-noon. To register, please email Leah Gardner or call 540-982-5465. The Archives Committee of the Norfolk & Western Historical Society holds its next work session May 6-9. To participate, email NWHS President Ron Davis. The NWHS National Convention will be held June 17-20 in Front Royal, VA featuring VIP tours, special presentations, a modeling competition, banquet, and time to relax with other railfans. Click for full details and on-line reservations. The Amtrak excursion sponsored by the Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society on May 14 is sold out. The C&O Historical Society in Clifton Forge is hosting a See and Know C&O seminar on May 21-23. This classroom and field trip program will take you through the entire history of the C&O Railway from its initial inception to its final merger with the B&O to form the Chessie System. The program includes tours of the C&O Historical Society Archives, various railroad sites within Clifton Forge, and when possible, tours of the abandoned extensive shop facilities at Clifton Forge. $120. Click to register.
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