Modeling and Photos by George Pierson, noted philosopher
One day in 1938, the president of the Blacklog & Shade Gap Eastern Railroad was stunned to receive the following letter from his counterpart on the Tuscarora Valley Railroad in Port Royal, PA:
Dear Sir, I would like to discuss with you the recent arrival of your locomotive #4 at the Blairs Mills yard of the Tuscarora Valley RR. The crew of the engine seemed rather proud of their steed and acted as if the engine were something special. (ed. note: see photo below)
Against my better judgement, I inquired of them the possibility
of leasing this engine for an indefinite period. They seemed
overjoyed, and made rather disparaging remarks about the owner
and manager of their home road and indicated their hope that
they might stay with #4 during her sojourn on the TVRR. Given
their obvious pleasure at being able to operate over the superb
r.o.w. of the TVRR and the questionable condition of all engines
coming off the B&SGE, I am making you the following offer -
I will agree to operate this engine so long as you send no more
such misbegotten freaks onto our property. I rather think I am
doing you a favor by taking this bugger off your hands! I trust
you will appreciate that I have only the highest respect for our
"little n.g. neighbor to the south." BTW whoever painted and
lettered that reefer of yours (see photo below) should have their
eyes examined!
Ever faithfully,
George Pierson
General Manager, Tuscarora Valley RR
Breathing two sighs of relief, the owner/operator of the B&SGE called in his secretary, Miss Sloshingfroth, to take the following letter:
Dear Mr. Pierson:
Your letter, reporting the arrival of B&SGE No. 4 at Blairs Mills
and offering to operate it over your r.o.w. under lease "for an
indefinite period." has this day been received. The engine had
been stored in operating condition for the past fifteen years at
our Blacklog facilities before being reported missing some days
ago by Mr. G. Pyle, our Chief Mechanic. Of course, I am relieved
to learn of No. 4's whereabouts and pleased to accept your offer.
However, I must warn you about the crew. As all but two of our
employees are happily at work here on the B&SGE, the gentlemen
to whom you refer are almost certainly the notorious Shagnasty
brothers, John and Jon, who I recently hired (reluctantly, I
might add) as track workers after their release from the
Huntingdon County Jail. The Shagnasty's had once been locomotive
engineers on the B&SGE, but were jailed for negligence after a
terrible three-way collision at the Neelyton wye, which destroyed
engines 1, 2, and 3 and killed their cousin, John, of the -ie
Shagnasties. On the day of No. 4's disappearance, the Shagnasty's
failed to report for work; apparently they have decided to seek
employment with you.
In short, you are welcome to the Shagnasty brothers. But I
strongly suspect that they seemed "overjoyed" at prospects far
different from those you perceive. B&SGE civil engineer,
Mr. R. Goldberg, reports that, even in the short period since their
departure from B&SGE property, track conditions along our r.o.w. have
improved significantly. He says the wreckage of the annual Widows
and Orphans Picnic train is now cleared on the section recently under
the Shagnasty's care and the entire line will be reopened as soon as
400 yards of rubble from the landslide they caused while removing a
fallen tree are cleared away.
Hoping (indeed, praying) for the continued safety of the T.V.R.R.,
I am, sir,
Very Truly Yours,
Vagel C. Keller
President, B&SGE RR