Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 26, 1995                   TAG: 9503300056
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: A-18   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KATHY SUE GRIGG
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HOLDING ONTO MEMORIES OF TRAINS THAT HAVE DEPARTED

Trains have been a part of my life. I remember hearing the faint whistle of the trains as I lay in bed. Now, living in Bedford, I hear that same whistle that belts out, "I'm coming through.''

Steam locomotives must have been so dramatic. Imagine standing at the train station on the wooden walk waiting for the noon train. You'd first feel a rumble underfoot, then hear the sound of the magnificent steam engine. You'd hear the whistle and see the steam and watch the "Iron Horse" come to a halt with squeaking wheels and a burst of steam.

Thousands of steam engines that once so proudly ruled the rails eventually dwindled to a relatively few. They were lined up, fires killed, boilers drained, then stripped of the valuable parts and cut into pieces with an acetylene torch.

There has been an increasing nostalgic addiction among devout train buffs to find those parts. Bells, whistles, builder's plates, headlights, iron bracket mounts for classification lamps, engine numbers, steam gauges and throttle levers (or should we say anything that a railroad buff can find) have become collectibles.

The favorite part of the train for me was the brass-railed observation car on the tailend of a passenger train. It had a wonderful awning with colorful stripes.

In your hunt for train collectibles you can also find such furnishings as a cloth headrest (with the railroad's logo or name stamped on) used in the coaches, ashtrays and chrome floor-model smoking stands from the club cars. Also very popular are the small signs like: "Notice: Passengers must keep off the platforms and steps of all cars until train stops" or the most famous, the little 3x11-inch stainless-steel sign with a reminder, "Kindly flush toilet after each use except when train is standing in station.''

Designs on antiques is a new column that will run occasionally on the Homes pages. Kathy Sue Grigg is an interior designer with Surfaces Inc. of Roanoke. If you have ideas or comments to pass along to her about antiques, write to her, in care of the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491.