I remember seeing the Dr. Pepper and C&H neon signs several years ago, but forgot about them until finding the Sam Putney link listed above. Is C&H a local brand? Is it still being made? I made a quick drive through Roanoke twice this year, missing the signs both times. Looks like I will have to stroll around town a bit on my next visit.

BTW, who were the invited guests? Was it mainly the Roanoke well-to-do? Does an event like this have an appeal to RR industry folk or more for the preservation folk?

It's H&C Coffee, a local brand. It died out in the 80's, but was recently revived. The sign has been a downtown landmark forever. Great stuff, better than the "designer" brands. I usually down about 4 cups every morning. Cup one usually gives heartbeat & respiration, brain functions begin to come back on line around cup three. Per the sign out front of the shops on Saturday, the Open House was for "Employees, Retirees, and invited Guests only". It looked much more crowded than the 2003 event, when we had 1218 inside the erecting shops. I'm not sure who decided who the invited guests were.

Geez Gary, I'm almost afraid to ask, but what happens after cup four...superhuman strength??? ;-)

One obtains the power to rebuild a certain, particular streamlined 4-8-4 in less than a week. Or two...

Just a one hour commute to work.................

I wish it gave me the ability to predict lottery numbers. I'd go shopping for some track then. As Jack Showalter once said, "if you own the railroad, they can't throw you out"