155 Locomotive On Track In OC and Mt. Airy

By Past Chef de Gare Norm Covert

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The accompanying photographs show the VL155 Locomotive as it winds through Mt. Airy in the 2004 Volunteer Fireman’s Parade. At the controls is Chief Engineer V. Bob Browning with ‘co-pilot’ Mason Wilburn. In the passenger compartment are voyageurs including outgoing Chef de Gare Norm Covert, all tossing life-giving candy to children and adults along the three-mile route.)

The Annual American Legion Department of Maryland Parade in Ocean City, Md., July 22, 2004, featured two old ladies of Grande du Maryland, two Locomotives that had reportedly shown off in the parade many, many years ago.

Grand Chef de Gare Donald Fellows (2004) was riding in the first locomotive accompanying his fellow Voyageurs from Southern Maryland and their Dames.

But Voyageurs from Frederick and Carroll Voiture Locale 155 gave Chef Don the Horselaugh because they were certain the 155 Locomotive offered the better ride. The Locomotive was engineered by Voyageur Bob Browning and assisted by Voyaguer Mason Wilburn.

V. Browning, who was primarily responsible for completing the rebuild of the 1950-era truck, suggested the Locomotive would be a grand addition to the parade of Legionnaires, which concludes the annual department convention.

VL 155 enthusiastically endorsed the effort. V. Browning and V. Wilburn worked out the particulars, including obtaining permission to park the huge rollback, which carried the Locomotive, in the parking lot of the convention center.

Following the parade the locomotive was taken back to its temporary home at Mt. Airy’s Gold Star Post 191 and readied for the annual Volunteer Fireman’s Parade, July 29th.

The VL 155 Locomotive marked its third consecutive appearance in the Mount Airy parade, which is one of the largest fireman’s procession in the state and attracted apparatus from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland.