Current Military Railroad Operations

[F-100 Hun]

I am out of touch with the current capabilities of the military to conduct rail operations. They formerly. 30 years ago, were able to operate their own rail system. I am curious of the current capability, equipment and personnel wise. I made a comment on the "foil helmet" post regarding the USAF locomotive and would like some further comments in a more general sense. Based on the picture of the clapped out crane and the USAF locomotive, I have a sneaking suspicion that military rail capability has significantly declined.

 

[Amtrak OBS Employee gone freight]

I am out of touch with the current capabilities of the military to conduct rail operations. They formerly. 30 years ago, were able to operate their own rail system. I am curious of the current capability, equipment and personnel wise. I made a comment on the "foil helmet" post regarding the USAF locomotive and would like some further comments in a more general sense. Based on the picture of the clapped out crane and the USAF locomotive, I have a sneaking suspicion that military rail capability has significantly declined.

I would say compared to thirty years ago, your "sneaking suspicion" may be right. But I don't see a shortage in military rail moves/shipments. I many cars with military shipments on a frequent basis when I am out and about. While I was still in my training at CSX, I worked a road switcher job. And we took military flats up to Allenhurst, Ga almost every other day to every three days or so. And right before the end of my training, I was called for an actual miltary move. Now as far as actual miltary based (on their own) I'll let the others chime in as it is not my area of expertise. OBS gone freight....

 

[battalion51]

I think the Army has one or two of their own units somewhere for switching purposes. For the most part though the freight railroads (like CSX and NS) are contracted by the military to move their big shipments when necessary.

Examples:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...7682&nseq=2

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...2309&nseq=6

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...968&nseq=13

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...266&nseq=16

 

[Mark]

I am out of touch with the current capabilities of the military to conduct rail operations. They formerly. 30 years ago, were able to operate their own rail system. I am curious of the current capability, equipment and personnel wise. I made a comment on the "foil helmet" post regarding the USAF locomotive and would like some further comments in a more general sense. Based on the picture of the clapped out crane and the USAF locomotive, I have a sneaking suspicion that military rail capability has significantly declined.

To the best of my knowledge the 'Military' has only one remaining unit that is considered 'railway'. It is in the US Army Reserve, (the 757th Transporation Battalion), and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While railway ops still occur at many of our military bases most of those ops are performed by government civilian employees and most of which, (civilian and military), are part 240 certifed at Ft Eustis VA. Many bases and services have their own marked locomotives, (usually GP 9s, 10s etc.), but they are in fact operated by the civilians I mentioned above. I spent some time in the Army at Ft Eustis so this is where information comes from.

 

[Guest]

Thought I remembered a red US Army engine on the siding outside Anniston Army Depot where a lot of shotup equipment rebuilding takes place.

I have never seen empty rails (lots of rails there too) at Ft. Gillem, GA (depot southeast of Atlanta). Recall most of those as being box cars, but both FEMA, GEMA and the Red Cross store goods there for emergencies.

-Wife of Deployed Infantry soldier

 

[Guest]

[ And right before the end of my training, I was called for an

actual miltary move. What do you mean by "an actual military move".

Both times I've seen personal arms weapons/ammunition being loaded/unloaded it's either been by tractor trailer (driven by a mom and pop type couple) or on chartered civilian aircraft. Are you referring to the Connex boxes? Personal weapons/ammo have to be under the control of the unit from here to "there". Connex boxes may go by ship. As an example, they cannot be offloaded from aircraft until a unit leader is present. The accountability is so high that a single unaccounted for round causes consternation, paperwork and excessive pushups.

-Wife of deployed Infantry soldier

 

[Amtrak OBS Employee gone freight]

[ And right before the end of my training, I was called for an actual miltary move. What do you mean by "an actual military move".

Both times I've seen personal arms weapons/ammunition being loaded/unloaded it's either been by tractor trailer (driven by a mom and pop type couple) or on chartered civilian aircraft. Are you referring to the Connex boxes? Personal weapons/ammo have to be under the control of the unit from here to "there". Connex boxes may go by ship. As an example, they cannot be offloaded from aircraft until a unit leader is present. The accountability is so high that a single unaccounted for round causes consternation, paperwork and excessive pushups.

-Wife of deployed Infantry soldier

Connex Boxes and flats full of tanks, etc. (if my memory serves me correctly).... I think we were escorted, too.

OBS gone freight...

 

[George Harris]

The accountability is so high that a single unaccounted for round causes consternation, paperwork and excessive pushups.

pushups: Even after over 35 years, if somebody screams DROP I might still automatically drop into that wonderful "front leaning rest" position. Well try. I would probably hurt myself and need help getting up.

paperwork: If you ever had the joy of doing a "report of survey" on something damaged or missing, you would be all but ready to go out and buy it. You also learn, at least I did as a 1LT, that if you ever have to do the paperwork on an accidental death, that when the drill sergeants tell you, "No, we won't kill you because we don't want to have to do the paperwork," that they aren't joking.

consternation: also called attempted buck passing.

 

[gswager]

On BNSF transcon east of Clovis, NM, I've seen twice hauling Hummers, tanks, etc. It's like almost a mile long train, pulling by BNSF locomotives. No boxcars, just flat cars.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

There is three US Army Rail Transportaion Unit in the Reserves. Wisconsin, Connecticut 1205th, Massachusetts. The one in MA is new only an few years old. All active military base have an switcher and cilivian crews. The Move by military train course (not its real name) is given regularly, and all military bases have the support people and equipment ready to support an train movement. Of course most of the equipment is current outside CONUS right now, something about an war.

Just-Thinking-51

Greeting from London, OH

 

[Mark]

There is three US Army Rail Transportaion Unit in the Reserves. Wisconsin, Connecticut 1205th, Massachusetts. The one in MA is new only an few years old. All active military base have an switcher and cilivian crews. The Move by military train course (not its real name) is given regularly, and all military bases have the support people and equipment ready to support an train movement. Of course most of the equipment is current outside CONUS right now, something about an war.
Just-Thinking-51

Greeting from London, OH

There is only one, (battalion-sized), unit left in the USAR. The 1205th was inactivated over 18 months ago, (and by the way it had been around for several years at least). The 757th had folks participate with the 79 Railway Troop UK at Umm Qasr, Iraq back in 2003. A joint effort took place to see if it was feasible to send equipment by rail from UQ to Basrah. 79 Railway Troop was attached to 17th Port and Maritime Squadron UK at the time. Ultimately the British Command did not feel the idea feasible and 79 Railway was withdrawn back to the UK at the end of July 03. However, containerized/intermodal ops to Baghdad had been established and met with some success. The crews were Iraqi and the yard work was done by mostly US and UK soldiers. The 757th element remained until the end of September 03. They were replaced by the 3rd COSCOM, (Corps Support Command), who are NOT railroaders, (though they did have a few people/Reservists who worked for UP as civilians attached to them, an article was published about their ops in Trains magazine). Within a year after the 757th/79Rw UK departure 'Coalition' military rail ops in Iraq ground to a halt.