Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
705th Railway Grand Division : THE SAGA OF THE BENGAL & ASSAM RAILWAY
** Locomotive Engineers Journal September 1945
The biggest and most important job they tackled was running most of the Bengal & Assam Railway in northeast India, operating generally from Parbat-ipur northeast. The meter-gauge line east from Parbatipur was mainly single-track, powered by an assortment of locomotives made in Germany, England, Belgium, France and Czechoslovakia.
The Indian method of operation was often protracted. There were schedules, of course; but the Indians observed them in the manner of a timeless land. If a train arrived hours late, and the schedule called for a 15-minute stop, the Indians observed it, even though loading and unloading took only two minutes.
The war supplies over the railroad under Indian operation totaled only 15,000 long tons in May 1943. In June the Bengal & Assam didn't move enough tonnage to fill the planes flying the Hump to China.
Maj. Gen. W. E. R. Covell, chief of CBI Services of Supply, gave orders Christmas Day 1943 establishing the Military Railway Service, with headquarters at Gauhati, Assam, halfway between Parbatipur and Tinsukia. It was to operate 752 miles of meter-gauge track, headed by Headquarters, Military Railway Service, and Headquarters, 705th Railway Grand Division. Operating under this authority would be five railway battalions, the 721st, 725th, 726th, 745th and 748th, and one shop battalion, the 758th.
This grand division of about 4,600 officers and men arrived at Gauhati in late-January 1944 and set up offices and quarters in a weaving school. It assumed operation March 1, and by that time, CBI Theater had reached agreement with India to operate 804 miles of track.
The biggest and most important job they tackled was running most of the Bengal & Assam Railway in northeast India, operating generally from Parbat-ipur northeast. The meter-gauge line east from Parbatipur was mainly single-track, powered by an assortment of locomotives made in Germany, England, Belgium, France and Czechoslovakia.
The Indian method of operation was often protracted. There were schedules, of course; but the Indians observed them in the manner of a timeless land. If a train arrived hours late, and the schedule called for a 15-minute stop, the Indians observed it, even though loading and unloading took only two minutes.
The war supplies over the railroad under Indian operation totaled only 15,000 long tons in May 1943. In June the Bengal & Assam didn't move enough tonnage to fill the planes flying the Hump to China.
Maj. Gen. W. E. R. Covell, chief of CBI Services of Supply, gave orders Christmas Day 1943 establishing the Military Railway Service, with headquarters at Gauhati, Assam, halfway between Parbatipur and Tinsukia. It was to operate 752 miles of meter-gauge track, headed by Headquarters, Military Railway Service, and Headquarters, 705th Railway Grand Division. Operating under this authority would be five railway battalions, the 721st, 725th, 726th, 745th and 748th, and one shop battalion, the 758th.
This grand division of about 4,600 officers and men arrived at Gauhati in late-January 1944 and set up offices and quarters in a weaving school. It assumed operation March 1, and by that time, CBI Theater had reached agreement with India to operate 804 miles of track.
Army Railroaders by Henry B. Comstock - Railroad Magazine February 1943
Ar 21943
Railroad Magazine [v33 #3, February 1943] ed. Henry B. Comstock (Popular Publications, Inc., 25¢, 160pp, pulp)
[Robert Kent]
fc. · Cutting Off the Helper · Aurion M. Proctor · cv
ILLUSTRATED FEATURES
24 · Army Railroaders · Henry B. Comstock · pi
44 · Down Memory Lane · Lincoln Pynn · pi
48 · Along the Iron Pike (Odd Picture-Facts) · Joe Easley · cl
64 · Locomotive of the Month (L&N Berkshire) · [Misc.] · pi
82 · Denver & Rio Grande Narrow-Gage Locomotives (Part 3) · [Misc.] · pi
98 · Kay C. Jones · [Misc.] · pt
102 · An 1890 Electric Car (Model Railroading) · [Misc.] · pi
106 · The Y Comes to Babahatchie · H. G. Monroe · pi
119 · High Water · LeRoy Palmer · pi
TRUE TALES OF THE RAILS
66 · Jeffers Made Me a Boomer (Union Pacific) · Theodore Keenlyne · ts
75 · Train Dispatcher’s Troubles (LE&StLC) · R. B. Foss · ts
79 · Easy Money (Rock island) · Arthur R. Jewel · ts
FICTION
12 · Bulletin 990 · Charles X. Williams · ss
88 · His Brother’s Son · William J. Parry · ss
DEPARTMENTS
6 · Service Letters (Men in the Armed Forces) · [Misc.] · lc
50 · Light of the Lantern (Locomotives and Curves) · [Misc.] · cl
116 · The Callboard (Who’s Who in the Railfan Crew) · [Misc.] · cl
128 · on the Spot (The Reader’s Viewpoint) · [Misc.] · cl
142 · Electric Lines · Stephen D. Maguire · cl
152 · Railroad Camera Club (The Switch List) · [Misc.] · cl
158 · Model Trading Post · [Misc.] · cl
Railroad Magazine [v33 #3, February 1943] ed. Henry B. Comstock (Popular Publications, Inc., 25¢, 160pp, pulp)
[Robert Kent]
fc. · Cutting Off the Helper · Aurion M. Proctor · cv
ILLUSTRATED FEATURES
24 · Army Railroaders · Henry B. Comstock · pi
44 · Down Memory Lane · Lincoln Pynn · pi
48 · Along the Iron Pike (Odd Picture-Facts) · Joe Easley · cl
64 · Locomotive of the Month (L&N Berkshire) · [Misc.] · pi
82 · Denver & Rio Grande Narrow-Gage Locomotives (Part 3) · [Misc.] · pi
98 · Kay C. Jones · [Misc.] · pt
102 · An 1890 Electric Car (Model Railroading) · [Misc.] · pi
106 · The Y Comes to Babahatchie · H. G. Monroe · pi
119 · High Water · LeRoy Palmer · pi
TRUE TALES OF THE RAILS
66 · Jeffers Made Me a Boomer (Union Pacific) · Theodore Keenlyne · ts
75 · Train Dispatcher’s Troubles (LE&StLC) · R. B. Foss · ts
79 · Easy Money (Rock island) · Arthur R. Jewel · ts
FICTION
12 · Bulletin 990 · Charles X. Williams · ss
88 · His Brother’s Son · William J. Parry · ss
DEPARTMENTS
6 · Service Letters (Men in the Armed Forces) · [Misc.] · lc
50 · Light of the Lantern (Locomotives and Curves) · [Misc.] · cl
116 · The Callboard (Who’s Who in the Railfan Crew) · [Misc.] · cl
128 · on the Spot (The Reader’s Viewpoint) · [Misc.] · cl
142 · Electric Lines · Stephen D. Maguire · cl
152 · Railroad Camera Club (The Switch List) · [Misc.] · cl
158 · Model Trading Post · [Misc.] · cl
Monday, July 2, 2012
Army to Mark 70th Anniversary of Transportation Corps With Dedication to the Military Railway Service
Military Railway Service Veterans and Friends:
On Wednesday July 25th at 4 PM The Army Transportation Corps Museum at Fort Eustis, VA, will host the dedication of RSD-1 ALCO locomotive #8011, one of 57 similar "iron camels" sent to Iran in WWII for service on the Military Railway Service Corps (MRS) operated Iranian State Railway, and the newly constructed Museum Rail Pavilion. This event that is being dedicated to the honor and memory of all MRS Veterans in all theaters will be hosted by BG Stephen Farman, the Army Chief of Transportation, as part of the annual Transportation Corps (TC) Conference. All events on the 25th are open to the public. In addition to MRS veterans, the invitation list includes individual rail industry carriers who sponsored and helped train MRS units, rail associations and labor organizations critical to the MRS formation and organization, and rail suppliers who provided the materials required to support operations.
The museum, located just inside the Fort Eustis Boulevard Gate (I-64, Exit 250), will open at 9 AM and will remain open through evening festivities. Starting at 5 PM following the dedication, all are invited to attend a TC B-B-Q picnic and social icebreaker on the museum grounds. Tickets can be purchased on site for $20. Self-guided tours of the museum will be available throughout the day. Plan to join the MRS Veterans, their family members, and friends to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of Army Railroaders from the Civil War to current operations in Afghanistan.
Mark Metz
On Wednesday July 25th at 4 PM The Army Transportation Corps Museum at Fort Eustis, VA, will host the dedication of RSD-1 ALCO locomotive #8011, one of 57 similar "iron camels" sent to Iran in WWII for service on the Military Railway Service Corps (MRS) operated Iranian State Railway, and the newly constructed Museum Rail Pavilion. This event that is being dedicated to the honor and memory of all MRS Veterans in all theaters will be hosted by BG Stephen Farman, the Army Chief of Transportation, as part of the annual Transportation Corps (TC) Conference. All events on the 25th are open to the public. In addition to MRS veterans, the invitation list includes individual rail industry carriers who sponsored and helped train MRS units, rail associations and labor organizations critical to the MRS formation and organization, and rail suppliers who provided the materials required to support operations.
The museum, located just inside the Fort Eustis Boulevard Gate (I-64, Exit 250), will open at 9 AM and will remain open through evening festivities. Starting at 5 PM following the dedication, all are invited to attend a TC B-B-Q picnic and social icebreaker on the museum grounds. Tickets can be purchased on site for $20. Self-guided tours of the museum will be available throughout the day. Plan to join the MRS Veterans, their family members, and friends to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of Army Railroaders from the Civil War to current operations in Afghanistan.
Mark Metz
LTC (R), TC - USAR
Foundation Rail Committee