This film records and explains a series of train crash tests for "subversive warfare" on the US Army Claiborne Polk Military Railroad between 03/08/1944 & 03/10/1944. Discusses amount of explosive used, technique of making "gaps" in railroad track to overturn train. 

Uses filmographic techniques such as slow motion, reverse motion, and freeze frame to show effects of "gaps" and explosives on train and results of experiments. Illustrated arrows point to areas of train considered especially relevant to experiment. During each train crash experiment the narrator explains each type of explosive and reason for variations. 

This film made available courtesy the Department of Defense, National Technical Information Service, and the National Archives and Records Administration http://www.archives.gov/

Yankee Boomer Vol2 No25 Ma... by Nancy

Vickery 713th ROB photos #1

Vickery 713th ROB photos #2 

Vickery 713th ROB photos #3

Vickery 713th ROB photos #4

716 Highball by Nancy on Scribd

WARREN & SALINE RIVER Railroad 2-8-0 WSR #1702 ex- US Army FEVR POST CARD CAPTION: WARREN & SALINE RIVER RAILROAD COMPANY NUMBER 1702.

 Warren & Saline River Railroad Company's Number 1702 (2-8-0) was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the United States Army in 1942 and sold to the Warren & Saline River Railroad in 1946. Number 1702 later saw service on the Reader Railroad and is currently working on the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad.

Todd shared his very interesting paper on the 713th and an unbelievable collection of photos !

713th Santa Fe Mcghee by Nancy

This is part 1 and 2 of Todd's 713th photos


Pasqual from France has identified some locations and equipment from the photos

#8 & 9 : Orléansville, now : Chlef. This station has always been rather busy, as in steam locomotive times, all passenger trains running between Oran and Algiers had to change locomotive here. Locomotive 4-A class built in the 1870s and 1880s for the Paris – Lyon – Méditerranée French company, later transfered to the Algerian PLM network.
#12 : Orléansville ? Diesel shunter supplied for wartime by British army.
#13 : Orléansville ? Same steam locomotive class as # 8 & 9.
#20 : Berliet diesel truck, fitted with “gazogène” (used during wartime in France, because of oil shortage).
#21 : Valmy, now : El Kerma. Just outside of Oran city.
#23 : Garratt steam locomotive, 231-132-BT class, #12, built 1936. Huge engines for European and Nth African loading gauge : length 29,43 metres, 216 metric tons. #25 : Garratt steam locomotive, 231-132-BT class (same unit as #23 ?)
#28 : Western Tunisia or Eastern Algeria, near Tebessa : meter gauge locomotive, class 150-851 to 865, built 1930.
#30 : Western Tunisia or Eastern Algeria, near Tebessa : meter gauge locomotive, class 2.2-251 to 258 or 451 to 482 (I can’t read unit # on the cab), built between 1895 and 1906.
#31, 37, 39 : Same class 150-8xx as #28.
#34 : Same class 2.2-xxx as #30. #28 to 36 seem to be in the same location, but where ? The station is rather extensive for a meter gauge network.
#37 & 39 : Same class 150-8xx as #28.

Part 2

Christy , daughter of Raymond D Simpson of Company A of the 715th  Railway Operating Battalion sent these great photos.

She says "Dad served in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He was on a ship heading towards Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped. When Japan surrendered, the ship was turned around and headed towards the US.  I have attached some of pictures of Dad which were taken in Italy.  I do not know the names of the other soldiers in the pictures. The back of the picture of the Tower of Pisa says he is in the top of the tower."

Cathe, daughter of Harry North Stairs or “Boots”shared these great photos. If anyone knows any of the people in these photos she'd like to know - email me if you know any of Stair's buddies .

Clarence wrote to me about my uncle, who was also a Army Railroader ... I was with the occupation forces in Japan with the 3rd MRS/8010 from 1946 until 1952 I did not know a Major Bill Griffin at that time, however I was in Korea with a LTC Lawrence [I believe his first name was]Griffin,and also in Ft.Eustis,Va.in the 774th and 714th TBROS & DE,he was the EX OFFICER there. I looked at your Military Railway Service blog and it was very,very interesting. I have some pictures and papers that I would be glad to share with you at a later date.

 

Life-Line of the Nation is a short film from the Association of American Railroads and produced by Carl Dudley in the mid-1940s (most likely 1944) that shows how America’s railroads are ensuring the defense of the nation by meeting the transportation needs of a country mobilized for war. The film opens with a shot of a train moving through snowy terrain. Off in the distance, a train goes over a bridge (01:22). There are several shots of various trains moving along tracks. At the U.S. Capitol Building (02:13), members of the military meet with members of Congress to discuss railroad needs in a wartime situation. 

People gather around a radio to listen to a broadcast of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Military trucks and tanks are loaded onto trains (03:45); men from every branch of the military board trains as they head out to war. A train moves along the track with snow-covered mountains in the background (04:48). Soldiers and equipment leave the trains and board the ships that will take them overseas (05:20). There are more shots of locomotives. A number of tanks are transported on a train (07:05) Iron ore is loaded onto train cars at a mine (07:18). The iron ore is dumped into barges (07:44). A train hauls coal (08:18); there is a shot of a coal plant. Oil tanker cars are pulled by locomotives (08:59). A newly built ship is sent out onto the water from the shipyard (10:05). There is a shot of the inside of the office of the Association of American Railroads—people diligently work to keep the trains running on time (11:00). There is a series of shots of railcars sporting the different railroad companies’ names and logos. A train crosses the border between the U.S. and Canada (13:34). Various railroad employees work on machining equipment for trains (14:10); men inspect a track. There is a shot of a retired locomotive (15:44), a printing press printing papers (16:55), and various locomotives pulling train cars. One of the final shots of the film is a train passing over a river on a bridge (18:32). 

 

 

The United War Work Campaign, Inc., was organized by request of President Woodrow Wilson for the purpose of joint fund raising among seven welfare organizations serving the American Army and Navy, including: National War Work Council of the YMCA; War Work Council of the National Board of the YMCA; National Catholic War Council (Knights of Columbus); Jewish Welfare Board; War Camp Community Service; American Library Association; and the Salvation Army. Series includes the certificate of incorporation, UWWC Bulletin nos. 1-13 and 15, financial report (1921) and the report to subscribers listing the budget estimates of the seven organizations, percentages of UWWC funds allocated per organization and agreements between the organizations (1919). The file includes minutes, circular letter, organization manual, publicity campaigns, committee member lists, by-laws, conference attendance lists, Committee of Eleven (composed of representatives of the seven organizations) minutes and recommendations and news releases.