Airborne Corps (82nd Airborne) and Trains!!!!
CSX Train leaves Fort Bragg, NC via Fayetteville-nam, NC with a train of equipment from the 82nd Airborne Division.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He5XRbgrQFw
Surprising to see DODX cars painted in Trailer Train yellow, would have expected olive drab.
The 'high speed' run ending the video indicates the government needs to undertake a serious wheel replacement program account numerous flat spots hammering past the camera.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDSurprising to see DODX cars painted in Trailer Train yellow, would have expected olive drab. The 'high speed' run ending the video indicates the government needs to undertake a serious wheel replacement program account numerous flat spots hammering past the camera.
Yeah, even though it does not look like it, they have spent millions on track upgrades when I was stationed at Fort Campbell most of the railhead track had weeds between the rails. Now it looks like from Google Earth they have a new set of centralised circus loading style railheads and all freshly ballasted and a holding yard for empty flats.
The special duty reinforced (heavy load) flats used to be mostly Olive Drab in the 1980's then they went to a lease fleet of TTX for containers to suppliment and now it looks like they went to yellow DODX. Some of the flat cars need to carry a heavy weight capacity and others just carry regular containers. I am surprised the Pentagon has not gone to well cars for all the containers they have now.
So quick question for you, in one of the shots in the video you can see like 6-7 CSX locomotives in the background but apart from the mainline tracks in kind of a locomotive service area and I suspect it is still Fayetteville, NC as the train is backing up onto mainline staging tracks off the Fort Bragg trackage (wye?). Are those locomotives waiting on the next train to pull out?
Even though the train in the video is long......it looks like a combo of BEB (Engineer Bn) and BSB (Support Logistics Bn), I don't see any command vehicles so not HHC yet (HQ Brigade). No Combat regiments related vehicles either. So it could be the only train they need and they chose to fly the rest of the stuff in or they have another train after this one. Can't tell myself but the locomotives in the pan shot appear to be for further trains.
So that leaves the following behind.....
1. FA or Field Artillery BN (they fly in normally, if they are taken at all).
3. Infantry Regiments (they fly in normally, extra truck transports are in the BSB).
1. Calvary Regiment (they fly in normally, extra truck transports are in the BSB)
1. HHC and Miscellaneous (Command and Control, Medical, Field Kitchens / Cooks, Intel, Forward Air controllers, I think mostly they fly in as well)
So I am really wondering what those other locomotives are for because that is a lot to fly over to Iraq.
CMStPnPSo I am really wondering what those other locomotives are for because that is a lot to fly over to Iraq.
Never worked the CSX Florence Division so I have no idea how the line of road facilities are situated and powered. Suspect Fayetteville might be a location that supports several local freight jobs that work in multiple directions from Fayettville on a concurrent bases with each local probably using two units for power.
BaltACD Surprising to see DODX cars painted in Trailer Train yellow, would have expected olive drab. The 'high speed' run ending the video indicates the government needs to undertake a serious wheel replacement program account numerous flat spots hammering past the camera.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Murphy SidingProbably a moot question, but since the cars don't leave the USA, why olive drab?
Because it's the Army... I'm half surprised they aren't camoflaged...
The marshalling area at Fort Drum, NY has undergone a similar upgrade. More vehicle staging space, and possibly several more vehicle loading tracks
I haven't snooped around there in a while (I'm a retired civilian, but I can stiil get on the post), so I don't know if they've done any improvements on the container loading area.
The co-gen plant used to get regular shipments of coal and coke, but that facility has gone bio-mass.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
BaltACD ...numerous flat spots...
Soldiers are curious animals. They like to pull on levers to see what will happen.
Odds are there were brakes set in places the crew didn't expect them. There should have been a Class 1, but there comes the question of whether the brake was set hard.
It's thought that the Fort Drum/Watertown runaway some years back may have been caused by a cut lever being pulled, with the two flats at the top of the hump so the loader that was putting on containers put them in motion - the wrong way.
The comments for the video are laughable. There sure are a lot of paranoid, ignorant people around...
Backshop The comments for the video are laughable. There sure are a lot of paranoid, ignorant people around...
There's a LOT of good stuff on the YouTube, but unfortunately the 'Tube does attract a lot of loons.
In some, maybe most, cases I belive they think they're being funny. Some just like stirring up $#!&, know what I mean? Some just use the anonymity of the Internet to be nasty and insulting since they know they don't have to worry about a "Fast five in the snot-box" if someone REALLY gets offended.
On those yellow, not olive drab, flats? Since they're not leaving the country the DOD probably doesn't care what color they are, just as long as they don't rust! OD isn't used as much as it used to be anyway, now it's mostly flat-finish camoflage paints of varying pigments.
tree68 Murphy Siding Probably a moot question, but since the cars don't leave the USA, why olive drab? Because it's the Army... I'm half surprised they aren't camoflaged...
Murphy Siding Probably a moot question, but since the cars don't leave the USA, why olive drab?
CMStPnPThe special duty reinforced (heavy load) flats used to be mostly Olive Drab in the 1980's then they went to a lease fleet of TTX for containers to suppliment and now it looks like they went to yellow DODX. Some of the flat cars need to carry a heavy weight capacity and others just carry regular containers. I am surprised the Pentagon has not gone to well cars for all the containers they have now.
Maybe they left the cars yellow for visability at crossings. Don't they also have reflectors. Maybe they don't use well cars, ie, double stack, so their cars would not be restricted for height clearance problems.
Murphy SidingI could see that. Camouflaged so you can't see the train, with reflectors so you can see the train.
how about the back up move with no one riding rear as far as I noticed. Maybe riding in the vehicle ?
blue streak 1 how about the back up move with no one riding rear as far as I noticed. Maybe riding in the vehicle ?
Back when I could occasionally watch operations on a nearby military base, the local trainmaster would assist the crew by ferrying the conductor around in his truck. Saved time and walking when they were doubling out the trains. As long as someone is spotting the move, it really doesn't matter where they are.
CMStPnP Yeah, even though it does not look like it, they have spent millions on track upgrades when I was stationed at Fort Campbell most of the railhead track had weeds between the rails. Now it looks like from Google Earth they have a new set of centralised circus loading style railheads and all freshly ballasted and a holding yard for empty flats. The special duty reinforced (heavy load) flats used to be mostly Olive Drab in the 1980's then they went to a lease fleet of TTX for containers to suppliment and now it looks like they went to yellow DODX. Some of the flat cars need to carry a heavy weight capacity and others just carry regular containers. I am surprised the Pentagon has not gone to well cars for all the containers they have now. So quick question for you, in one of the shots in the video you can see like 6-7 CSX locomotives in the background but apart from the mainline tracks in kind of a locomotive service area and I suspect it is still Fayetteville, NC as the train is backing up onto mainline staging tracks off the Fort Bragg trackage (wye?). Are those locomotives waiting on the next train to pull out? Even though the train in the video is long......it looks like a combo of BEB (Engineer Bn) and BSB (Support Logistics Bn), I don't see any command vehicles so not HHC yet (HQ Brigade). No Combat regiments related vehicles either. So it could be the only train they need and they chose to fly the rest of the stuff in or they have another train after this one. Can't tell myself but the locomotives in the pan shot appear to be for further trains. So that leaves the following behind..... 1. FA or Field Artillery BN (they fly in normally, if they are taken at all). 3. Infantry Regiments (they fly in normally, extra truck transports are in the BSB). 1. Calvary Regiment (they fly in normally, extra truck transports are in the BSB) 1. HHC and Miscellaneous (Command and Control, Medical, Field Kitchens / Cooks, Intel, Forward Air controllers, I think mostly they fly in as well) So I am really wondering what those other locomotives are for because that is a lot to fly over to Iraq.
A little late to the game but perhaps I can fill in some info.
The Army has been on a big push the past 5 years to rebuild rail facilities. Fort Drum seems like the next one to be extensively rebuilt. Even Camp Grayling, MI got a massive rebuild 2 years ago.
The DOD is proposing upgrading to their own containers over leasing from other owners. They already have the tri/quad con. But these would be new 20' to replace those currently leased. Due to route restrictions (height) I doubt they will buy well cars, although new 89' flats would be a posability as they can also carry equipment & vehicles.
The 68' 6 axle heavy duty flats intended for (2) Abrams MBT's or (2) M2 Bradley's are all 1 of 3 shades of green.
The 68' red 41000 series cars can carry (1) Abrams MBT or (2) M2 Bradley's.
The 89' yellow 42000 series cars can carry a variety of equipment lighter than the Abrams MBT. There were 2 builders of this series so they have different load ratings.
The 89' yellow 48000 series cars are strictly COFC service. I've never been given a good reason for them being yellow perhaps they were add on's to TTX orders?
No idea about the extra loco's. But for the typical Infantry Brigade Combat Team it would take 3-4 trains to move the entire IBCT. A full Armored Brigade Combat Team can take 10 or more usally 6-8 trains depending on location, destination & route.
This was the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team from 82nd Airborne heading to JRTC Rotation 21-04 @ Ft Polk, LA. Interestingly the 1st IBCT 82nd ABN did a rotation right after.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.