Bound for Ft. Polk, LA. Should be an interesting rail routing.
Looks like they should be shipping out any day now. I am amazed at the length of train.........1 Brigade, 1 Deployment training exercise. Also amazed at the size of Ft. Campbells rail facility. Wonder what that shipment is going to cost in $$$.
Check out the pictures (you need to be a member of facebook):
https://www.facebook.com/101st/photos/pcb.10154133749263092/10154133678698092/?type=3
https://www.facebook.com/101st/photos/pcb.10154133749263092/10154133683163092/?type=3
https://www.facebook.com/101st/photos/pcb.10154133749263092/10154133687493092/?type=3
You don't move an Army on the cheap. You don't equip an Army on the cheap. Having armed forces is not cheap. If you don't have armed forces training for their missions, you might as well not have armed forces.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
The major installations generally have similar installations. I've seen a few such trains assembled (and disassembled). Quite the operation.
Loading of vehicles is done circus-style. The fun part is ensuring everything is pointed the right way at the destination. Not a pleasant task backing a vehicle with a trailer down half a dozen cars...
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...
See also Bruce Kelly's post - which mentions 2 books - & afterwards on Dave Klepper's concurrent thread captioned as "The book, THE DAWN OF INNOVATION" at:
http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/255929.aspx
Specifically:
Engines of War: How Wars Were Won & Lost on the Railways, by Christian Wolmar
The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate, by Robert D. Kaplan
From my post in that thread about the book, Engines of War: How Wars Were Won & Lost on the Railways, by Christian Wolmar:
Apparently it does have good description and analysis of the use of railroads in the U.S. Civil War, and Herman Haupt's 2 principles. From one comment (Les Feams, Oct. 28, 2013):
" . . . especially the US Civil War where railways first came into their own reflecting the influence of US Federal engineer, Herman Haupt, whose work for the United States Military Railroads in preparation for several battles, culminating at Gettysburg, would confirm the strategic role of the railways in warfare and who in effect produced the key guidelines for effective railway management and coordination with the military in time of war. Haupt's two main principles were that the military should not interfere in the operation of the train service, and that freight cars should be emptied and returned promptly, so that they were not used as warehouses (or even, as happened, as offices)."
- Paul North.
BaltACD You don't move an Army on the cheap. You don't equip an Army on the cheap. Having armed forces is not cheap. If you don't have armed forces training for their missions, you might as well not have armed forces.
An Italian general named Montecucolli in the service of the Austrian empire in the late 17th Century said it best:
"For war, you need three things.
1) Money.
2) Money.
3) Even MORE money!"
Hit the nail on the head, didn't he?
I'm not complaining about the practice. However I will note, if this was the 1980's they would have convoy'ed to Louisiana from Tennessee or airlifted the equipment instead of doing the rail loading. So perhaps the Pentagon is getting wiser on the expense side of the ledger.
CMStPnP...they would have convoy'ed...
I remember seeing a good many NG convoys headed to/from Fort Drum. These days they arrive in buses and use cached equipment at the post.
CMStPnP BaltACD You don't move an Army on the cheap. You don't equip an Army on the cheap. Having armed forces is not cheap. If you don't have armed forces training for their missions, you might as well not have armed forces. I'm not complaining about the practice. However I will note, if this was the 1980's they would have convoy'ed to Louisiana from Tennessee or airlifted the equipment instead of doing the rail loading. So perhaps the Pentagon is getting wiser on the expense side of the ledger.
There is no more worthless extravagence than a second-best military.
That said, there are good reasons for keeping military convoys off today's civilian roads. Military vehicles are governed at speeds below the posted limits for Interstates. Also, high-speed running on paved roads eats tread pads, even though tanks load a road much less than a double-bottom semi rig of similar weight. Then, too, modern drivers won't hesitate to intersperse their civilian vehicles and thereby destroy convoy integrity. And what happens when some guy slams on the brakes right in front of an Abrams?
Much less expense, hassle and probable liability if the 'convoy' is chained to a string of DODX flats. 'Greener,' too. Do you have any idea how much fuel a tank column would burn, with a 1500HP gas turbine in each tank? LOTS more than the diesels pulling the same tanks on flat cars.
During the Vietnam War the military sort of forgot about rail transportation. Nice to see them 'rediscovering' it.
Chuck, MSgt(ret) USAF
What happens when a guy slams his brakes in front of an Abrams?
I'll bet he won't do it again!
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