My son took this video of an Army train headed into Ft Carson, CO
Vid was shot by the Martin Drake power plant in downtown Colorado Springs, with Pikes Peak & Cheyenne Mtn in the backround. The interesting thing to me, besides the wide assortment of military trucks, is that they were backing this long train all the way into Ft Carson, which is several miles from here. Im sure this is due to limited space in the rail yard there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmjCuOax8KU
The Army has a training site located between La junta and Trinidad on the BNSF (this BNSF track is also the Amtrak route). Perhaps the military train your son saw was either going to or returning from the Pinon Canyon Training site.
Thechief66My son took this video of an Army train headed into Ft Carson, CO Vid was shot by the Martin Drake power plant in downtown Colorado Springs, with Pikes Peak & Cheyenne Mtn in the backround. The interesting thing to me, besides the wide assortment of military trucks, is that they were backing this long train all the way into Ft Carson, which is several miles from here. Im sure this is due to limited space in the rail yard there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmjCuOax8KU
Noticed that there was no shoving platform on the lead end of the movement and didn't see anyone protecting the shove.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD Noticed that there was no shoving platform on the lead end of the movement and didn't see anyone protecting the shove.
At the very beginning of the video it appears someone was on top of the truck cab looking in the direction of movement.
Norm
BaltACD
Would not be uncommon for the ARMY to come out and meet them with their Gp-38's from Ft. Carson at Kelker (yard) and interchange there, possibly leaving some of the train at Kelker. Kelker and the yard are the remains of the original pre-1903 DRGW main track alignment from Colorado Springs south.
Looking at the Fort Carson marshalling yard - it's pretty good sized, but dragging a train of that size in and breaking it up would be a challenge. Far better to push the train in.
The yard is looking pretty full in the satellite image: 38.76460 -104.79673
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...
I never thought about the Army locomotives coming out to meet this train at Kelker...I wish we would have had time to follow the train a bit more & see the meet.
About half way through the vid, there's an MRAP truck with a large mechanical arm hanging over the cab. I asked my co-worker, who's a 20 year Army vet & Silver Star recipient, what it was used for. He said that combat engineers use it to try to move or dislodge roadside bombs! God Bless those guys, that's a hell of a risky job!
now if that train just had a M-1 tank on the rear and just DPU the train across country ? ? Dare any truck to foul the track !
blue streak 1 now if that train just had a M-1 tank on the rear and just DPU the train across country ? ? Dare any truck to foul the track!
now if that train just had a M-1 tank on the rear and just DPU the train across country ? ? Dare any truck to foul the track!
Much, much better if you run the train with a remote pack ... standing in the turret ... and you power up the traverse and elevation systems, engage the designator, and arrange to light up a nice red spot where the trucker can see it...
Works up to about about 2 miles range, as I understand it . . .
A couple tracer rounds from the .50 calibre machine gun ought to get the point across, for any errant vehicle's driver . . .
- PDN.
If I had to guess. They are backing the train due to circus style loading ramps and the Army preference they drive the vehicles off of the train forwards. Still the railroad could have turned the train prior to delivery, wonder why they didn't.
diningcar The Army has a training site located between La junta and Trinidad on the BNSF (this BNSF track is also the Amtrak route). Perhaps the military train your son saw was either going to or returning from the Pinon Canyon Training site.
They would usually convoy if the training site was in the same state as the Army post or in a adjoining state. Never known the Army to use freight trains (except Alaska) for anything less than cross country trips (National Training Center - Ft Irwin, CA or overseas movements). Depending on the size of the unit of course.
When I was with the 101st we would load a group of C-130's and sometimes fly, landing on a dirt airstrip near the training area. Another method was to use our helicopters and sling load most of the vehicles underneath, convoying the rest. So the 101st does not convoy as much as other units because it has a large airport and plenty of space to load planes. They also had a centralized railyard at Ft. Campbell with circus style ramps for loading vehicles but we rarely used it in the 1980's. Instead they would park the train in the individual brigrade areas and use the circus loading ramps there bringing the train almost right up to the barracks and where the vehicles were stored helped get the job done quicker.
CMStPnP Never known the Army to use freight trains (except Alaska) for anything less than cross country trips (National Training Center - Ft Irwin, CA or overseas movements). Depending on the size of the unit of course.
Tenth Mountain Division often trains at Fort Polk, LA, shipping the equipment via rail.
Pinon Canon Maneuver Site see both railroad moves and highway convoys in and out of the site .
On the railroad side, the base spur is just off the south/ TT west end of Simpson siding. The Ft. Carson convoys tend to go south down I-25 to Trinidad and then back up US-350 to Simpson. (Lots of memories about building the spur back in the bad old days including the sad one where the tank fell off the side of the 100T flatcar at the sideloading dock.)
tree68Tenth Mountain Division often trains at Fort Polk, LA, shipping the equipment via rail.
Interesting, though Fort Polk is a pre-mobilization site or used to be. Do they return the equipment to Fort Drum after or does it ship overseas. In other words was Fort Polk the destination or was it a stop on the way to shipping overseas. Just curious.
Fort Polk was the home of 10th's Third Brigade. I'm pretty sure the equipment came back. I wasn't involved at all in the logistics - all I know was what I observed and "word on the street."
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