???'s About U.S. Army Loco Power.

[caldreamer]

According to the Military Rails site, it is an EMD 120 ton GP type. Here is is the link to a picture of 4623.  

http://military.railfan.net/locos/USAUSAF/usa4623.JPG

 

[Wdlgln005]

MTL announced a new Z Army set using their GP-35. They include some Army boxcars & a depressed flat. Now to find some Zscale tanks.

[VilePig]

Railway operations on Army posts are done by either Army employees (Wage Grade) or contractors, not DLA.

[tree68]

Tree: FARR Air Filters, used when you did not have sealed carbodies during upgrades and you still had to feed clean air to Roots Blowers...

That's them!

[beaulieu]

I just retired from Fort Campbell and they have a fairly new Yellow with Black Markings Dingy. I dont know the type though.

We just got a new railhead installed around 2001 + or - a year, that is were we loaded our vehicles at the railhead, ladder, and the dingy would take the flat cars to a transfer point outside of Hopkinsville / Oakgrove. Then the trains would head down to Jacksonville.

The conductors were not Army Soldiers. I wonder if they were contracted from a short line.

Normal railroad operations on military bases are done by the DLA, the Defense Logistics Agency, so they are civilian employees of DoD. 

[jp2153]

Had an after thought. I would like to know if the editors from Trains could do an article on Army Railroad operations at Fort Campbell. All they would need to do is contact the Fort Campbell Public Affairs Office.

This would make a great article.

[jp2153]

I just retired from Fort Campbell and they have a fairly new Yellow with Black Markings Dingy. I dont know the type though.

We just got a new railhead installed around 2001 + or - a year, that is were we loaded our vehicles at the railhead, ladder, and the dingy would take the flat cars to a transfer point outside of Hopkinsville / Oakgrove. Then the trains would head down to Jacksonville.

The conductors were not Army Soldiers. I wonder if they were contracted from a short line.

[exPalaceDog]

You might look at

 

http://military.railfan.net/

Have fun

 

[mudchicken]

Tree: FARR Air Filters, used when you did not have sealed carbodies during upgrades and you still had to feeed clean air to Roots Blowers...

[tcwright973]

I just came across this web site the other day. Just scroll down to U.S. Army.

http://www.trainweb.org/greengoats/owners.html

Tom

[canazar]

Thanks for all the responses everyone.   I learned alot in this thread.  I just wish I had my camera.

[Anonymous]

quote: 

Is that how power is moved if it has to leave its home road say for rebuild or repairs? I suppose it just surprised me to see locomotive thrown into the mix like another car.

    The unit was being shipped Dead in Train.  UP has rules that an engine that doesn't have alignment control couplers and is being shipped dead in train has to be within the rear 5 cars of the train.  Dead in train means the unit has had it's brakes set up to operate like a boxcar (or any other freight car for that matter) and it's independent brake system is disabled.  This means it can't be MU'd with the other units in the consist.  This presents problems with buff forces and without the alignment control coupler can lead to the unit be shoved sideways off the track or a rail turnover.  As far as the train itself, the dead engine just becomes a heavy boxcar at the rear of the train other than any speed restrictions it may have.

[csmith9474]

We have a pair of GP-38s at Ft. Carson plus frog-eyed GP-10s with the ubitquious ox-yoke filters floating through on a rotating basis.

I don't remember seeing the GP-10s there (honestly I haven't been looking for 'em).  We have to go to the PX there this weekend, so I will definately have to take a look. Thanks for the tip!!

[greyhounds]

Has the US army bought anything new(ie GP 50s,60s,) power? Also, what's a frog eyed geep? And does the Army have any 6 axel power?

The Army had six axel power.  There was a fleet of diesels (60 or so I think) designated as MRS-1   Military Road Switcher -1.   They were both EMD's and Alco's, both had the same MRS-1 designation.

They were special built to the more restrictive clearances found overseas.  The idea was that they could be shipped overseas and run by railway operating batalions of the Transportation Corps.   They were built in the 50's.  There were three at Ft. Eustis, VA when I was there 1972-1974.

Today, the Army just uses locomotives as any other "industry" does.   They just switch things around the fort, bring cars in from the serving railroad, etc.  No need for new, big power.

There is one reserve railway operating batalion left.  I don't know if it has done anything railway related in Iraq or not. 

 

[KBCpresident]

Gotcha. Thanks.

[tree68]

Also, what's a frog eyed geep?

Someplace I have a picture of one, but finding it would take more time than I want to invest just now. Google is a wonderful thing, though.

 

While others may have used them, both the "frog eye" headlights and "ox yoke" air filters were a hallmark of locomotives rebuilt at IC/ICGs Paducah, KY shops. 

As you can see, the headlights were side-by-side and stuck up slightly above the top of the short hood. 

The ox-yoke air filter (I can't remember the brand name) was especially uniquely a Paducah trademark.  The extra sheet metal was to reduce the amount of rain, etc, that got sucked into the paper air filters.

Precision National - an early lease company - ran a lot of Paducah stuff.

[dldance]

Has the US army bought anything new(ie GP 50s,60s,) power? Also, what's a frog eyed geep? And does the Army have any 6 axel power?

I don't have the answers to any of these questions - but I do know that the military engine roster has been shrinking due to base closings and operational changes.  My evidence for that is the number of engines on the dead line at Hill AFB - hidden behind a berm.  I also know of at least 2 organizations that have aquired surplus Army locomotives.  Thus, the odds of anything new are very small.

dd

[KBCpresident]

Has the US army bought anything new(ie GP 50s,60s,) power? Also, what's a frog eyed geep? And does the Army have any 6 axel power?

[mudchicken]

We have a pair of GP-38s at Ft. Carson plus frog-eyed GP-10s with the ubitquious ox-yoke filters floating through on a rotating basis.

[dldance]

Military locomotives are often rebuilt at a facility at Hill Air Force Based near Ogden UT.  Red is the current Army color of choice and IIRC they have done at least on hybrid conversion there.  They just rebuilt the 25 tonner that we use at Golden Spike to move cold engines.  It is now National Park Service brown - but it doesn't look to bad with the yellow safety applicances.

dd

[tree68]

I'm finding references to a GP10, listed as assigned to Fort Hood, TX.

I also found several references to a GP10 modified to a fuel cell power plant.  The photos showed #4645, though. 

I could have sworn that there was work underway to do the "Green Goat" thing with one of them, but I'm not finding an references to it.

At any rate, there are several reasons you may have seen it on the road - it's being reassigned, it's headed someplace for work, or it's been excessed and sold.

[canazar]

While out campin' last nite off the UP's Sunset Route, I caught one train that had a cool surprise at the end of it.  A freight came through heading westbound that had every kinda of car, load you could imagine.  A true delight after watching 5 stackers go by.  But what had me floored was the 3rd to the last car, between an old RailBox car and black tank car, was a US Army locomotive.  

 It was a red, older GP. (Maybe a GP 20?  I didnt see it until it had passed me and I spent the seconds trying to get a road number) I think the road number was 4623.  Just caught my intrest... being moved from one place to another? Going west for repairs?  Is that how power is moved if it has to leave its home road say for rebuild or repairs?   I suppose it just surprised me to see locomotive thrown into the mix like another car.