General question on books about war and trains

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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I’ve been a writer for 30 years, mostly magazine and newspaper articles. Several friends of mine have written a number of books on aviation and ships, mostly military. At age 50, I feel it is time for me to do some writing. A friend suggested the role of railroads and the military. Living in N. Va., the transportation museum at Ft Eustis is down the road as well as the archives, so location is perfect.

The next step would be to find a topic that fills a void, as much has already been written. I was hoping to get some feedback from you on a good topic or a topic that interests you (I’m interested in just about any time period involving railroads, the earlier the better).

Here are some areas I’ve been pondering:

  1. Civil War and role of railroads (I imagine this has been covered in depth, being the first war in which railroads played a big role). I haven’t heard much about the Spanish-American War with regards to railroads.

  2. WWI. This is a very interesting period and involves:

a. U.S. takeover of railroads (before and after USRA)

b. U.S. and allied operation of railroads in Europe, including an extensive network of narrow gauge lines built right up to the front lines. Of course the Germans had these as well.

c. Additionally, there are footnotes on the small railroads in the Maginot Line, Lawrence of Arabia’s exploits in the Middle East railroad, and so on.

  1. WWII. Railroads in the U.S. and worldwide and the role they played in transporting troops and supplies.

  2. Post WWII; railroads continue providing a service, even during the war on terror.

  3. Subcategory of the history of armored railroads, from Civil War onward. A friend said the Serbs took a German WWII train out of a museum to use to shell Serijevo.

Sorry I don’t have any specific questions, as I’m right now just casting about for ideas of what’s been done already.

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David:

WWI, and somewhat in WWII, the world saw on the part of Germany, the use of some rather large, and heavy railway guns. A topic for which there does not seem to be good reference resources: Armored railroad trains are another area. The European theater was home to an assortment of these trains-- subjects touched on in the movie “Von Ryan’s Express,” and of course, James Bond’s escapades where he does one in with a Russian tank.

Due to the cloak of National security the role of railroads while open to the public view; did not see a lot of comment, public photography, or open railfanning; for obvious reasons. We all accept the key roll of North America’s [and I include Canada’s rails,as well] in the whole War effort, mostly there is only speculation on the part of interested railfans.

As you stated the USRA and American railroads; as well as the United States Army’s Railway Operation’s roles might be of interest to many too young to remember those times.

Good luck with your topic, and look forward to seeing the results!

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You asked what has already been written.Around 15 years ago an author wrote the book “Narrow Gauge to No Man’s Land” which is about WW I. I have read short war stories about standard gauge European railroads in old issues of Railroad Magazine. I wonder if anyone ever wrote a book about our military locomotives ? Joe

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a through account of RR’s in general durin wartime…from the Civil War “learn as you go” to modern combat and logistics…with emphasis on the shear drama that was WW2 American RR’s

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Where do I start with this?

Too many years ago I was a lieutenant in the US Army Transportation Corps, stationed at Ft. Eustis (home of the Transportation Corps) for my entire active duty time.

Well, I do know where I’d start, I’d start with just how seriously the US Army takes transportation and logistics. It’s organized into branches, or “Corps”, with one each specializing in a section of the “orchastra” that is required to make the Army work. One of these “Corps” is Transportation.

There are the obvious other ones…You’ve got your infantry, your artillery, your tanks, your air defence, etc. But most of the soldiers aren’t in these “Combat Arms”, they’re in transportation, medical, quartermaster etc. (Quartermaster cooks are very critical people, you can’t expect someone to go into combat without good nutrition, served in a manner that won’t make him sick, that will give him a pleasant experience, and that will give him something to look forward to when…and if… he comes back. Do that in a tent in the desert at the end of a supply line with your rifle at the ready to defend the perimiter and you’re a damn good soldier/cook.)

The Army is just totally serious about transportation. That’s where I’d start. Look at the Korean War, which was the last major use of the railway operating battalions. (I was taught that 95% of the tonnage in Korea moved through the 5 reserve ROB’s sent there.)

There’s only one reserve ROB left - but the Army insists on maintaining its own fleet of cargo vessels (sometimes the Navy has other priorities) and its own fleet (just expanded) of cargo planes (because sometimes the Air Force also has other priorities.) I’d start with just how important transportation is to any Army.

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I believe our own Robert E Lee may have arranged for a artillery to be behind proper armor on a rail car in the civil war era. Longstreet I think holds for mostest troops moved by rail in a strategic manner for purpose of giving battle.

The Union had the B&O which bore the brunt of the fighting and had Haupt who I think was thier wizard at organizing transport.

I believe works of engineering still survive to this day from that civil war time, I have heard of piles as big as telephone poles driven into swamp around Petersburg and still being used today by the NS.

Most certainly the rail was a part of our Civil War.

Today during the Afghanistan Invasion and prior to Iraq Invasion, solid trains of DOD flats screamed through town with just about everything that can carry anything military wheeled or tracked even tanks. They were mostly empty heading to places like Ft Hood ASAP. Once loaded they probably hoofed it to either the Gulf or west coast ports or perhaps to the east coast ports. I learned to recognize that unique rattle of those trains.

I believe St Louis is where it all happens in today’s transport of all forms.

But World War Two was drama and the glory with it’s massive tonnage and total dedication. One example was a complete ban on intra-coastal tanker traffic due to submarines and totally using tank cars from anywhere to anywhere in all directions around the USA is one example.

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thanks, all!!!

Last night I came to the same conclusion as Edgar, a book similar to Mahan’s Influence of Seapower Upon history, titled: The Influence of Railways Upon History, which probably will be shortened to “War Trains.” :slight_smile:

Lots of cool spicy anecdotes and so on, written so it is not as boring as these chapter titles may sound (this is just a rough outline)

Thanks for all your help and as I’m writing the book, I’ll be sure to ask some specific questions of fact or opinion.

The Influence of Railways Upon History

I. Introduction:

Rome, Greece, Turkey, Middle Ages, comparisons of gunpowder in China not used for firearms for many centuries

II. 1830-1865: Beginnings

A. Comparisons with canals, toll roads, network with shipping

B. Civil War (comparisons North and South in agriculture and industrial usage patterns, Jomini internal lines, armored trains)

C. Mexican War and Crimean War; earliest usages

III. 1866-1913: Expansion Years

A. Spanish-American War

B. Canada’s transcon and unifying the country

C. Franco-Prussian War, Frederick List, strategic usage by Germany

D. Europe, Japan and Russia (Trans-Siberian and other)

E. Brunel and Africa (compared with French efforts in Africa)

F. Asia, Dutch in Java

G. Mining and industrial lines

H. U.S. transcon, Panama transcon

IV. 1914-1918: World War I

A. USRA in United States

B. 2’ lines to the trenches in Europe

C. Lawrence of Arabia

D. German areas of Africa

E. Armored trains

V. 1919-1938: Modernization and Competition

A. Air and vehicular competition

B. Modernization

C. Armored trains

D. Japan’s exploitation of China and Pacific, South Asia area