Moves of military equipment to/from Ft. Lewis Washington (near Tacoma) via BNSF are not unheard of.
The most prominent rail-related change on base (well, as viewed from Interstate 5 which runs through the base) over the last couple of decades has been demolition of platforms and tracks for boarding troops on passenger trains. Troop trains, at least in the Northwest, are a thing of the past.
VERY common to see 2 and 3 section rail moves of tanks and support vehicles in Colorado out of Ft. Carson(Colorado Springs), Pinon Canyon Manuever Site (Built 1985, Between Trinidad & La Junta), Ft. Hood, TX…Military escorts ride in cabeese and on a trailing unit in the engine consists. Lots of DODX 6-Axle flatcars and commercial 100T flatcars… Ft. Carson has been so busy that they leased additional engines to run on their freshly rebuilt railroad.
Does Ft. Carson have it’s own railroad equipment? Who maintains and operates it? Military personnel or civilians?
i used to see trains of approx. 50 to 60 86ft all-purpose flats go thru roseville with 2 20ft containers full of ordinance each.
(1) Military has its own equipment (including reddish brown GP-9R switch engines), maintains it & operates it. UPRR & BNSF interchange with them at Kelker, CO. (there periodically are civilian contractors around for various reasons, but the base can handle all facets if need be - so I’ve been told.) A civilian contractor recently came in and did a major bridge and track upgrade.
(2) Pinon Canon Maneuver Site (at Simpson, CO on BNSF’s Raton Sub.) is switched by BNSF, mechanical inspections are BNSF and the base maintains the lead track and yard.
The CPR recently moved the British armoured unit from Montreal to Alberta, does it I think every year.
I’ve saw a military transport train in June of 2001 so obviously they move equipment in peace time. I was at Kansas City Union Station to see the UP Challenger when I saw the military train. It was headed east. Probably going somewhere for summer training exercises. Probably more efficient and quicker than sending equipment by plane, I suppose. Does anyone know if that’s true and from where to where do they come from and go to?
Hello all
A lot of the 101st Airborne equipment moved by rail to the port in Jacksonville from here in the Nashville area. In one of the first moves, I think somebody broke into one of the cars & stole equipment from the train. I saw a lot of movement of new UP pulled trains operating on the CSX connection to Memphis. Lots of tanks & trucks & humvees & other stuff. We don’t have any Amtrak service so there can’t be any troop trains, but not all the heavy equipment flies. I think a lot of the equipment moved on I-24 to be placed on the flacars. I could simply park in my bank’s parking lot and wait for the 6:30 to roll by.