We're looking for a few good railroaders

By William C. Vantuono, Editor

	Specialist Michael Adrian directs switching operations at the MOTSU/CSXT interchange at Leland, N.C.

The U.S. Army's railway operations, which play a vital role in national defense by moving ammunition and supplies to military ports for overseas deployment, may be the industry's best-kept secret. And the Army Reserve soldiers of the 1205th Transportation Railway Operating Battalion are some of the industry's best railroaders.

There are currently two Army railway operating battalions: the 757th, an overseas-deployable unit based in Milwaukee with a detachment in St. Louis (but relocating to Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass., in March), and the 1205th, based in Middletown, Conn., with a detachment at Military Ocean Terminal-Sunny Point (MOTSU), N.C. MOTSU, with nearly 100 track-miles, is the primary port facility of the Army's 597th Transportation Terminal Group (TTG), whose purpose is planning, coordinating, and executing the safe movement of units, munitions, and general cargo during peacetime and wartime at several East Coast ports for the Department of Defense.

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M/w training offered by the 1205th includes operation of tie inserters and other track machinery.

The soldiers of the 1205th, who call their unit the "Iron Horse Railway Battalion," number over 200-strong. Many are full-time railroaders who work for CSX Transportation, Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, NYC Transit, and several other carriers. During wartime, their mission is "to plan, coordinate, and supervise augmentation of railway transportation operations at the 597th TTG, MOTSU, or other Military Traffic Management Command installations, and to meet requirements in support of [Army] railway terminal, train, and maintenance-of-way operations." The 1205th was the only railway battalion activated for the Persian Gulf War in 1990. Its predecessor, the 729th Transportation Railway Services Unit, was one of the longest-serving Army active-duty and reserve railway battalions, having been deployed throughout Europe during World War II and in Korea.

During peacetime, the 1205th's focus is on training in the operating and m/w crafts: conductor, locomotive engineer, brakeman, locomotive repair specialist, and m/w section hand. The battalion's soldiers are split 60/40 between operating and m/w. Organized as three companies-Alpha ("A"), Bravo ("B"), and Charlie ("C")-its motto is "Come train with us." Monthly "drills" are conducted at several locations: MOTSU; Naval Weapons Station Earle, Colts Neck, N.J.; Pioneer Valley Railroad, Westfield, Mass.; Old Colony Railroad, Newport, R.I.; Danbury Rail Museum, Danbury, Conn.; and Steamtown USA, Scranton, Pa. The 1205th also performs track maintenance for the Connecticut Eastern Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

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Staff Sgt. Anthony Alston, also a CSXT Florence Subdivision conductor, prepares to uncouple cars bound for COGENTRIX at Leland Interchange.

Most of the training is "sustainment-based" in that it keeps the battalion prepared for active-duty mobilization in the event of war. "We hold ourselves to the same standards as any commercial railway operation," says Major Martin Piech.

The 1205th trains locomotive engineers to Federal Railroad Administration standards. Currently, it leases time on Long Island Rail Road's locomotive simulator, and is negotiating with Amtrak for use of its simulator at Wilmington, Del. Negotiations are also under way with New York Air Brake for lease of its TDS-4000 (Train-Dynamics Systems) mobile simulator.

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Sgt. Clement C. Burch, a conductor on CSXT's Florence Subdivision, checks the manifest with MOTSU switchman Paul Milner.

The operation at MOTSU is a good example of how the U.S. military cooperates with private industry. The base's FRA Class 2 rail operation interchanges with CSXT at Leland, N.C., and delivers cars to Carolina Power & Light, COGENTRIX, and Archer Daniels Midland Co. Munitions and other military supplies are handled on a rail network with 98 sidings, a capacity of nearly 900 boxcars, and break-bulk capability for palletized munitions. In recent years, MOTSU has been upgraded to handle intermodal traffic as the Army shifts its freight handling toward containerization.

The Department of Defense spends about $20 million annually on supplies to support its 2,400 track-miles, 181 locomotives, and 3,336 freight cars at bases throughout the U.S. It depends upon the railroads for many military shipments. CSXT alone does about $25 million in annual business with the Army.

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When not wearing military fatigues, Sgt. Brian Hakey is a locomotive engineer for the Housatonic Railroad, Canaan, Conn. He's seen here at the throttle of MOTSU GP40 4647.

The 1205th is actively seeking new recruits. For further information, contact the battalion's headquarters at 499 Mile Lane, Middletown, CT 06457-1809; tel. (860) 632-2117. The 1205th also hosts a website, www.1205thtrob.com.