Military railroad service has played a major role in transportation history. Formed in 1862 as part of the Union Army, the Military Railroad Service quickly became an important transportation resource in the Civil War. In World War I, more than 69,000 troops were dedicated to providing railroad transportation, and more than 43,000 personnel worked in the railroad service in World War II. The Korean War was the first conflict in which the host nation provided military rail transportation.
Over the years, economics has played the role of "the revolving door" in both military and civilian railroad communities. The Army inactivated its last active rail component in 1974. The U.S. Army Reserve's (USAR's) 757th Transportation Railway Battalion in West Allis, Wisconsin, and the 1205th Railway Operating Battalion in Middletown, Connecticut (which has a detachment in Sunny Point, North Carolina), are the only railroad units remaining in service.
During the 1970's and 1980's, the civilian railroad industry downsized and suffered heavy personnel layoffs. Many major carriers sold their low-profit, underused rail lines. Fortunately, civilian rail transportation experienced substantial economic growth in the 1990's. Much of this recovery is attributed to changes in Federal Railroad Administration regulation and certification, purchases of new equipment, and research and development in modernizing rail systems.
At the onset of Operation Desert Storm, the Army discovered that the commercial rail transportation industry lacked sufficient manpower and equipment to meet military requirements in the United States. The 757th Transportation Railway Battalion and the Sunny Point detachment of the 1205th Railway Operating Battalion (known then as the 1205th Transportation Railway Services Unit) were activated during the first phase of Operation Desert Storm to support railroad operations at military installations and depots, and they remained on active duty until all units in the Persian Gulf were redeployed to their home stations. After Desert Storm, many installations and depots expressed concern about the effectiveness of rail support of any future conflicts.
No doubt influenced by lessons learned in Operation Desert Storm, the Army has experienced a renewed recognition of the importance of military railroad service. In 1995, railroad proponent offices were established in the Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) at Fort Lee, Virginia, and in the Army Transportation School at Fort Eustis, Virginia, to oversee certification, training, and licensing of civilian and military railroad personnel. Requirements for effective worldwide railroad operations have been included in the Total Army Analysis. The importance of a viable military railroad service was validated again last summer when some members of the 757th Transportation Railway Battalion deployed to Bosnia to support Operation Joint Endeavor.
Transportation is the core of strategic mobility, and rail operations are the backbone of any major deployment. Throughout history, the railroad system has been a reliable and cost-effective transportation service. When we contemplate the "rightsizing" of the military that is taking place and the Army's critical dependence on strategic mobility to deploy its forces, we must not forget the importance and reliability of rail support of military operations, both in the United States and abroad. The success of future military deployments depends heavily on the Army's ability to retain and support transportation. As experience in Operations Desert Storm and Joint Endeavor indicates, the military railroad system is an important resource for providing that support. We must not let this valuable service become a dinosaur. ALOG
Major John A. Watkin,s USAR, is an Active Guard Reserve transportation officer assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. He received a bachelor's degree in liberal arts from New York University. He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and a member of the Army Acquisition Corps.