U.S. Army Railroad - MAINTENANCE OF RAILWAY CAR

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Job training for a railway operations crewmember requires 10 weeks of Basic Combat Training and five weeks of Advanced Individual Training with on-the-job instructions. Part of this time is spent in the classroom and part in the field. Total compensation includes housing, medical, food, special pay, and vacation time. Learn more about total compensation. Visit Jobs in Demand to see if this job qualifies for an enlistment bonus. In the Army, qualified students can earn full-tuition, merit-based scholarships, allowances for books and fees, plus an annual stipend for living expenses.

Learn more about education benefits. The skills you learn will help prepare you for a career with privately owned national railway chains or government-operated railroad companies. Those interested in this job may be eligible for civilian employment, after the Army, by enrolling in the Army PaYS program. The PaYS program is a recruitment option that guarantees a job interview with military friendly employers that are looking for experienced and trained Veterans to join their organization.

Railway equipment repairers are primarily responsible for supervising or performing maintenance on diesel-electric locomotives and rolling stock. Rail operations in a theater may consist of a broad initial or preinvasion plan based on limited available intelligence data. As more detailed data becomes available, the initial plan is modified. Initial or preinvasion planning provides general estimates of the potential movement capability of a particular railway system in the theater. Military railway operations are accomplished in three phases.

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These phases are normally conducted in sequence. However, depending on military requirements, a phase II or phase III operation may be initiated without progression through the preceding phases or regress to a previous phase. These phases aim to reduce requirements for military units and personnel for railway operations.

In discussing these phases, the terms "civilian labor" and "host nation support" are not synonymous terms, as HNS can be other than civilian labor.

Railway Operations Crewmember (88U)

Only military personnel conduct phase I operations. Personnel use this phase during the early stages of a military operation. Phase I is used in or near the CZ where there is a need for the military and where security restricts the employment of civilians. This phase is a joint civilian-military operation under direct military supervision. In this phase, military and local civilian railway personnel operate and maintain the railway lines.

Local civilian railway personnel operate and maintain rail lines under the direction and supervision of the highest military railway echelon in the theater. The operation is established as soon as practical. Under this operation, military railway personnel may be released for duty in more critical areas. Existing railway facilities support military operations in a theater. Communications and railway signal facilities may be damaged, destroyed, or inoperative. This may include any form of centralized traffic control, electrically-operated interlocking plants, and automatic block signal systems.

Rail transport operations uses the following four methods of train operations in a theater. This operation Figure is an emergency measure and is discontinued as soon as possible because it limits railway capacity. Upon entry into a theater, communications may not exist. There may be only a single stretch of track with no sidings or passing tracks.

Loaded trains are run forward until the tracks at the railhead are full. Trains are then unloaded and returned to the port or point of origin.

Rail Transport Operations

Grouped trains also make good targets for the enemy. This operation Figure permits the train to operate from one block to the next in a station. The train operates from one block station to another under authority of the train-movement operator or station agent. The two types of block operations used are positive and permissive. In this operation, the use of the block is limited to one train at a time. The train can stop if it is attacked or if the line is obstructed.

It can also back up to the last station passed or to a safe place and wait until the track is secure before proceeding. This operation has definite security advantages, but the permissive operation is more efficient. In this operation, more than one train is moving in the same direction. Therefore, the trains may occupy the same block at the same time. During this operation, the communications system must be adequate and dependable. Sufficient sidings and passing tracks must also be available. The dispatcher issues train orders and controls movement.

A train order remains in effect until it is fulfilled, superseded, or annulled. A train order authorizes movement of trains when not provided for by timetable. Chapter 4 describes a train order operation. Use the timetable operation in the theater when traffic is stabilized. The timetable contains schedules and special instructions relating to train operation.

It is also the authority for movement of trains. Since military train operations usually consist of extra trains not shown in the timetable, use the train order operation in conjunction with a timetable for maximum effect. See Chapter 4 for more discussion on timetable operation. The four methods of train operation are generally used in the order discussed and progress to the more flexible and precise timetable operation in stabilized rear areas.

Use existing tracks and facilities as much as possible as the theater of operations expands. Captured track is rehabilitated as needed. If possible, avoid new track construction because of the manpower required. However, when new construction would take less time and manpower than rehabilitation, it may be advisable to construct new track and facilities. You can use panel track for quick repairs and new construction in the theater.

They can be built ahead of time and stored until needed. The following are those facilities that may require rehabilitation or new construction. When new construction is required, plans for the location and layout of tracks should consider current and future requirements. For rehabilitation, the general track surface must be good enough to meet immediate requirements. Track improvement is undertaken only as necessary to meet minimum requirements for safe operation.

Adequate service facilities for example fuel, sand, and water servicing facilities are of vital importance in railway operations. Normally, railway cars spend over half of their useful life in terminals. If proper facilities do not exist or are not fully used, congestion can occur.

On newly constructed or rehabilitated lines, signals of the simplest kind are installed. Automatic block signals and interlocking switches are maintained and used only if they exist. If used, they require tight security since they are highly vulnerable to sabotage. The most dependable and fastest method of dispatching trains is by telephone.

Fort Eustis Military Railroad

Existing telegraph lines are easily converted for telephone operations. If sidings are equipped with telephone boxes, train crews help the train dispatcher to move trains in emergencies. Roundhouses and turntables are easily recognizable from the air. In an area subject to enemy attack, enginehouse facilities may have to be avoided.

If roundhouses and turntables do exist, precautions should be taken to ensure that locomotives would not become useless if the facilities were disabled. Newly constructed enginehouses should be simple frame structures without complicated windows and doors. Rail units are responsible for the security of railway installations, equipment, and rail shipments. Security measures of railway installations, equipment, and rail shipments at all levels of rail transport operations are command responsibilities.

However, commanders of rail units do not have adequate organic personnel to provide necessary active security along rail lines or to guard bridges, tunnels, yards, and so forth without hampering the primary rail mission of maintaining and operating a military railroad. Commanders must take all active and passive security measures that are within their capabilities. Commanders of rail units must then cooperate and coordinate with area commanders and local security agencies to the maximum extent consistent with performance of the rail mission.

Army operations will be fought deep, close-in, and in the rear. The enemy will attack on the entire depth and width of the battlefield to obtain victory. These attacks will introduce threat forces with tremendous destructive capabilities in a rear battlefield composed mostly of CS and CSS units.

Main targets for enemy forces are the rail lines and facilities. Units must protect against attempts to disrupt their operations. Since supporting combat operations is the primary requirement for all CSS operations, units must not divert assets to security and defense that would significantly reduce their support capability. Detecting the enemy is the responsibility of every soldier in the rear area. Detection is achieved by observation, reconnaissance, and surveillance.

It is performed during all weather and light conditions and on any terrain throughout the rear area. Report any unusual or suspected activity. Use active and passive measures to stop the enemy. Detection efforts include the following:.

These efforts provide early warning of enemy infiltration attempts or the use of chemical or nuclear weapons. They also aid in preventing reactions to false alarms such as movements by friendly persons, defectors, or refugees. You may use armored trains to patrol track where sabotage is expected. Locomotives are preceded by two or more cars loaded with sandbags or hard-packed dirt for protection against mines and obstructions. On a single-tracked rail division subject to attack, employ the positive block method of operation.

This method allows the train to move forward or backward if the track is blocked. If the train is unable to move or complete its mission, the escort commander must defend the train with all available personnel. If there is no escort, the senior occupant who is appointed before departure must defend the train. The consignor shipper must ensure that carload freight is secure until the car is coupled to a locomotive and leaving the loading site. Personnel must inform shippers of their responsibilities. Before loading a car, the shipper should thoroughly inspect it to see that it meets security requirements.

The shipper must properly stow and brace the load and close and seal boxcars and closed cars. Improperly braced or stowed loads are susceptible to damage by train movement and pilferage. For best protection when sealing closed cars, the shipper will tightly twist inch lengths of number 8- or gauge wire through the locking eyes and closely snub off the wire ends. Numbered seals add no additional protection, but do indicate tampering if broken.

Use securely fastened tarpaulins to cover shipments in open-top cars when protection is required. Small items shipped on flatcars should be securely fastened to the car deck. Personnel will inspect open-top carloads before movement to ensure that they are properly loaded and that the loads meet clearance requirements.

Personnel are responsible for security of shipments from point of origin to destination consignee delivery. Personnel must document rail shipments to effect prompt movement and prevent cars from going astray. Yardmasters and chief dispatchers must coordinate with yard or train crews when the escort or guard personnel ride in or on cars containing sensitive material. Guard crews check car seals or door fastenings at every stop. They must also keep a trip record by car number and lading of all cars guarded.

They should record deficiencies or events that occur en route. Relief guards take over and sign this record, which also serves as a delivery receipt. The trip record is transmitted through MP channels to the unit at the end of the trip or when the record is completed. When a car containing critical or pilferable supplies is set off en route, one or more of the train guard crew must be detailed to remain with the car. MP units will provide proper security for freight in transit.

Based on assets available, MP units may provide security for freight in railway yards. Consignees assume responsibility for the security of loaded freight cars at the time they are placed at the designated depot or other unloading track. Unload cars as quickly as possible to reduce the chance of pilferage. Use care when removing wire or seals from closed cars to avoid breaking the car door latches. The TA is responsible for reconstruction and rehabilitation of railway communications landlines. Use cable as the primary means of communication for train operations.

Rail units must perform the following:. The transportation railway battalion installs, operates, and maintains organizational communications for administrative use. The railway battalion uses wire facilities as one of its primary means of communication to dispatch trains in a theater of operations.

The following are the three communication circuits provided for operations within each railway division. Use this exclusively to control train movements by train order and to control trains through towermen and station agents within a division. The division dispatcher may call each way station independently or all stations simultaneously. The division dispatcher monitors the line at all times.

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Way station personnel may talk to the dispatcher on this circuit without signaling. Use this with the block system operation within a division. Also use this for the following:. Way stations are connected to each other and to the division dispatcher. Any station may contact another station through code signaling. This joins a division dispatcher with the adjacent division dispatcher. Use this for written transmission of train consists, operational orders, movement programs, general instructions, and miscellaneous messages.

This circuit may be superimposed upon the message circuit. Mobile and fixed radio communications increase efficiency, control, coordination, and safety of train movements. Radio equipment is organic to railway operating units and its use is a normal part of rail operations. Use radio communications in yards, main track, and other operations.

As an insecure means of communication, radio is subject to exploitation by hostile communications intelligence and EW activities. Radio communications in yard operations have the following advantages:.