Wartime Trains: OWI and US Army Railroad Film

[@BalticFilms144]

I loved seeing footage of one of the preserved Big Boys on service

[@billtimmons7071]

Look at all those GI's and civilians training and mobilizing to defeat fascist empires. Our grandparents at work. At least our ancestors gave a damn. I like the music .. it matches the scenes. Good artistry on this one. Thank you.

[@billneal8995]

Love the trains of that Era. Thank you!

[@michaela.chmieloski3196]

Though employed periodically by Eastern lines on certain locomotive classes (the Baltimore and Ohio's "Big Six" 2-10-2 types immediately come to mind), the Vanderbilt tanks with their cylindrical cisterns as seen in this presentation's opening were definitely a favorite of both the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads. Vanderbilts were found on the smallest of branch line locomotives all the way up to some of the largest mainline power. 4:15 A Rosie the Riveter makes a cameo appearance atop a vintage fork truck. Neat.

[@oldenweery7510]

Excellent! Your videos are always nice and clear and can get the blood of dedicated steam fans to sizzle. World War Two was a time of heroes, military and civilian, and the organization of the nation's railroads during both World Wars was a far cry from the disorganized, messes of the nineteenth century conflicts. (We won't count the loss of several historic roads during the USRA period. Sic Transit Gloria, Colorado Midland.) Thanks. Stay safe, everyone.

[@allegheny48]

Another excellent compilation with an appropriate musical score added. Seeing some of those old consolidations hauling freight was interesting. Might have been done that way since more modern engines might not have been available for the film makers. Thanks for putting this together and looking forward to your next one.

[@SpeedGraphicFilmVideo]

Wikipedia article about Camp Claiborne says that the railroad had many problems because of old equipment like the ancient slide-valve, inside-motion Consolidation seen here. But it was probably good preparation for what the GI's would see in the way of equipment overseas.

[@oldenweery7510]

The locomotives built for service in European after D-day were also Consolidation types, with piston valves and Walschaerts valve gear, as well as European buffers and their link and screw couplers. More Consols were built than any other type, so they were a good fit: not too big, nor too small, and uncomplicated. I believe many of them stayed on and did yeoman duty rebuilding after we'd left, just as many of the WWI engines were still in evidence when we got there. Thank you, Mr. Mitchell! Stay safe.

[@SpeedGraphicFilmVideo]

@Allegheny48, I have need of your expertise. Can you tell me where the Huletts in this film were located? catalog.archives.gov/id/57997 Outside of the Duluth shots, any other locations you recognize? Many thanks, RB

[@allegheny48]

@@SpeedGraphicFilmVideo Hi Rich. The Huletts shown at the 1:40 mark have to be Conneaut, OH since you can see the hopper cars of the Bessemer & Lake Erie RR lined up behind the boat deck. That railroad only took iron ore and coal out of Conneaut. I don't feel that the footage leading up to that is of Conneaut harbor. I do believe the footage showing a cluster of ore boats waiting is Conneaut. After that the footage showing a boat alongside a coal dumper may have been Conneaut. The only other Lake Erie port that I am aware of that had film coverage of ore being unloaded was Cleveland's Whiskey Island terminal.They had 4 Huletts and were basically on the lake front and not in a harbor. That facility was served by the Pennsylvania RR. Where did you find this gem?

[@SpeedGraphicFilmVideo]

@allegheny48 thanks again for your expertise. This footage comes from the US National Archives, which has done some really high-quality digital transfers recently. I'm still digging through this trove, which encompasses hundreds of reels of film.

[@sharpshooter012345]

Thank you for the upload.

[@tmwinkler]

Thanks for sharing this time capsule

[@BenBensonStudios]

This is some great footage of steam in WWII.

[@PetersTrainz]

Southern Pacific at 5:06.

[@T128Productions]

No it’s 0:59 through 1:13.

[@Tanks_at_22]

Excellent footage thanks for sharing.

[@TickledFunnyBone]

almost looks though the number board says 4014 rolling out of ogden.

[@rogermaes6001]

Great ! Thank you !

[@AlexTrain5249]

Judging from the tenders in the first shot, they look like SP.

[@Shadowfax-1980]

The Arsenal of Democracy

[@Wiesel_1A2]

This is my tablet and world war three one the Union Pacific big boys will get better too BNSF and all of the railroads will start loading materials up and then the up railroad will bring back up better big boy

[@castercamber]

And all safe from Stuka dive-bombers. Oceans make a difference.

[@ernestogo19]

thx for de Big one of galaxy railways oh he is not the big one he is the big boi