I have just been reading two interesting books about railways on the western front during WW1 and the important role they played. It concentrates on the systems behind the British and Commonwealth front lines.
The vast network of lines nearest the front were mostly 60cm (circa two foot) gauge and operated either by petrol locomotives near the front lines and steam further back. They acted as the essential link between standard guage lines and the front lines. The earlier locomotives were mostly supplied by Hunslet of Leeds but most engines were acquired from Baldwin's in the USA where they could produce the numbers required quickly. Several of these engines are still giving good service around the world some operating on the Festiniog railway.
Special companies of men were formed mainly from railway men and they soon became expert at quickly laying and repairing track as well as rerailing locomotives. Engines were fitted with transverse steel beams underneath preventing the wheels from grounding between the rails. Entire freight yards were built with rolling stock repair facilities. There are examples of barns being pressed into service as sheds. One special train was fully equipped as a workshop with a generator car to supply lathes and other machinery. Much manual labour was required to transfer goods from standard to narrow gauge stock at the railheads and Chinese Coolies were brought in to help. Intitially formed from British and Canadian railway men operating in separate companies they were later joined by specially recruited companies of US railway - err sorry railroad men who took over sections of the line. Indeed it was one of the first things they did when arriving in Europe even before they joined combat.
Most of the track was single line and was operated by placing telephone posts at key points which communicated movements to central control points in each operating sector. The lines carried ordnance, men, food, a great deal of timber (duckboards, trench supports and railway sleepers) track ballast, coal, and all the other materials of war required and they hauled away scrap such as used shell cases for reuse as well as the wounded. Most operations nearest the front line or in sight of the enemy took place at night in total darkness
This is a very much neglected history and there is now little, if anything, left of these lines in situ. I think it might make a great Trainz project for the narrow minded amongst us.
One source of these books is the specialist bookseller Camden books
http://www.camdenmin.co.uk/
Les
The vast network of lines nearest the front were mostly 60cm (circa two foot) gauge and operated either by petrol locomotives near the front lines and steam further back. They acted as the essential link between standard guage lines and the front lines. The earlier locomotives were mostly supplied by Hunslet of Leeds but most engines were acquired from Baldwin's in the USA where they could produce the numbers required quickly. Several of these engines are still giving good service around the world some operating on the Festiniog railway.
Special companies of men were formed mainly from railway men and they soon became expert at quickly laying and repairing track as well as rerailing locomotives. Engines were fitted with transverse steel beams underneath preventing the wheels from grounding between the rails. Entire freight yards were built with rolling stock repair facilities. There are examples of barns being pressed into service as sheds. One special train was fully equipped as a workshop with a generator car to supply lathes and other machinery. Much manual labour was required to transfer goods from standard to narrow gauge stock at the railheads and Chinese Coolies were brought in to help. Intitially formed from British and Canadian railway men operating in separate companies they were later joined by specially recruited companies of US railway - err sorry railroad men who took over sections of the line. Indeed it was one of the first things they did when arriving in Europe even before they joined combat.
Most of the track was single line and was operated by placing telephone posts at key points which communicated movements to central control points in each operating sector. The lines carried ordnance, men, food, a great deal of timber (duckboards, trench supports and railway sleepers) track ballast, coal, and all the other materials of war required and they hauled away scrap such as used shell cases for reuse as well as the wounded. Most operations nearest the front line or in sight of the enemy took place at night in total darkness
This is a very much neglected history and there is now little, if anything, left of these lines in situ. I think it might make a great Trainz project for the narrow minded amongst us.
One source of these books is the specialist bookseller Camden books
http://www.camdenmin.co.uk/
Les
