US Army Transportation Museum, Newport News VA

[UserNameRequired]

A visit to the US Army Transportation Museum recently. It is inside Joint Base Langley-Eustis so there is a security line to go through. If you are a US citizen in good standing with ID I think they let you in. A DOD id is likely good too. That Navy Inspection Car 118 seemed to not be around. The Berlin Duty Train car and caboose were interesting. Some of the diesel locomotive descriptions talked of being designed for quick gauge change, not sure how that works. I see non F couplers on a fair amount of equipment.

Some pictures:

 

[UserNameRequired]

More:

 

[UserNameRequired]

Even more:

 

[Willbridge]

A visit to the US Army Transportation Museum recently. It is inside Joint Base Langley-Eustis so there is a security line to go through. If you are a US citizen in good standing with ID I think they let you in. A DOD id is likely good too. That Navy Inspection Car 118 seemed to not be around. The Berlin Duty Train car and caboose were interesting. Some of the diesel locomotive descriptions talked of being designed for quick gauge change, not sure how that works. I see non F couplers on a fair amount of equipment.

Some pictures:

It's always a bit weird to see part of one's life in a museum. Thanks for posting these excellent photos of the collection.

A note regarding the Berlin cabooses. They were used on the fortnightly freight train run over the Deutsche Reichsbahn line between West Germany and isolated West Berlin. In later years, they also were used at times for the crew on the low ridership Bremerhaven <> Berlin train. Army railroading has mostly involved reservists and "civilian acquired skills" draftees and they bring their civilian preferences with them -- therefore, cupolas AND bay windows.

Here's a look at them in 1969.


I was headed out on my first trip "downtown" -- note the handy, folding Falkplan map.

 

[railiner]

Thanks for this post...I had no idea of the existence of this museum.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

If you find time in San Antonio, TX.

The Army Medical Museum has a Hospital Railcar on display. Not sure about the access since 9-11. The whole museum is worth visiting for a few hours.

 

[railiner]

Amtrak "inherited" several of those, which were rebuilt into the 3100 series lounge cafes during the HEP era. They were in the consists of many Eastern long-haul trains. You could easily spot them account of their lack of windows for long stretches...

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2696331

 

[Willbridge]

We used a hospital car on the Bremerhaven<>Berlin train as the only passenger car in slack times. As a Spec4 or Spec5 I could get a two-person compartment to myself, with a wash basin and a toilet shared with the adjacent room. Those rooms were meant for medical staff. On our well-known Frankfurt<>Berlin train I would have been put in a six-berth liegewagen (couchette) compartment, which we called a Troop Sleeper.

There are some U.S. Army cars in various conditions that have been saved by European fans, as well as a WWII Mikado with an American chime whistle. There also is a French Train Militaire cafe-sleeper preserved by the Allied Museum in Berlin. (Which is pretty funny when one considers past French & German experiences with a dining car.)

I don't know if any of our European-built hospital train cars has been preserved. They might be kicking around in southern Europe somewhere.

 

[Bandob]

It is really nice to see this museum and this part of railroad history being preserved. In 1970, the Railroad at Fort Eustis was using steam power, and periodically had trips for the public. Here's a photo I took of the train in October, 1970 when it hosted a trip for the Washington DC chapter, NRHS.

 

[Bandob]

This is a message for "User Name Required": Hello, I will be doing a Zoom presentation in March for the DCNRHS about Military railroading and their 1970 excursion. May I use some of your photos in the presentation? They are great to show things as they are today. I'd give you credit as photographer, and send you the Zoom link if you want to see it. Thanks.More:

 

[Willbridge]

I have some more information on the Berlin rail operation, if you are interested. And the public and operating timetables are posted in my website.

https://www.berlin1969.com/documents-papiere/

 

[UserNameRequired]

"This is a message for "User Name Required": Hello, I will be doing a Zoom presentation in March for the DCNRHS about Military railroading and their 1970 excursion. May I use some of your photos in the presentation? They are great to show things as they are today. I'd give you credit as photographer, and send you the Zoom link if you want to see it. Thanks."

@Bandob Yes please use the pictures for your meeting or any other use you see fit. I will attach the rest of any train related ones (I have even more of their non-train displays) of what I took that were semi-duplicates or semi-not interesting in case they suit your use better. These were taken mid-January, 2024.

The nice young lady running their front desk did recommend without me asking that if I wanted to see the trains first to take a left to bypass the normal route. It made me suspicious of what I was wearing or leaking in my behavior that showed I wanted to see the trains first? (I wear very generic clothing and try my best to not stand out in a crowd on purpose) I have interest in Military Vehicle history too, and if given the chance to purchase a M35A2C truck would likely buy one for fun at the right price. I have too many other projects though...

 

[Asher]

I have some more information on the Berlin rail operation, if you are interested. And the public and operating timetables are posted in my website.

https://www.berlin1969.com/documents-papiere/

Redact. Interesting Documentary.

 

[Bandob]

"This is a message for "User Name Required": Hello, I will be doing a Zoom presentation in March for the DCNRHS about Military railroading and their 1970 excursion. May I use some of your photos in the presentation? They are great to show things as they are today. I'd give you credit as photographer, and send you the Zoom link if you want to see it. Thanks."

@Bandob Yes please use the pictures for your meeting or any other use you see fit. I will attach the rest of any train related ones (I have even more of their non-train displays) of what I took that were semi-duplicates or semi-not interesting in case they suit your use better. These were taken mid-January, 2024.

The nice young lady running their front desk did recommend without me asking that if I wanted to see the trains first to take a left to bypass the normal route. It made me suspicious of what I was wearing or leaking in my behavior that showed I wanted to see the trains first? (I wear very generic clothing and try my best to not stand out in a crowd on purpose) I have interest in Military Vehicle history too, and if given the chance to purchase a M35A2C truck would likely buy one for fun at the right price. I have too many other projects though...

Thank you very much for the permission to use your photos. Here's a photo of the 607, the one you saw recently, as it was in operation in 1970.