Fort Drum, N.Y. and the 10th Mountain Division (LI)

Haven't been in Ft. Drum since the late 1970s, but at that time there was a direct connection to ConRail, previously Penn Central and before that New York Central. In the 1950s many northeastern National Guard units arrived at the fort via troop train for annual field training. Am sure, but not positive, that the fort is served by whatever concern succeeded ConRail.

The post does indeed continue to have rail service; however, it is one of the very few hosting a division but does not have its own US Army switchers.

the fort is served by CSX from the montreal secondary.I remember the troop trains in the 50s,several came up the utica branch of the DL+W and I believe went north on the NYC to the fort via boonville and carthage ny.about two weeks later the trains ran the same routing back to the south.the DL+W seemed to use any kind of power they had for this event. I remember seeing F and I think E units on some of these trains.normally the the utica branch used only GP7s.

charles

National Guard troop trains were operated by the Lehigh Valley RR. in the 1950s. These would come up from New Jersey via the MT to Sayre then over the Auburn branch to Auburn, NY where they would be turned over to the NYC and forwarded to Camp Drum. Power would be Alco RS2/3 or FA units.

What happened to the original question for this topic? Why was it deleted? It was about rail service to Fort Drum, N.Y.

Not sure; perhaps the orignial poster is willing to repost it?

Legio X wrote:What happened to the original question for this topic? Why was it deleted? It was about rail service to Fort Drum, N.Y.

This will definitely stop a train at Fort Drum!



Shot at Doolins Crossing on the Philadelphia - Carthage spur.

Depending on the part of Ft. Drum you're talking about it was either served by the line from Philadelphia to Carthage, or the line from Philadelphia to Watertown. They're both former NYC / RW&O.

I saw several trains of military equipment leave Ft. Drum via rail when Bush deployed the troups to Iraq. The troups were bused by the company I worked for, to the airport and flown by chartered Commercial jets from Ft. Drum military airport. While equipment, of various sizes went by rail. I worked for 2 months straight hauling military at Ft. Drum for the deployment. I saw enough that I know I would never pick a fight against the US military!

What the St. Lawrence Sub lacks in trains it more than makes up for in variety of power and the Drum trains provide plenty of that.

The coke trains used to draw CP/SOO power since I believe they originate somewhere out west on CP trackage. The reporting marks on most of the cars are SOO/CP/MILW. I only caught CP power once on these trains.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=531964
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=496022

The coal trains usually draw CSX power though its not all AC44s, it tends to be a lot of older and lease power. Cars are mostly CSX/CR and come from a couple different mines on CSX.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=669411
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http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=497644

The military trains usually draw foreign power depending on which base they originate from and whoever serves that base, which means its not unusual to see NS, BNSF, UP, or KCS power.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=669423
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=669431

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=669437
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=669443

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=669462
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=494922

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=495911
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=497565

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=497566
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They don't have US Army switchers but the power plant does have its own switcher for the coal/coke trains.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=669416

They also have recently built a couple sidings which increased their capacity from 3 trains to 5 trains that they can load/unload at one time.

The picture of the tank is great, but that tank won't be seeing action in Iraq anytime soon. It is one of the early model M-1 Abrams tanks. It's main gun is a rifled 105mm gun, unlike the smoothbore 120mm of the M-1A1, M-1A1HA and M-1A2 SEP which are in use over in Iraq now. It also lacks the digitized commo and IVIS gear of the M-1A2. This baseline M-1 also lacks the heavier turret armor of the later M-1's. It belongs to the 5th Squadron, 117th Cavalry of the NJARNG, 50th Brigade of the 42nd Infantry Division. If and when the 5/117th Cav is sent to Iraq, they will use M-1A1HA's or M-1A2 SEP's previously used in-country by another RA or ARNG tank outfit. These baseline M-1's at Fort Drum are just used for training. Ultimately, though, these baseline M-1's and IPM-1's from the early Eighties are sent to the Lima Army Tank Plant and Anniston Army Depot to be re-manufactured into M-1A2 SEP's.

The Library of Congress has a great website with many detailed pictures-railroad related or not.So some of these are not railroad related but are on Ft Drum property.
http://tinyurl.com/2kw2wc
the engine house
http://tinyurl.com/2q5gtm
Lumber storage
http://tinyurl.com/3dh9n3
Ordnance storage
http://tinyurl.com/28b5aw
Scale house
Some these buildings wound make some nice scratch building projects

I've seen old Russian Tanks being shipped by Rail to Ft. Drum a few times could these be captured tanks being shipped up to be used for target practice??

More likely for training aids.

I was at a conference at Fort Drum this week and went through their historical collection. Except for a BTR-50 APC and a BRDM Scout Car, there is no Soviet armor. Some artillery and a truck make up the remainder of the "Opposing Forces" collection. Don't know where the pieces would have gone. The armored vehicle targets on the firing ranges and impact areas are all American armor - primarily M113 APC's, M551 Sheridans, and some M48 series tanks.

On another note, regarding the M1 tank on the tracks. The 5-117 CAV currently has one troop deployed to Iraq and they went as dismounted forces. No tanks. As they transform to a RSTA (Reconnaisance, Surveillance, and Target Acquistion) battalion they will trade their "plain vanilla" M1's for Humvees and remotely piloted aircraft. No new M1A2's for them.

jd