US Army purchases old VRE locomotives & gallery cars

The US Army subsequently contacted VRE with an interest in purchasing up to three GP39 locomotives and up to twelve gallery railcars. Since previous Board authority remains for only the locomotives and sale of five gallery cars (and the Army requested twelve), a Request for Interest (RFI) was posted on the VRE website for the extra seven railcars. To-date, VRE has received no additional offers.

VRE and the United States Army are still negotiating the terms of the agreement, including price and the release date of the equipment. Due to the need for Commission approval and an interest by the United States Army to expedite delivery, authorization is being sought at this time for the Chief Executive Officer to complete negotiation of the sales agreement, including a potential lease on commercially reasonable terms prior to closing; execute it; and then conclude the sale with concurrence by VRE legal counsel

http://www.vre.org/about/Ops_board_item ... _Equip.pdf

I wonder what US Army plans to do with the equipment, since they are the end of their useful lives

davinp wrote:I wonder what US Army plans to do with the equipment, since they are the end of their useful lives

Interesting, I'm wondering the same thing. I think they still have some life left though, especially since the Army won't likely be flogging them back and forth in commuter service everyday.

I can think of a few.. They might want them for teaching warefare in an urban environment.

Maybe even in situations where some of their units may train in rescue operations where large resources are needed (or in the event of "domestic terrorists"). Can't teach ingress/egress without equipment...Or perhaps they want to know how explosives would effect rolling stock. Maybe they need to haul soldiers around a base with existing tracks. I'm really reaching here if you can't tell. For all I know it could be because some soldier is a huge railfan and convinced the right people to buy some old cars so he can look at them.

I looked into it and found there is a proposal to run troop trains from the training center at Fort Lee, near Petersburg, to Fort A. P. Hill, for field training instead of sending them by bus. Currently there is no rail spur into Fort A. P. Hill, so one would have to be built or a siding and platform constructed at a point near the post along the CSX (ex-RF&P) main line. Amtrak crews would likely operate the trains. Details such as where the locomotives and cars would be stored and maintained have not been nailed down.

Training of Ordnance soldiers at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, and Transportation soldiers at Fort Eustis, VA, is being consolidated with Quartermaster soldier training at Fort Lee, so there will be a substantial number of troops to shuttle to and from Fort A. P. Hill for field training. We'll see if the era of troops trains is really over after all.

Wonder if they'll revive the old US Military Railroads livery?

This is very true, RailVet. Didn't put two and two together and I live there! The Ordinance school is indeed coming to A.P. Hill and I remember the discussion of having a spur for use by the Army and another going out towards Dahlgren in King George. Depending on where the actual training is taking place on base, Woodford is not far from the western border of A.P. Hill. I wonder if they've done any sort of environment impact tests to see where a spur could be laid out...

The impression I received from my inquiries is that much of this is still up in the air, so it's hard to say where a spur would be built, if one is built at all. If I hear anything further, I'll post it here.

Dahlgren did indeed have a line at one time that went from Dahlgren Junction, just north of Fredericksburg, east to the naval base in Dahlgren. Today it only extends as far as industrial customers in Sealston and most of the rest has been, or is being, converted to trail use. I know of no plans to reconnect the naval base with the national railroad system.

As for using the old US Military Railroads livery, I doubt it. The Army uses the colors of the Transportation Corps for its locomotives and I expect it would put the same paint scheme on any motive power it acquires from VRE. Here's a picture of what one can expect:

http://military.railfan.net/locos/USAUSAF/usa4647.JPG

As for the cars, we'll probably see nothing fancier than U.S. ARMY put on the sides.

This morning (8-24-2010) I heard a news item on WAMU 88.5 FM radio on this subject. It sounded like the deal to sell some locomotives and older gallery cars to Army was going to proceed, but it would restrict VRE from adding to their current level of service until 2015. Amtrak would provide the operating crews.

jhdeasy wrote:This morning (8-24-2010) I heard a news item on WAMU 88.5 FM radio on this subject. It sounded like the deal to sell some locomotives and older gallery cars to Army was going to proceed, but it would restrict VRE from adding to their current level of service until 2015. Amtrak would provide the operating crews.

I was under the impression that the major limitation restricting VRE service was the storage capacity at Ivy City, not the number of old Galley cars hanging around.
But, it is nice to see the US Army also believes it's better to send one train to move personnel than use several buses.

Where will his train run? I'd very much like to catch it on camera!

Davis

strench707 wrote:Where will his train run? I'd very much like to catch it on camera!

Davis

It would operate between Fort Lee and Fort A. P. Hill and return, on an "as needed" basis, as an Amtrak special train. The purpose would be to quickly and efficiently move large number of troops to/from training exercises.

The Virginia Railway Express Operations Board has given commuter-rail officials the green light to sell rail cars and locomotives to the Army, which is looking for new ways to move military personnel between bases.

If the Army makes the purchase, it would limit VRE from expanding service until 2015 but wouldn't affect service now, VRE spokesman Mark Roeber said. However, VRE can dispose of only 10 now to ensure that enough backup equipment is available.

It would cost VRE several hundred thousand dollars to dispose of the old railcars that they purchased for just $1. VRE plans to purchase 30 more new railcars. They will issue a procurement at next month's board meeting. The Army believes trains are safer than buses

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... tml?sub=AR

Was there ever a rail siding to A. P. Hill? If so any maps showing it online?

CarterB wrote:Was there ever a rail siding to A. P. Hill? If so any maps showing it online?

Just because there isn't a spur to the base now doesn't mean the Army can't build one in the future.