page_title: Trans-Iranian Railway
section_title: US and Soviet operation 1942–45
hierarchical_section_title: Trans-Iranian Railway / World War II / US and Soviet operation 1942–45
caption_attribution_description: English: Following the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, American and British railroad crews who are taking supplies for Russia. Somewhere in Iran
context_page_description: The Trans-Iranian Railway was a major railway building project started in 1927 and completed in 1938, under the direction of the Persian monarch, Reza Shah, and entirely with indigenous capital. It links the capital Tehran with the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea. The railway connected Bandar Shah in the north and Bandar Shahpur in the south via Ahvaz, Ghom and Tehran. During the land reforms implemented by Mohammad Reza Shah in 1963 as part of the "White Revolution" the Trans-Iranian railway was extended to link Tehran to Mashhad, Tabriz, and Isfahan.
context_section_description: In December 1942 the US Army Transportation Corps (USATC) replaced the British and Empire force operating the Southern Division. In 165 miles (266 km) the line has 144 tunnels, in which smoke and oil fumes created harsh working conditions for steam locomotive crews. A limited water supply throughout the route and the hot climate of the southern plains formed further difficulties for steam locomotive operation. The USATC therefore considered diesel-electric locomotives more suitable and requisitioned the 13 ALCO RS-1s built and had them converted to ALCO RSD-1 1,000 horsepower Co-Co locomotives. An additional 44 RSD-1s were built for use in Iran. These totalled only 57 locomotives so initially they were used to operate only the southern part of the Southern Division between Bandar Shahpur and Andimeshk.
  For traffic between Andimeshk and Tehran the USATC brought 91 S200 Class steam locomotives, designated class 42.400 in the Iranian State Railways numbering system. The USATC also introduced another 3,000 freight cars. In April 1943  another 18 ALCO RSD-1's entered service, enabling the USATC to return some LMS 2-8-0s to the British Middle East Command and extend diesel operation northwards, reaching Qom by September 1943 and regularly serving Tehran by May 1944. The USATC further increased freight traffic so that in 1944 it averaged 6,489 tons per day.
  "Aid to Russia" traffic ceased by May 1945 and in June the USATC withdrew its RSD-1's  and returned control to the British authorities. Shortly afterwards the British restored the line to Iranian State Railways, the predecessor to the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways.
caption: American and British railroad crews who are taking supplies for Russia. c.1943
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