Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-04
RAILROAD men TO
GO TO FRANCE SOON
Details of the Plans Are Given
Out and Omaha Men
Are Ordered to
Report.

Railroad construction, maintenance,
operating and traffic men who have
heretofore signed up to go to some
place in France to aid in putting the
roads of that country on their feet
are receiving notices to report in Chi
cago for the overseas trip.
The Northwestern men got their
notices Friday and Saturday those OF
the Rock Island and Great Western
were wired to be in Chicago at the
earliest possible date.
The notice coming to the railroad
men at this time is taken to mean
that the American Railway associa-
ton special committee on national de-
fense has everything about lined up
for the departure of one or more OF
the construction regiments that it is
proposed to send abroad.
Samuel NJ. FELTON,, president of the
Great Western, who some years ago
was placed in charge of the recon-
struction OF the Mexican railroads, is
in charge Of the railroad rebuilding
in France and it is understood that
he is in Europe at this time. Under
him in carrying on the work of rail-
road rehabilitation there will be five
construction regiments of six COM
panies, each company to be made up
of l64 men.
Officers of Companies.
Each regiment will have an en-
gineer officer Of the United States
army as colonel and another officer
from the army as adjutant. All other
officers will be railroad men, except
the commissary, who will be provided
by the government. The lieutenant
colonel OF each regiment will be
railroad engineer, or some one else OF
similar experience. Captains will be
selected from the engineers of main-
tenance of way, lieutenants from su-
pervisors or roadmasters and the non
commissioned officers from track and
bridge forcmen. The privates will be
track laborers.
Besides the construction regiments,
it is proposed to send abroad three
operating regiments. Each regiment
will be complete railroad operating
unit and will be commanded by a
colonel of the United States army.
The lieutenant colonel will be rail-
road manager or general superin-
tendent. Two majors for each oper-
ating regiment will be chosen from
the general managers of the railroads
of the country, or from among their
assistants. There will be two cap
tains-adjutant and six captains, they
coming from division superintendents
or their assistants; twelve first lieu-
tenants, chosen from trainmasters.
Besides, there will be road foremen,
road foremen of engines and six Sec
ond lieutenants, chosen from chief
dispatchers and master mechanics.
The makeup of each company of
each operating regiment will consist
of the following enuisted men:
Seven electricians, linemen and sig
nal maintamers, two gas engine men,
three clerks and stenographers, two
craftsmen, two surveyors, twelve car
inspectors and repairers, two store
keepers, two pile driver engineers,
one pipe filter, one locomotive in
spector, one wreck derrick engineer,
one water supply man, four cooks,
eight conductors, sixteen brakemen,
twelve locomotive engineers, four sta
tionary engineers, four yard foremen,
eight swituhmen, eight machinists,
four blacksmiths, six boilermakers,
twelve operators AMI agenta, four dis
patchers, fourteen track fotemen and |
fourteen bridge building mechanics.
Each regiment will have twenty-five
men rated as wagoners, who will be
chosen from men who can act as
chauffeurs, though half Of them must
be capable Of performing other duties
as we'll.