The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-07-17
ENGINEER TROOPS
BUILD RAILWAY AT
CAMP HUMPHREYS

CAMP HUMPHREYS, July II
By the first OF next week If you go
to Union Station, Washington, d. C,
board a Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac train, ride TO Accotink.
Va, and there take a train drawn
by "U. S. A No. l." you will be able
to ride right into this camp over
military railroad, the first to be built
in the United States, which will
serve for years to come to show the
versatility of the engineer sol
diers OF the national army and ma
tional guard of Pennsylvania and
New York.
This fine piece Of railroad con-
struction work was done, except so
far as the finishing touches of track
laying are concerned, by engineer
troops who were organized as sap
pers and mtners-the S04th Engi-
neers, N. A.. from Camp Meade, a
Pennsylvania command, and the 1O2d
Engineers, N G., of New York, COM
manded by Colonel-now Brig. Cen
Cornelius Vanderbilt
Built In Record Time.
The task has been accomplished in
record time, and the character of the
work is of the very highest class.
being comparable to that of the most
experienced bridge and trestle-build-
ing crews. All OF the work, practi-
calIy. except he finishing touches,
which were put on by the Forty-fifth
Engineers, was done by essentially
green men so far as railroad build
ing is concerned.
The work of construction OF the
line, which is seven miles in length
and with the terminals, will include
about fourteen miles OF roadway, was
begun by Colonel Vanderbilts men
in the winter. When the frost went
out of the ground the men had to-
work in mud up to their knees. while
their trucks by which all supplies
had to be hauled also mired up to-
their beds. A way had to be cut
through the forest and many deep
cuts made, and trestles built across
raVines. 500
One of the remarkable features of
the work done by these two regi-
ments OF sappers-and the Forty-ffth
Engineers, which was organized as
maintenance-of-waY command - Is
that they went into the virgin forest
near Mount Vernon and felled the
great oak trees, from which the stills
and standards forming the framework
of the trestles were shaped Many
of these timbers measure thirty-six
inches in diameter and are twenty
feet long.
TreStles Built SOHdIy.
The great trestles, which have a
total length Of 1900 feet, are as SOL
idly constructed as II they were of
wrought steel, although the men, for
the most part. were recruited from
shops and offices and had no previous
experience in railroad or bridge
building.
Besides the building OF these tres
ties, the engineer regiments men
TONED have done much work in lay
ing narrow-guaEe railroad tracks
that lead to every part Of the camp.
-Four men can pick up a section of
track, fixed TO permanent steel ties. /
and lay IL anywhere. If through q !
forest, only the trees that come in |
the way at intervals OF six to eight |
feet need to be removed. for short |
sections OF the track can be curved I
and twisted almost at will, thus en- |
abling the carrying of heavy sup
plies into places most easy of access. !
Seventeen miles OF this sixty cen
timeter Cabout two feet) railway has 1
been constructed and is already in !
operation II is the same type as |
that used by our troops behind the |
lines in France, and the operation OF !
the gasoline locomotives, which draw
long lines OF railway troops, will give |
the men here valuable training for
their work overseas.