Imperial Valley press., 1918-11-05
"AUTOMATIC TRAIN"
Correspondence Associated Press

! Correspondence Associated Press
American Regulating Base, Advance
Zone. France, Nov. A. The "aulo-
matte train" is one of the strange de-
vices which has sprung Ou of The war,
and there is nothing quite like IL in
The whole range of railway transpoT-
talion. 1t has been developed by the
American military authorities here as
one of The necessities of keeping up
an automatic daily supply Of food,
FORAGE and all requirements, TO every
uni of The American ExpedilionarJ
Force in France. To do this with un-
VARYING regularity each day, SO That
| every man in every division s'retchins
/ over vast area 300 miles of front:
would have his daily needs supplied
was a huge problem.
The only solution was 10 secure a5-
solute uniformity, or STANDARDIZED
| ton of trains by which the makeup
would be automatic day after day.
And out of this has come the "auto-
matte lrain" of The American army,
which is one of The wonders OF Ameri-
can organization.
Watching the makeup of the "auto-
matte trains" as they go forward to
ihe American divisions on The fiSht
ing front, is like watching some Gi-
pantic iigsaw puzzle, for there is The
same fitting together of confused
paris, until al last all the pieces form
a complete whole of Is of these So
called "automatic trains" so cars 10
train, each train moving off 10 one
of The American divisions.
Here at small interior village OF
the American Advance Force is the
center from which the automa'ie
trains move out daily. The place is
we'll forward in the advance zone
lust far enough away from The hgn,
! ing TO be out Of reach of hostile raids
and vel near enough to permit ,h'
supplies to move forward with IN;
. greatest facility.
1t was a sleepy village last Octobe:'
I with 1000 inhabi lanis, Today IL is
t center of intense activity, with al
+ American working force of 22,OOO-ll
times the population year ago-witf
= 72 miles of yard trackage, 45 enol
a NOUS warehouses, and railways rad
: ating 10 every point of The long from
f held wholly or in part by America
a troops.
Last month $4,000 cars were moved
o or over 1000 day, in this stupend
r Gus stream of supplies going forwar;
:. 10 The fighting forces.
= Colonel Hilgard, commanding, ofil
Ger, and Captain Bigger, reer'a'in'
IS officer, explained the details OF thes
automatic trains, and later mere wa
an opportunity 10 see The trains as
sembled like parts in a huge puzz;'
and started on their way 10 the front
The basis on which the automa''
trains are made up is as follows:
2 cars of refrigerated fresh bef.
2 cars of fresh bread.
z cars offood comprised in IA
soldiers ration.
ii a cars of fuel for cooking.
ID cars of forage for horses.
III car of gasoline, miner oil an
u lubricants for motors.
lear of mail and packages.
These are the fixed and PRACTICAL
invariable elements of each automa'i
: train, the same wants Of food and fol
er age being repeated day after day.
.. In addition each division has vary
ing wants of clothing, ammunition
Il. medical supplies, etc., as it may be
of the midst of the fighting or furthe
=. back in calmer section. These vary
= ing elements are added 10 each trai,
d according TO the needs of the division
re Thus, Is trains go out daily in J
al directions, each train having some
- 10 35 cars in the fixed and automall
= makeup, and some Is or 20 cars vii
esf The varying elements of ammunition
~ medical supplies, clothing, ETC., de
70 penlient on The proximity of tn
10 fighting.
81 Francis Wilhite, who has been i
L for several days, is reported 10 ,
y convaIescing.
i l. 4 i L.. n.a.-.