Smyrna times., 1941-08-21
Army Maps Use
OF Railroads
Special Program Planned
For Meeting Actual
War Conditions.

WASHlNGTON.-P for COM
plete reorganization of the military
railway service to provide a poten-
tial operating plan for any section of
the country that might become a
theater of war were made known by
the war department.
The program has no connection
with possible government operation
of the railroads in time of war. 1t
deals exclusively with potential op-
Grafton of railroads in war zones,
where ordinary commercial traffic
would be prohibited, and with con-
troll over such commercial traffic as
might be permitted in those zones.
The military railway service, of
which Col. Carl R. Gray, railway
executive, is manager, proposes to
divide the country's railway system
into grand divisions and divisions.
A grand division would include two
or more divisions.
Each grand division would in
clude, In addition to supervisory
force, a battalion Of shop men as
signed to make heavy repairs on
equipment.
Active Training Scheduled.
Within each division there would
be railway operating battalion of
sufficient size to operate and main
tain "a railway division, large
terminal or a regulating station in
the theater Of operations"
One active battalion will be cre-
ated June for training purposes.
Division Of responsibility under the
program was described as follows:
1.-THE operation and maintenance
Of standard military railways is a
function of special engineer railway
troops. Railway construction and re-
construction is a function Of gen.
eral engineer troops.
1.-THE chief engineer, theater of op-
erations, exercises supervision over
all military railways in the theater
Of operations. The engineer, conn.,
munications zone, is responsible for
construction and reconstruction on
all railways in the communications
zone, and for the operation and
maintenance of all military railways
in the entire theater of operations.
For this latter function he has
the manager, military railway serv-
ice, reporting directly to him, whom
he holds directly responsible for his
work. A communica zone Sec
ton engineer and an army engineer
are responsible only for construc-
tion and reconstruction on railways
in their respective areas, that may
be assigned by higher headquarters.
Grand Division Defined.
1.-THE manager, military railway
service, divides the standard mill
tary railway system into grand di-
visions, each under general super
intendent who reports directly to
him. A grand division comprises
two or more divisions each operated
and maintained by railway op-
Grating battalion, whose commander
is division superintendent and re-
ports to the general superintendent.
A railway shop battalion under a
general superintendent may serve
two or more grand divisions.
1.-THE units of the military railway
service are scheduled for mobiliza-
ton at times designed to secure
enough units to provide adequate
railway service for the troops in the
field. In addition to the units with
prescribed mobilization dates, addi-
tional units have been affiliated with
railroad companies but are not or
ganized in peace.
"The sponsoring railroad compa-
ny would form and officer these
units if called upon to do so in time
of war. Each company would also
be asked to supply as many key en-
listed men as it could. The remain
der of the enlisted personnel would
have to be secured from the desig-
mated replacement centers."