Operation: Rail Warfare

Operation: Rail Warfare was a till recently classified military project undertaken by the British Military involving the "unconventional modification of Diesel engines for military purposes"
The Project was launched in March 1965 under the command of General Wallace Fisher, who would command the operation until it ceased in December 1989.
With the threat of nuclear war looming, the Government decided to invest in a series of projects that investigated various unorthodox measures, to for the defense of the United Kingdom in the event of war.  Project Rail Warfare was one such endeavor.  the goal was to design a fleet of engines capable of wartime defense activities, to create mobile RADAR stations and mobile missile platforms, among other projects.  Self-moving diesels had been developed at this time, and the military saw this as a vital asset; if crewmen were unavailable for whatever reason, then the engines could drive themselves and respond accordingly to the situations.
Reginald Walkins, a brilliant engineer who developed a line of engines called the Numbered Diesels, was contracted to build two such diesels.  Dubbed "Phase VI" in civilian terms, the result was Diesel 18, a mobile missile platform, and Diesel 19, a mobile RADAR station.
From the beginning, it was clear that crewmen would still be needed for these diesels, even if they could drive themselves.  The primary observation was the fact that human interaction was needed for vital functions.  Even if Diesel 18 could shoot missiles, his limited range of view prevented him from being able to accurately aim his missiles in most directions.  Therefore, human eyes were necessary to help with aiming in the places Where Diesel 18 couldn't see.
Diesel 19, even when his RADAR was working, could not work on his own, because someone had to be at the RADAR screen itself, to observe, identify and report what was detected.  However, the lack of a requirement for a driver was still a positive in the books of General Fisher.
The next several years were spent perfecting these prototypes.  it was clear that normal missile launchers and RADAR dishes would not work for these diesels; completely new equipment would have to be designed for these systems.  It was not until 1977 when a working system was perfected for Diesel 18, and 1979 for Diesel 19.
a small battalion of men were specifically trained to man these diesels.  This was no ordinary interaction after all.  The diesels were capable of self-thought and movement, like a person, and rather than being just a vehicle, the men who volunteered for this program had to come to think of these diesels as another man on their squad in order to be most effective.
About 200 men total would be involved with Project: Rail Warfare.  Though they would never see combat, many tests and practices were performed.  Video and pictures were taken for review by the government and higher ups in the military, but these were not declassified until 2011.
The project was decommissioned in 1989; the fall of the Berlin Wall was considered by many to be the end of the Cold War.  As such, this project was deemed unimportant and ended.  No further diesels were constructed beyond the prototypes.  However, 25 years of technological advancement and upgrading made it clear that these prototypes would be just as effective as the real deal if more were to be ordered.
To date, the diesels are kept in a military railyard.  Due to their purpose and construction, it is unlikely that they will see civilian service.  Recent controversies have lead to the military considering scrapping them since their technology is now obsolete by 21st century standards.
Category:Numbered Diesels