My interest in railroads started when I was a child. The train whistle would wake me up at 2:00 am just enough to think “there goes the train” and, then I would go back to sleep. The railroad ran through the middle of the small town where I grew up so trains were a common sight. I remember regularly scheduled trains carrying passengers and freight (and the mail) came through town twice a day, one going east and one going west – the one at 2 am and another at about 2 pm. A big water tank stood by the tracks as a reminder of the water needed by the steam trains that had come through our little town before the conversion to diesel. My parents told stories about how many trains came through during World War II, carrying war supplies, equipment and soldiers. By my day, there weren’t that many, but I treasure my memories of seeing the cars rolling by, hearing the whistle, and riding the trains.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, the railroads had already started gearing up due to the increased production of war materials being shipped to England on the Lend-Lease program. Remembering World War I when shipping became chaotic and the Federal government had to take over operating the trains, the many rail companies decided to get organized so they could efficiently handle the transport of war goods and personnel. They worked together to insure vital transportation ran smoothly. Although engines, rail cars, and track were owned by many different railroad companies, every company’s cars traveled over every company’s tracks.

The allocation of available materials and manpower limited the number of locomotives and rail cars that could be produced during the war, and, with very few diesel engines already in service, existing steam engines pulled the load.

This video shows much more about the role of the railroads during World War II than I could ever write. It will take you back to the 1940’s and wartime and all the vital industries that used the railroads.

Moving an Army unit from one base to another was a major undertaking. This video shows the move of one unit. Notice the troop cars. These were specially designed and manufactured by Pullman to transport large numbers of military personnel with seats for day-time and bunks for night-time.

Although the railroads were booming during World War II, in the 50’s the railroads role in transporting freight and passengers diminished. The new interstates allowed big trucks to transport freight. Personal automobiles became the preferred mode of travel rather than taking the train.

For those of us old enough to remember, watching the plume of smoke from a steam locomotive evokes times long gone. It is easy for us to forget that without these steam trains winning the Second World War would have been difficult, if not impossible.

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