Trains to victory - Donald J Heimburger

This book tell the dramatic story of the years 1941-1945 when U.S. railroads, using fewer cars and locomotives than in WWI, moved more tonnage and more passengers than ever before. Divided into 13 chapters, plus a 32 page colour section, an introduction, bibliography and a complete index, the volume appeals to rail fans, historians, military historians, and many others. The book features 542 photographs, an additional 285 illustrations and a complete listing of U.S. military camps, posts and bases as of 1 August 1941. The book discusses the implications of the war on the railroads, embarkation of troops and materials, how the Military Railway Service joined the fight and what was happening on U.S railroads during the war. It also addresses new railroad cars and locomotives built for the war, military camp railroads, how Alaska's railroads played a part in the conflict, how women helped the war effort, and what was happening in foreign theatres. It describes how railroads aided in the return of wounded troops and equipment, and the atmosphere on the railroads immediately after the war. Scale drawings of war-emergency box cars are also included, as are troop train car plans. The book covers such topics as the huge Chicago & NorthWestern Proviso Yards during wartime, personal glimpses of the war from a number of railroaders and intriguing aspects of the war from the Army Engineers, Association of American Railroads and the War Department. Wartime products of locomotive and railroad car manufacturers such as Baldwin, Alco, Davenport, Lima, Whitcomb, Budd, Electro-Motive, H.K. Porter, Pullman, American Car & Foundry and the St. Louis Car Company are documented throughout the volume.