Trivia

[kevarc]

I was reading one of the magazines I get, history (World at War) - not trains, and ran across a very cool train article.

so the question is -------- What was Colonel Sidney Bingham's contribution to the war effort in Europe. Before WW2 he was the head of New york city Subway System.

[kevarc]

it involved LST's

[Samwolf]

He had something to do with Hospital trains. I don't remember if it was a wagon design or had to do with organizing how they were operated.

[kevarc]

nope

It involved rolling stock & engines

[JimM]

CTC??

[stresstool]

Was it his idea to put traction motors on each axle of each car in the train rather than requiring an engine at all? Wasn't it this idea that made the NY subway success possible?

[kevarc]

nope

There were a lot of worries about engines and cars in France after D Day. The Air Corp was destroying French trains. There were 1500 engines and 20000 cars in England to be moved to France to get the rail net working. It was estimated using conventional ships it would take over 3 years to move them to France after a port opened.

What he proposed and did was lay tracks on LST's. Engines and cars were loaded on to them, welded to the rails, and then sent to Normandy. Tracks were laid over the beach and the LST's would tie into them and after the welds were cut, the rolling stock moved onto the railroads. It took him 90 days to deliver the engines and cars.

As a side note - Montgomery would not let steam engines in the British sector, so they gave him diesels.