JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX and BNSF Railway recently completed the Florida National Guard’s largest rail deployment since World War II.
CSX originated 10 unit trains that carried 1,265 military vehicles, containers, and systems that were loaded at Fort Stewart, Ga., and transported to Birmingham, Ala., for interchange with BNSF, which then operated the trains to Fort Irwin, Calif.
The large-scale operation required close coordination between CSX and more than 179 Army personnel and marked the Florida National Guard’s first major rail deployment since 2008.
“This move was a testament to the power of teamwork,” Dan Labyak, CSX senior director of military clearance, said in a statement.
The equipment moved on 10 trains using four different types of specialized railcars, a solution developed by CSX’s Network Operations team to accommodate a wide variety of military gear. The CSX Government Waybilling team helped translate the Army’s commercial bills of lading into documents compatible with CSX systems.
The project involved multiple departments across the railroad. CSX’s military operations team worked with transportation personnel to secure sufficient laydown areas, serving yards, and track capacity to handle the surge move. Mechanical crews inspected equipment, and CSX Police helped implement security protocols.
In addition to handling the operational logistics, CSX provided tailored pricing options to accommodate the Army’s readiness requirements and possible scenario changes.
Gregg: the homeland was attacked, and by actors residing in foreign lands. Unless pursued there, it will happen again. Yes, prevention costs money, but I will spend money readily to avoid spending blood.
When given 6 hours to cut down a tree, it is wiser to spend 4 hours sharpening your axe and two hours chopping, than 6 hours chopping, and wishing you would have sharpened your axe.
This is as much about training the transportation network as it is about training combat skills. I noticed soldiers paid more attention when they knew they were going into combat after their training.
More sweat in training, less blood in combat. Sun Tzuh
The National Training Center at Ft. Irwin is the premier US Army training site in the country. The reason the US rolled over Iraq TWICE was due to the training the military got at NTC. I fact, one of the reasons Patton rolled through the Afrika Korps in WWII is due to training at NTC. So, I might suggest you do better research before saying things you clearly know nothing of.
Gregg, Pardon me for differing.
Having been in the National Guard, I witnessed young people who were there to get money for college. Training, they could care less. The problem is…..well like high school students. I’m never gonna use this stuff. Only for me to see them years later and their job was dependant on the skills they disliked. Also, ever hear high school students exclaim, “Oh, I can’t wait to get out of school”…….Welcome to the real world.
Back to military training: At summer camp we would be out in the woods. Then get an order to move out and advance a convoy 20 miles out to only come directly back to the original spot. SOooo. I was on the radio listening to wrong turns, getting lost, etc. Simple task, but it’s not as easy as first thought. Why do this? Training when it is critical to NOT get lost. Solution, TRAINING. Look at posters here, ever since WW1. Train, Train, Train (and I don’t mean RR’s).
You want your EMT to be a novice? We in the military, all get basic first aid TRAINING. Army, we had small first aid on our gear.
Peace through STRENGTH. And that requires training. Did I mention the need for training? Yes it costs, but anything worthwhile does too. endmrw0719252236
When the guard is called out or when we get ready to go to war the military moves by rail.
The railroads have been moving tanks by rail ever since World War I that is the number one way to transport our military across the country.
Exactly, Aaron. Military mobilization needs transport and military transport needs exercise.
Surprised Gov. RonDUH didn’t take advantage of the photo-op.
What a waste of taxpayers money. Localize the guard. Demobilize the military. Spend 2% of defending the Homeland and not foreign adventures.