Looking for information

[NW Mailing List]

Good afternoon ,

 

The loco was one of many produced by the major US builders for use on
damaged lines. They were shipped to the UK and stored in huge secure dumps
ahead of moving to main land Europe after D-Day. They were simple and
effective. I think three had boiler explosions in the UK largely because
they only had one water level gauge. The locos came as a shock to some of
the train crew who used them on domestic freight services in the UK,
particularly the roomy cab and ease of access to valve gear for lubrication
and maintenance. There were mixed opinions about riding quality. 

 

They lasted quite a long while and several are in preservation and running
order/restoration. They scattered across Europe as far as Greece, Yugoslavia
and Austria. One was retained by the UK forces on their internal railway
system. I believe some were sent to China and wound up in North Korea. I
have no idea as to what happened to them. One was a temporary guest at the
Mid-Hants Railway some years ago. It got a reputation for being noisy,
particularly the whistle.

 

Regards from this side of the pond.

 

Phil Mortimer

 

From: NW-Mailing-List [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of
NW Mailing List
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2018 1:36 PM
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Subject: Looking for information

 

I know that the Railroad Operation Battalions of WWII have been discussed
here before.  I have a friend who is researching a relative (now passed) who
served with the 720th Railroad Operation Battalion in France and later in
Germany.  My friend recalls his relative talking about assisting in the
liberation of a concentration camp in or near Germany near the end of the
war.

Any help the group could provide about the 720th operational area or
exploits would be appreciated.  I have attached a couple of photos that my
friend had that shows the type of equipment that the unit used.

Many thanks.

 

Rick Huddle

Delaware, OH  

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