Re: PC: Boomer & Vietnam era railroads

[bobr@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Bob Rothrock)]

>How much of a role did the US railroads play in the Vietnam conflict?

FYI:

   When called for basic training at Ft. Knox, Ky. In August '66, Uncle Sam
put us on the Pennsy out of Pittsburgh to Louisville (via L&N after
Cincinnati), where we were picked up by busses. We had a 9-car train full of
guys going to the same place, and Louisville terminal (still lots of L&N
E-6's around then) was also very busy with trainloads of recruits from other
parts of the country.  

    Despite the rough ride on marginal track, the service was terrific...the
porters were all WW2 vets and treated us like royalty. 

   For example: following a rough night of tossing around in the bunks, the
track got better further south, and after breakfast they let us keep the
berths down until noon instead of making them up into the roomettes, as was
the customary procedure.

   I don't know if this method of transport continued into the PC era. When
I shipped out that fall (following basic training) from Ft. Knox to Ft. Dix,
NJ, we went by air to Newark.


Bob Rothrock