Good Sources of Trench Railway Information

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:42 pm

So I want to get some thoughts, but I'm working on putting together a presentation on the WW1 trench railways, and I want to know what you lot think are some good sources. I've got Dunn's Tracks to the Trenches and Narrow Gauge in the Arras sector, but are there other good sources of information I should examine in building this project?

Kelly Anderson · **Joined:** Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am **Posts:** 2477

Al Stangenberger · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:59 pm **Posts:** 650

Besides the running of trains, "trench railways" needed timbers for the trenches and ties for the railroad.

The 10th and 20th Regiments of the U.S. Army Engineers were established and sent to France to harvest timber and make ties, trench timbers, and other strategic wood items during the "Great War."

The Forest History Society has a link to information about these "Forestry Regiments."

https://foresthistory.org/digital-collections/world-war-10th-20th-forestry-engineers/

QJdriver · **Posted:** Thu Jul 19, 2018 4:15 pm

Dylan,

Do you just want information on good old USA trench railroads ??? OF COURSE the Germans had them in highly developed form no doubt. You might try searching the words "feldbahn" or "feldbahnen". My friend Sammy from Dresden might also be of some help...

Dave · **Posted:** Thu Jul 19, 2018 4:45 pm

Yes, Sammy…. fascinating 8 coupled with Klein-Lindner axles to take the sharp curves.

Don't know of Decauville industrial lokies were used for the purpose...… but wouldn't surprise me.

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 19, 2018 5:00 pm

QJdriver wrote:

Dylan,

Do you just want information on good old USA trench railroads ??? OF COURSE the Germans had them in highly developed form no doubt. You might try searching the words "feldbahn" or "feldbahnen". My friend Sammy from Dresden might also be of some help...

Sammy, if your friend in Dresden has a line on some english language stuff on the Feldbahn I'd love to see it...

WVNorthern · **Posted:** Thu Jul 19, 2018 5:31 pm

There is a WWI film showing the building and operation of trench railways in France. It is a fascinating 9 1/2 minutes. A sobering thought--of the hundreds of individuals in this film, all have passed on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWla__n-_sA

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

I just came back from a trench train festival in the UK. It was wonderful. A new book on them dropped on July 14. There are several good books available. I have at least four that are recent publications.

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

Dave wrote:

Yes, Sammy…. fascinating 8 coupled with Klein-Lindner axles to take the sharp curves.

Don't know of Decauville industrial lokies were used for the purpose...… but wouldn't surprise me.

Decauvilles were used. - Rob

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

QJdriver wrote:

Dylan,

Do you just want information on good old USA trench railroads ??? OF COURSE the Germans had them in highly developed form no doubt. You might try searching the words "feldbahn" or "feldbahnen". My friend Sammy from Dresden might also be of some help...

Try searching for “brigadelok.”

p51 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:04 pm

robertjohndavis wrote:

I just came back from a trench train festival in the UK. It was wonderful. A new book on them dropped on July 14.

A title or author name sure would be of some help...

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:34 pm

p51 wrote:

robertjohndavis wrote:

I just came back from a trench train festival in the UK. It was wonderful. A new book on them dropped on July 14.

A title or author name sure would be of some help...

I know the event Robert is talking about, Tracks to the Trenches. They debuted a new-build Decavuille and a rebuilt Hunslet 4-6-0T. Can't find anything on the book though...

70000 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:07 am

A book on North British Loco Company products of WW1 might be the one you are thinking of.

Look under the "Event News" section of their website...
http://www.ww1-event.org/

Was hoping to get up to that event myself last weekend but health issues with my Father prevented it.

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

p51 wrote:

robertjohndavis wrote:

I just came back from a trench train festival in the UK. It was wonderful. A new book on them dropped on July 14.

A title or author name sure would be of some help...

When I am physically in the same place as the books, I’d be happy to share that information. Until then, Google “new trench railway book” to find something like this to get started: http://wdlr.org.uk/wdlr/research.htm

o anderson · **Posted:** Fri Jul 20, 2018 9:52 am

Military railways were developed in the late 1800s in England, if not elsewhere. Interestingly, it was conceived as a semi-suspension system with a lot of bridgework, built to 18" gauge. This later was revised to a ground-level railway. A few chapters on the British developments can be found in "18 Inch Gauge Steam Railways" by Mark Smithers.

Perhaps the only application of 18" on a war front was in Sudan, in 1896. See "Narrow Gauge by the Sudanese Red Sea Coast" by Henry Gunston.

The switch to 24" gauge came officially in 1900 as new guns were too big for 18" gauge, besides other drawbacks. Several of the small gauge fort, supply house, and arsenal installations lasted for a few decades beyond that point.

General 18" railway discussion:
https://groups.io/g/18inch