From: DDoyle9570@aol.com
Date: Tue Nov 30 2004 - 23:54:41 PST
<And somewhere in the somewhat foggy brain that I carry in my mostly empty
head there is something that says military hardware hauled by railroads in
WW II was hauled without charge.
During WW II, I lived beside main line MOP in Arkansas and I remember many
train loads of tanks passing by, and other assorted MVs - sometimes there
would be uniformed, armed, GIs on each car.
Everette>
The 1940 Transportation Act relieved railroads from carrying government freight at reduced rates (except for military taffic, which was ended in 1947) if they would abandon further claims to the government for additional lands or compensation.
The so-called "free" lands of the land grants to railroads during the previous century were not free. The strings attached were reduced freight rates for government, including postal, transportation charges, that extended for a period of almost 75 years.
This, by the way, has nothing to do with the USRA, which nationalized America's railroads during the First World War. BTW, many of the nations experienced railroaders were drafted during WWII and assigned duty with the Army Transportation Corps, operating and repairing railroads overseas. Many examples of the unusual MVs operated by these GIs are on display at Ft. Eustis, VA.
David Doyle
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