2-6-2 Meter gage 1963
Date:
1/1/1963
Location:
Fort Benning, GA
Map
Views:
7716
Collection Of:
Merrill Price
Author:
Jim Sands
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This picture is part of album:
Georgia RR Stuff
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Type
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Date
John Walker
General
This is a 24” narrow gauge locomotive that was originally built to support the war in France in 1917-1918. When the Armistice was signed there was a lot of this stuff in France and still in the US waiting shipment. With then Camp Benning just being built as the new home of the Infantry, getting around the military reservation was difficult because road into Chattahoochee County were non-existent. Solution, use the surplus narrow gauge equipment to construct a make shift transportation until proper roads could be built from Main Post out to the training areas (Live Firing Ranges). In usual US Army fashion, the quick fix became the norm until the end or WWII when the track was eventually pulled up, and the equipment either sold or scrapped in 1946. One Davenport 2-6-2 and an “Officers” coach were preserved across the street from the old Catholic Church until it was move in 1966 to the old Infantry Museum, then again in to the old Army hospital on Baltzell Avenue, the sight of the ol
11/28/2011 10:29:04 PM
John Walker
General
One Davenport 2-6-2 and an “Officers” coach were preserved across the street from the old Catholic Church until it was move in 1966 to the old Infantry Museum, then again in to the old Army hospital on Baltzell Avenue, the sight of the old new Infantry Museum. Hopefully the little engine and coach will be given some much needed preservation work and again displayed at the new new Infantry Museum on Fort Benning Road. Interesting side story; when John Wayne was filming the “Green Berets” in 1967, it was rumored that the Duke wanted to use the little engine in the movie, blowing up a bridge as it crossed the Upatoi Creek. Fortunately, this never materialized and we still have our little engine.
11/28/2011 10:32:06 PM
John Walker
General
One Davenport 2-6-2 and an “Officers” coach were preserved across the street from the old Catholic Church until it was move in 1966 to the old Infantry Museum, then again in to the old Army hospital on Baltzell Avenue, the sight of the old new Infantry Museum. Hopefully the little engine and coach will be given some much needed preservation work and again displayed at the new new Infantry Museum on Fort Benning Road. Interesting side story; when John Wayne was filming the “Green Berets” in 1967, it was rumored that the Duke wanted to use the little engine in the movie, blowing up a bridge as it crossed the Upatoi Creek. Fortunately, this never materialized and we still have our little engine.
11/28/2011 10:32:23 PM
G Gerard
General
The engine was restored and a canopy built over it and the officer's coach (the museum called it an observation platform). Location: 32.387336, -84.955753 (accessible through the museum); Recent photo: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4153703
4/9/2015 5:05:56 PM
G Gerard
General
I posted more photos from the museum collection: rrpicturearchives.net/modelthumbs.aspx?id=QMC&mid=1115
4/9/2015 5:09:15 PM
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