Western Railroad Discussion > Army Railroading At Camp Pendleton, Oceanside

The United States Army has a GP9 with dynamics that was drawn out of stock at Fort Eustis, VA, and a crew of active Army men to run it stationed near Camp Pendleton. This is to handle military rail incoming and outgoing trains from the BNSF main. The loco is stationed just east of the wye, and tied up behind the commissary at Camp Joe Pendleton, at Oceanside. This is a secure facility, so unless you have clearance as a military person, active or retired, you will not be able to get on the base. However, for those who are in the military community, and are rail fans, this is a nice opportunity to watch Army Transportation Corps troops at work with Army equipment. A rarity in this area. The Army does have a huge rail presence at Yermo Rail facility near Barstow, Ca. This services, among other venues, Fort Irwin, General Patton's Tank Trainig=ng Facility. Still used for the exact same thing today. Again, a secure military facility.

USA 1401 was transferred to the USMC in 1996, and has been renumbered USMC 296619. It is still in red Army paint but the sides now read “U.S.” instead of U.S. Army; the word Army has been painted over.

USMC GP9 26619 was refurbished by the US Army at their depot in Hill AFB before it was transferred to the Marine Corps. It is former US Army 1401, which was originally SP 5873.

Also at Camp Pendleton is USMC 248391, a GE 80 ton in yellow and black.

Hi,

Yes, to some of this. I have been told that the repaint was unauthorized, and that there are several Army Transportation Corps troops that operate the locomotive as needed. This comes from the CG's Staff.......I am the onboard consultant for many things railroad at that venue....that is not to say that what I am told is accurate. Just think about it, though. Why would not this be accurate????

I did see the re-paint, and asked about it, and that was what I was told......

does track still go through the base to fallbrook nws.and into fallbrook years ago when assigned to nws our base had a little switcher run by civilian employees, never did much i even voluntered since i worked for sprr before the draft, where i went into the navy

Hi,

Yes, the track still exists in the 2600 area. There ia a segment of 5-10 miles where the trak has been removed because of the flood. The rail equipment is being trucked to that area, and put back on the track. There is now a fence at the dividing line between the two installations. I am told that will be removed at a future date.There is approximately 3-5 miles of track and yards that are intact. The ;long range plan is to replace all the track that has been taken up.

I don't believe all you're info is totally correct, I am sure that with the exception of the track around the warehouse area all the track has been pulled up to a point just past the PX. This was removed about 5-6 yrs ago and this was after the line was rebuilt from a previous flood that left the rails in ruins. The idea that the railroad is going to be put back into place is a little on the hard to believe section. Sorry I just don't think it will be put back in place ever.

I unfortunately need to vote I'll believe it when I see it. It sat unusable with washouts for many years, although I think there was an orphan section in use up by the west end of the airfield. If they rebuild, they can only go as far as the airfield because it looks like they plopped about 6 feet or so of apparently permanent flood control dike on top of the right-of-way up by the CGs residence. And I wouldn't be surprised if the rails are still there. Last time I glanced at it I didn't see any easy way to get past the dike. They never seemed to be in too much of a hurry to really really pull anything out. Maybe it's been on a wish list for years but never made it's way close enough to the top.

And Marines paint over ARMY on equipment at a Marine Base? They'ld never do that would they? Then again my sailor side says the reason they never painted Marines on the side was they forgot how to spell such a big word.



(dive dive)

Hi,

All I know is what I see, and what they tell me. The Curator is on the CG's Staff, and she is doing what he wants her to do. Yes, that water point is right on the track, and MG Lenhert (Sp?) says it will be relocated. Time will tell with all this.

Have they removed the Palm trees from center of track yet? Last time I was on base, there were two Government employees operating the locomotive, NOT US Military in any way, shape or form, the engineer(?) couldn't get the engine started (battery switch was pulled and starting fuse removed) and the conductor(?) couldn't get handbrakes to release on 89' flatcars that were being used to transport napalm containers. Bad show all around. Hope things improve, it would appear that they need help running their rail operation.

"Semper Fi"

"MARINE" (My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment)

SOB <----- Old Jarhead

During my consultations to the Curator, and her staff, I suggested that they use prisoners from the brig to clear the brush ,trees, and other debris from the right of way, and that thought was well received, and will be put into use they said. I have had good success with using prisoners to clear and maintain track in the past at other locations.

The crew that you mention was from Facilities, and that was on the base railroad before the arrival of the Army folks who are stationed at Lake something or other, I can't remember what she said, but it is on the base, and not far away. She said there are two Army people assigned, and that is where they are billeted. I can't remember for sure, but I think she said they comprised of a Warrant Officer and an E-7, Sergeant First Class. I maintain connections with the museum at Fort Eustis, since I am retired from the Army Transportation Corps, and was Project Superintendent of the restoration of an Army MRS-1 (Military Road Switcher, series 1) for the San Diego Railroad Museum some years ago, and that lady told me about a GP9 being drawn out for assignment to Camp Pendleton. This seems as though it may have been three years ago or so.

Back to the crew you mentioned, anyone can have a bad day. I have worked all those positions you mentioned over the years, and once in a while, you come across a piece of stubborn equipment....that doesn't mean that you are incompetent just because the equipment doesn't want to work the way it was designed. Now, the starting fuse removal is a whole 'nother story....

Boomersix Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The United States Army has a GP9 with dynamics
> that was drawn out of stock at Fort Eustis, VA,
> and a crew of active Army men to run it stationed
> near Camp Pendleton. This is to handle military
> rail incoming and outgoing trains from the BNSF
> main. The loco is stationed just east of the wye,
> and tied up behind the commissary at Camp Joe
> Pendleton, at Oceanside. This is a secure
> facility, so unless you have clearance as a
> military person, active or retired, you will not
> be able to get on the base. However, for those who
> are in the military community, and are rail fans,
> this is a nice opportunity to watch Army
> Transportation Corps troops at work with Army
> equipment. A rarity in this area. The Army does
> have a huge rail presence at Yermo Rail facility
> near Barstow, Ca. This services, among other
> venues, Fort Irwin, General Patton's Tank
> Trainig=ng Facility. Still used for the exact same
> thing today. Again, a secure military facility. Five years ago when I talked to the "Transportation Officer" at Camp Pendleton USMC, he told me plans were to rebuild the track on the WYE, and take over from BNSF their former Oceanside yards as they now share a yard with Metrolink and "The Coaster/San Diego Northern". Then the GE 80T was to be placed on display Tom

I don't know about your conversation with the T.O. at that time. However, the Stewart Mesa Facility is leased from the USMC, and operated by Boise Locomotive Company. I worked there as a machinist (Railroad mechanic) and the facility is a good one.

IBIWISI. Too much of the ROW has been removed or paved over.

---

Hi,

They tell me that there are about three miles left in the 2600 area, and for now, that is sufficient for the demonstration railroad, they tell me.

im surprised to hear anything still around ,every year nws had big fires out in some of the magazine/storage area .back in the early seventies the santa anna winds caused all kinds of hell on base, the wild fires wentdown the back of the base to deluze creek jump the creek and up the side of the mountain onto the penalton base burnig everthing ,even causing shutters to melt on storage bunkers and special complex that had a hundred yd free fire zone flames moved about thirty miles an hour about sixty ft in the air, the base had a back track that exited into fallbrook never saw it used though

Hi,

From what I have heard, the Navy has taken up their tracks at Naval Weapons Center, Fallbrook. Why, I have no idea. I'm curious too. I was told yesterday that those tracks have been there since 1916....so why take them up now? You may know that this is the route of the California Southern Railroad..very historic. The first one in California. I remember reading about the bad fires in the '70's, and even mre recently. I was surprised that there were not huge explosions of the bunkers full of ammo.

Boomer6 said "You may know that this is the route of the California Southern Railroad..very historic. The first one in California", hardly 1st in Cal. Many others in state previous to it, even in So. Cal. But historic, nonetheless.

Hi,

I stand corrected about the California Southern RR being the 1st in California. It was a very long day for me already when I posted that, and was not thinking clearly.

So sad the Navy spent a lot of money to upgrade their tracks at Fallbrook. I do not belive they were ever used. Last I heard they had not been certifed as fit for service. USMC and Navy used to fight before. Marines wanted access to navy's engine house at Fallbrook to check under their GE 80T, Navy said no way Jose.

Yeah. This is interesting. Especially, since the USMC and the Seabees, as an example are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Navy....why not just get along? (Of course were that the universal case, I guess there would be no wars...(Smile))

I was recently told that the Navy, had erected e fence at the borderline of the two bases, across the tracks. Then pulled up the tracks on the Navy side. This is really strange to my way of thinking. Of course, there is still the ongoing issue of the engine house on the Navy side.. The Marines are acticatinf=g a part of the what's left of the railroad on the Marine side, and still would like to have some sort of access to the engine house, even if it means moving it to the Marine's side. It or something like it is essential in performing maintenance on locomotives.

Time will tell on this one. Does anyone have any information about why the hassle between the two entities?