Notes on Operation of the 2nd Battalion Railway Construction- April 1918
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Notes on Operation of the 2nd Battalion. Railway Construction. The regiment arrived at Woirel about April 18, 1918, having completed a two days march from Val-de-Maison. Camp was pitched on high ground north of the village of Woirel. The next three days were spent in drill instruction and on April 22, acting upon orders from Headquarters, 4th C.R.T., the battalion began work. The work allotted was the making of the necessary excavation to prepare the road bed for a second track on the Nord railway line from Wiry to Oisemont., a distance of about 17,000 ft. The 4th C.R.T. were in charge of the work of this double track construction and the battalion commander reported directly to their chief construction engineer, Major Poser. The 4th C.R.t. survey party had previously set center line stakes for the new track but the plans or sketches of any part of the work were never issued. The country passed through was the typical rolling farm land of this part of France interspersed with patches of timber. The maximum out was about 15ft in depth and the maximum fill about 40 ft. The main classes of material excavated may be listed as good black loam; red clay; red clay and flint gravel mixed; soft disintergrated chalk; and hard compact chalk. In all the heavy cuts the chalk predominated. Steel dump cars averaging a little less than a cubic yard capacity and operated on 60 cm. track, were used in the heavier cuts for moving material out on to the adjacent dumps. These cars were rolled out by hand except where the dump lay on the up-grade side of the cut, in which case they were moved either by teams or locomotives. The locomotives, two in number, were of the 7000lb. Andrew Barclay type. The operation of these locomotives was on the whole, very satisfactory. It was endeavored throughout the work to maintain the integrity of the companies, each captain supervising the work on a section allotted to his company. The battalion headquarters maintained a survey party whose duty it was to set slope stakes, final grade stakes, run cross sections and make computations for the final quantities. These headquarters also maintained a tool and supply yard with an officer in charge from which issues and replacements were made to the several companies. The material was taken out by hand and either wasted or moved in cars to a dump. Along the timbered section of the railway blastine (equal to about 60 percent dynamite) was used to remove stumps and also in certain chalk cuts this same explosive was used to jarr the material in order to facilitate its being picked down. The chalk in the cut worked by Company
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[Page 2] loaded to full capacity when they were counted so. The remainder of this table seems self-explanatory. W.W. Burden, Major, Engineers, N.A. Commanding 2nd Bn., 12th Engineers (Ry).
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[diagram] Standard Sections
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[Line] 1. [Company] C [Station to Station] 6700 to 7400 [Length of Cut] 320 [ Maximum Depth] 12.2 [Method of Handling] Car [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] [Weight of Rail] [Reported Yardage] 3450 [X-Section Yardage] 2103 [Haul in Stations] 6 [Grade of haul] p-1.2 [Total no. of shots] 154 [Line] 2.[Company] D [ Station to Station] 1185 to 1395 [Length of Cut] 210 [Maximum Depth] 2.0 [ Method of Handling] Hand [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] [Weight of Rail] [Reported Yardage] [X-Section Yardage] 60 [Haul in Stations] Was [Grade of haul] [Total no. of shots] [Line] 3. [Company] D [Station to Station] 8700 to 9500 [Length of Cut] 500 [Maximum Depth] 4.7 [Method of Handling] Car [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] 696 [Weight of Rail] 16# [Reported Yardage] 795 [X-Section Yardage] 390 [Haul in Stations] 6 [Grade of haul] 00.0 [Total no. of shots] [Line] 4. [Company] D [Station to Station] 12500 to 12800 [Length of Cut] 300 [Maximum Depth] 2.0 [Method of Handling] Hand [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] [Weight of Rail] [Reported Yardage] [X-Section Yardage] 212 [Haul in Stations] W. [Grade of haul] [Total no. of shots] [Line] 5. [Company] D [Station to Station]12800-13100 [Length of Cut] 300 [Maximum Depth] 1.3 [ Method of Handling] Hand [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] [Weight of Rail] [Reported Yardage] [X-Section Yardage] 108 [Haul in Stations] W. [Grade of haul] [Total no. of shots] [Line] 6. [Company] D [Station to Station] 13800-15600 [Length of Cut] 1600 [Maximum Depth] 3.0 [Method of Handling] Hand [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] [Weight of Rail] [Reported Yardage] 752 [X-Section Yardage] 502 [Haul in Stations] W. [Grade of haul] [Total no. of shots] [Line] 7. [Company] D [Station to Station] 15600-17100 [Length of Cut] 1500 [Maximum Depth] 1.9 [Method of Handling] Hand [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] [Weight of Rail] [Reported Yardage] 670 [X-Section Yardage] 237 [Haul in Stations] W. [Grade of haul] [Total no. of shots] [Line] 8. [Company] D [Station to Station] 7400-8700 [Length of Cut] 700 [Maximum Depth] 12.6 [ Method of Handling] Car [Motive Power] Loco [Length of Track] 716984 [Weight of Rail] 22# 16# [Reported Yardage] 5918 [X-Section Yardage] 5750 [Haul in Stations] 11. [Grade of haul] p-0.8 [Total no. of shots] 351 [Line] 9. [Company] E [Station to Station] 1750-2050 [Length of Cut] 350 [Maximum Depth] 2.0 [Method of Handling] Hand [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] [Weight of Rail] [Reported Yardage] [X-Section Yardage] 74 [Haul in Stations] W. [Grade of haul] [Total no. of shots] [Line] 10. [Company] E [Station to Station] 2050-2600 [Length of Cut] 550 [Maximum Depth] 2.3 [Method of Handling] Wheel Bar [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] [Weight of Rail] [Reported Yardage] [X-Section Yardage] 31 [Haul in Stations] 1.2 [Grade of haul] m-1.3 [Total no. of shots] [Line] 11. [Company] E [Station to Station] 3550-4350 [Length of Cut] 400 [Maximum Depth] 4.0 [Method of Handling] Car [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] 736 [Weight of Rail] 14# [Reported Yardage] 2625 [X-Section Yardage] 1796 [Haul in Stations] 5.0 [Grade of haul] m-1.2 [Total no. of shots] [Line] 12. [Company] E [Station to Station] 4350-5600 [Length of Cut] 950 [Maximum Depth] 8.0 [Method of Handling] Car [Motive Power] Loco [Length of Track] 908 [Weight of Rail] 16# [Reported Yardage] 4030 [X-Section Yardage] 3063 [Haul in Stations] 10. [Grade of haul] p-1.2 [Total no. of shots] 14 [Line] 13. [Company] F [Station to Station] 1395-1750 [Length of Cut] 400 [Maximum Depth] 5.0 [Method of Handling] Hand [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] [Weight of Rail] [Reported Yardage] [X-Section Yardage] 80 [Haul in Stations] [Grade of haul] [Total no. of shots] [Line] 14. [Company] F [Station to Station] 2600-3550 [Length of Cut] 440 [Maximum Depth] 5.0 [ Method of Handling] Car [Motive Power] Man[Length of Track] 642 214 792 [Weight of Rail] 16# 22# 9# [Reported Yardage] 1700 [X-Section Yardage] 964 [Haul in Stations] 7. [Grade of haul] m-1.2 [Total no. of shots] [Line] 15. [Company] F [ Station to Station] 5600-6700 [Length of Cut] 700 [Maximum Depth] 4.7 [Method of Handling] Car [Motive Power] Man [Length of Track] 144 [Weight of Rail] 16# [Reported Yardage] 6001 [X-Section Yardage] 3353 [Haul in Stations]12. [Grade of haul] m-1.2 [Total no. of shots] 193
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[Line] 1. [Total feet fuse] 490 [Total pounds Blastine] 318 [Average depth per Shot] 3.2 [Company strength from Morning Report.] 149 [percentage on work] 51 [Personnel: Officers] 2 [Personnel: Sergeants] 6 [Personnel: Corporals] 7 [Personnel: Privates] 70 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] 3.0 [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 1.8 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] 2.7 [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 1.6 [Line] 2. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 149 [percentage on work] 54 [Personnel: Officers] 1 [Personnel: Sergeants] 9 [Personnel: Corporals] 10 [Personnel: Privates] 63 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 0.9 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 0.8 [Line] 3. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 152 [percentage on work] 55 [Personnel: Officers] 1 [Personnel: Sergeants] 8 [Personnel: Corporals] 9 [Personnel: Privates] 65 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] 2.8 [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 1.3 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] 2.5 [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 1.2 [Line] 4. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 158 [percentage on work] 47 [Personnel: Officers] 2 [Personnel: Sergeants] 5 [Personnel: Corporals] 4 [Personnel: Privates] 64 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 3.1 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 2.8 [Line] 5. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 154 [percentage on work] 53 [Personnel: Officers] 2 [Personnel: Sergeants] 7 [Personnel: Corporals] 9 [Personnel: Privates] 63 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 1.5 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 1.3 [Line] 6. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 154 [percentage on work] 55 [Personnel: Officers] 1 [Personnel: Sergeants] 8 [Personnel: Corporals] 6 [Personnel: Privates] 69 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] 3.3 [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 2.2 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] 3.0 [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 2.0 [Line] 7. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 156 [percentage on work] 57 [Personnel: Officers] 1 [Personnel: Sergeants] 8 [Personnel: Corporals] 6 [Personnel: Privates] 74 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] 3.5 [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 1.0 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] 2.9 [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 0.9 [Line] 8. [Total feet fuse] 1412 [Total pounds Blastine] 670 [Average depth per Shot] 4.0 [Company strength from Morning Report.] 160 [percentage on work] 48 [Personnel: Officers] 1 [Personnel: Sergeants] 8 [Personnel: Corporals] 8 [Personnel: Privates] 60 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] 3.8 [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 3.7 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] 3.4 [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 3.3 [Line] 9. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 143 [percentage on work] 55 [Personnel: Officers] 2 [Personnel: Sergeants] 4 [Personnel: Corporals] 8 [Personnel: Privates] 65 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 0.5 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section]0.4 [Line] 10. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 145 [percentage on work] 62 [Personnel: Officers] 1 [Personnel: Sergeants] 4 [Personnel: Corporals] 10 [Personnel: Privates] 75 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 0.2 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 0.2 [Line] 11. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 143 [percentage on work] 57 [Personnel: Officers] 2 [Personnel: Sergeants] 6 [Personnel: Corporals] 6 [Personnel: Privates] 67 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] 3.3 [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 2.2 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] 3.0 [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 2.0 [Line] 12. [Total feet fuse] 77 [Total pounds Blastine] 27 [Average depth per Shot] 5.5 [Company strength from Morning Report.] 144 [percentage on work] 36 [Personnel: Officers] 2 [Personnel: Sergeants] 7 [Personnel: Corporals] 8 [Personnel: Privates] 52 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] 4.8 [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 3.6 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] 4.2 [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section]3.2 [Line] 13. [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 154 [percentage on work] 57 [Personnel: Officers] 3 [Personnel: Sergeants] 4 [Personnel: Corporals] 6 [Personnel: Privates] 74 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 0.5 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 0.5 [Line] 14 [Total feet fuse] [Total pounds Blastine] [Average depth per Shot] [Company strength from Morning Report.] 155 [percentage on work] 54 [Personnel: Officers] 2 [Personnel: Sergeants] 6 [Personnel: Corporals] 7 [Personnel: Privates] 69 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] 3.2 [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 1.8 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] 2.9 [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 1.6 [Line] 15. [Total feet fuse] 819 [Total pounds Blastine] 429 [Average depth per Shot] 4.3 [Company strength from Morning Report.] 152 [percentage on work] 39 [Personnel: Officers] 2 [Personnel: Sergeants] 5 [Personnel: Corporals] 7 [Personnel: Privates] 59 [Average Yards per shovel per day: Reported] 3.3 [Average Yards per shovel per day: X-section] 1.9 [Average Yards per man on job per day: Reported] 3.1 [Average Yards per man on job per day: X-section] 1.8
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Company Totals and Summaries Length of Cut (ft) [Co. C] 320 [Co. D] 5110 [Co. E] 2250 [Co.F] 1540 [Totals] 10220 Reported Yardage (Cu.Yds.) [Co. C] 3450 [Co. D] 8135 [Co. E] 6655 [Co.F] 7701 [Totals] 25941 X-Section Yardage (Cu.Yds.) [Co. C] 2103 [Co. D] 7259 [Co. E] 4964 [Co.F] 4379 [Totals] 18723 Percentage Swell [Co. C]68 [Co. D] 12 [Co. E] 34 [Co.F]76 [Totals] 47 Total No. Shots [Co. C] 154 [Co. D] 351 [Co. E] 14 [Co.F] 193 [Totals] 712 Total Blastine (lbs) [Co. C] 318 [Co. D] 670 [Co. E] 27 [Co.F] 429 [Totals] 1444 Average Depth per shot (ft) [Co. C] 3.2 [Co. D] 4.0 [Co. E] 5.5 [Co.F] 4.3 [Totals] 3.9 Average Charge per shot (lbs) [Co. C] 2.1 [Co. D] 1.9 [Co. E] 1.9 [Co.F] 2.2 [Totals] 2.0 Average Company Strength [Co. C] 149 [Co. D] 154 [Co. E] 144 [Co.F] 154 [Totals] 151 Percentage on work [Co. C] 51 [Co. D] 53 [Co. E]53 [Co.F] 50 [Totals] 52 Yards per man with shovel per day on basis of (1) Reported yardage [Co. C] 3.0 [Co. D] 3.3 [Co. E] 4.9 [Co.F] 3.2[Totals] 3.4 (2) X-Section Yardage [Co. C] 1.8 [Co. D] 2.0 [Co. E] 1.6 [Co.F] 1.4 [Totals] 1.7 Yards per man on the job per day on basis of (1) Reported yardage [Co. C] 2.7 [Co. D] 2.7 [Co. E] 3.6 [Co.F] 3.0 [Totals] 3.0 (2) X-Section yardage [Co. C] 1.6 [Co. D] 1.8 [Co. E] 1.4 [Co.F] 1.3 [Totals]1.5
Details
| Title | Notes on Operation of the 2nd Battalion Railway Construction- April 1918 |
| Creator | Burden, W.W. |
| Source | Burden, W.W. Notes on Operation of the 2nd Battalion Railway Construction. April 1918. World War I Collection. A1771. Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| Description | Notes on the operations of the 2nd Battalion Railway Construction, including charts detailing the work completed on each rail line by each company. |
| Subject LCSH | United States. Army. Engineers, 12th |
| Subject Local | World War I; WWI; Light Railway |
| Site Accession Number | A1771 |
| Contributing Institution | Missouri History Museum |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond those allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the Missouri History Museum: 314-746-4510 |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. Contact the Missouri History Museum's Permissions Office at 314-746-4511 to obtain written consent. |
| Date Original | April 1918 |
| Language | English |