MikeG
Senior Member.
Conspiracy theorists constantly post videos of freight trains carrying military equipment around the country as evidence of some type of impending disaster; military coup plotting, preparation for an economic collapse, takeover by the New World Order, a United Nations invasion, as a precursor to a roundup of dissidents for FEMA camps, etc.
The most recent posts seem to associate military cargo on trains with Jade Helm 15.
It is easy to dismiss these allegations, but I wanted to dig into the issue a little more and find some relevant data that might be used to refute them.
For example:
The number of flatcars equipped to handle heavy military vehicles is surprisingly small, 5,862 in 2013. This fleet is primarily civilian owned and fairly old. Most of it was built in the sixties.
http://archive.defensenews.com/arti...-S-Military-Needs-New-Way-Ship-Heavy-Vehicles
These military trains are a miniscule part of total U.S. rail traffic.
http://www.transtats.bts.gov/osea/seasonaladjustment/?PageVar=RAIL_FRT_CARLOADS
So, by definition, sightings will be fairly rare.
Understanding the use of trains to transport military equipment is not that difficult. Many units are redeploying from overseas postings. Armored units in particular are returning from coastal ports to their home stations. The 1st Armored Division (and other heavy units) is based in Fort Bliss, Texas. This particular unit has hundreds of vehicles covering a broad spectrum of weight classes.
Similarly, individual Stryker Brigades returning home have hundreds of vehicles.
https://sites.google.com/site/usarmyforcecomposition/home/stryker-brigade-combat-team
Military vehicles are also shipped for refurbishment in what the military calls depot-level maintenance.
https://acc.dau.mil/CommunityBrowser.aspx?id=32452
There are a few of these facilities scattered around the country. Some of them include:
Anniston Army Depot
Corpus Christi Army Depot
Letterkenny Army Depot
Red River Army Depot
Tobyhanna Army Depot
Two of these depots (Corpus Christi and Red River) are in Texas.
Counting just redeployments and maintenance requirements, military trains are kept pretty busy.
So, between equipment bound for Ft. Bliss and repair facilities, it does not come as a shock to see so much amateur video of trains moving to Texas, arriving there, or leaving the state.
No real mystery in that.
The most recent posts seem to associate military cargo on trains with Jade Helm 15.
It is easy to dismiss these allegations, but I wanted to dig into the issue a little more and find some relevant data that might be used to refute them.
For example:
The number of flatcars equipped to handle heavy military vehicles is surprisingly small, 5,862 in 2013. This fleet is primarily civilian owned and fairly old. Most of it was built in the sixties.
http://archive.defensenews.com/arti...-S-Military-Needs-New-Way-Ship-Heavy-Vehicles
These military trains are a miniscule part of total U.S. rail traffic.
http://www.transtats.bts.gov/osea/seasonaladjustment/?PageVar=RAIL_FRT_CARLOADS
So, by definition, sightings will be fairly rare.
Understanding the use of trains to transport military equipment is not that difficult. Many units are redeploying from overseas postings. Armored units in particular are returning from coastal ports to their home stations. The 1st Armored Division (and other heavy units) is based in Fort Bliss, Texas. This particular unit has hundreds of vehicles covering a broad spectrum of weight classes.
Similarly, individual Stryker Brigades returning home have hundreds of vehicles.
https://sites.google.com/site/usarmyforcecomposition/home/stryker-brigade-combat-team
Military vehicles are also shipped for refurbishment in what the military calls depot-level maintenance.
https://acc.dau.mil/CommunityBrowser.aspx?id=32452
There are a few of these facilities scattered around the country. Some of them include:
Anniston Army Depot
Corpus Christi Army Depot
Letterkenny Army Depot
Red River Army Depot
Tobyhanna Army Depot
Two of these depots (Corpus Christi and Red River) are in Texas.
Counting just redeployments and maintenance requirements, military trains are kept pretty busy.
So, between equipment bound for Ft. Bliss and repair facilities, it does not come as a shock to see so much amateur video of trains moving to Texas, arriving there, or leaving the state.
No real mystery in that.