Railroad Magazine

May 1952

KOREA. “Before General Hershey caught up with me, I was in Espee hostler helper service
at Los Angeles,” writes Pvt. Ralph J. Myers, US 56147153, Co C, 712 TROB, APO 301, c/o
Postmaster, San Francisco. “I’m now with the 712th Transportation Railway Operating
Battalion, serving at the Seoul station of the Korean National Railroad.
“The KNR is similar to American practice in equipment and right-of-way but has the
Japanese characteristic of left-hand running, most locomotives being equipped with left-
hand throttles. The motive power looks surprisingly like America’s. Switchers include trim-
looking 2-6-2T types; local engines are 4-6-0s and U.S. Army-built Consolidations.
“Main-line passenger trains are handled by 100-ton Pacifics and freight by 2--2s and
small but modern disc-drivered Mountains. The 712th and 724th use 800-hp diesel switchers
as crack road locomotives, with GIs as engineers.
“Our 712th division consists of the double-tracked main line between Taejon and
Yong Dong Po, with a positive-block system using modern searchlight signals which have
three aspects. The line crosses Han River to the classification yards at Yongsan and
continues northeast to Chunchon, with another route northwest to Seoul and Munsan, truce
camp site.
“Seoul station’s main business is the crack Eusak Express and a morning passenger
train dubbed the Kimchi. Named for initials of the Eighth Army in Korea, the Eusak is like
an American overnight limited of the 1920s. Pulled by a PCS-class Pacific in winter and an
800-hp diesel in summer, it consists of a mail car, a baggage car, two to four coaches for
enlisted men, and two Pullman-type sleepers for officers and civilians. At times its rear may
include ornate observation cars of Army staff officers.
“The equipment has most of the comforts of U.S. passenger trains. It makes the
300-odd miles between Seoul and Pusan in a scheduled 12 hours, barring guerilla attacks.
A few months ago this train was shot up in Wild West fashion.
“In general, Korea has a larger and more complete rail system than you’d expect to
find in an Oriental country as backward and wartorn as Korea is today. War’s effect can be
seen from twisted and battered cars and engines strewn along the right-of-way, from
blown-out bridges and tunnels and gutted shops and stations.”