TM 55-203
baggage, kitchen and personnel cars, which are briefly
9-3. Troop Kitchen Cars
described below. Periodic maintenance of these cars
will be performed by MECOM Mobile Shop Teams or
The standard domestic service Army troop kitchen car
commercial railway shops using routine procedures
resembles, in outward appearance, the guard car
discussed in this manual and in SB 7402220-97-E02.
illustrated in figure 2-8. It is a complete kitchen unit
used for storing and preparing food for passengers on
b.
Ambulance Unit Car.
Within CONUS,
troop trains. These cars are equipped with two ranges
ambulance cars are operated over the commercial
for cooking, cook's worktable, utensil cabinet, two
railroad systems either singly or as part of a train as
refrigerators, meat cutting table, and two sets of sinks.
noted above. This type of car is mounted on two four-
Other interior equipment includes a hand-fired water
wheel trucks with coil spring suspension and roller-
heater, overhead water storage tanks, and a shower and
bearing journals. These cars, equipped with tight-lock
dressing room equipped with hot and cold water.
couplers and designed for high speed passenger service
Exhaust fans and ventilating blowers exhaust heat and
on all standard gage railroads in CONUS, are air
cooking fumes. These cars are 50 feet 6 inches long
conditioned throughout. These cars, 85 feet long, are
inside, mounted on double drop-equalizer, swing bolster;
divided into five sections. The front (enlisted men's)
passenger-service type, cast-steel, four-wheel trucks,
section contains seating and sleeping accommodations
equipped with 5 by 10-inch axles. Air brakes,
for six members of the medical staff or operating crew.
coupling, and draft gears are all designed for passenger
The rear section contains a compartment for a doctor,
service. Complete details of troop kitchen cars are
one for a nurse, two separate toilet compartments, a
contained in TM 55-2019.
shower room, a sterilizer room, closet space, the
electrical closet, and a water cooler. The third ward
9-4. Army Medical Department Cars
section contains seating and sleeping accommodations
for 27 patients and storage closets for bedding, food
a. General. Standard ambulance trains operating
serving equipment, etc. Section four is the receiving
under the prescribed TOE or TD may be employed by
room, it has two large loading doors (to handle litters), a
the Army Medical Department for the movement of
large utility sink, a desk, and locker space. The fifth
patients in the zone of interior (ZI) and in the theater of
section is a complete electric kitchen at the rear of the
operations. In the ZI, ambulance trains are maintained
car. Two diesel electric power plants furnish power for
by the Surgeon General for the movement of patients
operation of the car's electrical equipment when trainline
from various debarkation points to Armed Forces
power is not available. A standby receptacle is ,located
hospitals and in the transfer of patients between medical
on each side of the car for yard connection to
treatment facilities. In the theater of operations they are
commercial power. Four water tanks coupled to the
used to evacuate patients from hospital or holding units
airbrake and steam heat system furnish wash water to
of the combat zone to the communications zone,
toilets, shower, kitchen water tanks, etc.
between hospitals of the communications zone, and
from hospitals to aerial and/or water ports of
c.
Ambulance Personnel Car.
These cars,
embarkation.
converted from Pullman sleepers, contain 10 roomettes
and 5 bedrooms, and are used for ambulatory patients
b. Design. Standard ambulance cars have been
and medical attendants. They are 84 feet 6 inches long,
designed for ease in rapid loading and unloading of litter
10 feet 6 inches wide, and completely air-conditioned.
patients, to maintain a comfortable inside temperature
These cars obtain electric power from under car axle-
throughout the car even when outside temperatures
driven generator or a.c. standby power (when parked)
range from 125F. to minus 40 ., and for unrestricted
F
and heat from steam heat lines. They have locker
interchange of ambulance car railway traffic throughout
space for baggage, linen, and car supplies, with roof and
the United States and Canada, including the
frame tanks for water storage.
underground tubes of New York City.
d.
Ambulance Baggage Car.
These are
9-5. Ambulance Trains
conventional type baggage cars, 51 feet, 1/4 inch long,
equipped with two four-wheel trucks, roller bearing, coil
a. General. Ten ambulance trains of nine cars
spring types. They are used
each have been authorized by the Surgeon General for
strategic location at various places m CONUS for
emergency use. All these cars are marked with a Red
Cross on the roof and at each end on the sides. These
trains consist of six ambulance unit cars, and one each
9-2
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