Railhead Operations at MCLB Barstow: a full service operation

Photo By Laurie Pearson | Sergeant Daniella Carrizales, Railway Operations distribution management clerk, tightens chains on a French Leclerc tank owned by the United Arab Emirates while loading equipment onto railcars aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., July 12. The equipment was being transported through the area after training operations at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms.  

BARSTOW, CA, UNITED STATES

11.09.2016

Story by Laurie Pearson  

Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow

Master Sergeant Patrick Grabowski, Rail Operations chief and Donald Kalawaia, Rail Operations Work Leader, both with Railhead Operations Group located aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, traveled to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. to conduct rail operations training with Marines from several east coast units, Oct. 23.
Nearly 70 Marines, representing nine units, from both Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. attended the training.
“The units were trained in all facets of Rail Operations to help with current and future missions,” said Chad Hildebrandt, supervisor of Railway Operations aboard MCLB Barstow. “The training consisted of one day of classroom instruction and three days of field training and it is just one of several courses offered by the Railhead Operations Group Training Course here at MCLB Barstow.“
“We really enjoyed being back there and working with the Marines,” said Kalawaia.
“Yes,” agreed Grabowski. “They were eager to learn!”
This team of Subject Matter Experts provides this training locally or on location..
“Our training that we do here is OJT all the time, so what we learn we pass forward,” Kalawaia said. “The rules are constantly changing with the American Association of Railroads also, and we ensure we know those changes are coming and implement those changes right away.”
“Other bases don’t necessarily have the infrastructure to provide the kind of full training we can provide here,” Grabowski said. “The on-location training is still a great start.”
The training included instruction on safely loading and offloading equipment and vehicles to and from railcars; preparing them for secure transportation; and coordinating incoming and outgoing rotations.
In addition to this training, next week Hildebrandt, Grabowski, Kalawaia and Gunnery Sgt. Antonio Flores, Rail Operations course instructor, will be conducting a Town Hall meeting of sorts at Camp Pendleton.
“This will be our opportunity to detail to I MEF, and other attending units on the capabilities of MCLB Barstow Rail Operations,” said Hildebrandt. “Areas that will be covered will be the Railhead Operations Group Training Course, Railhead Operations Playbook, Unit Movement and Planning Support, Camp Pendleton Railhead Operations and Maintenance Support, and the Rail Impact Test Capabilities of MCLB Barstow.”
“We’ll work on getting their infrastructure to the point where they’re using their rail to its fullest capacity,” Grabowski said.
One of the many things that make MCLB Barstow’s Railhead Operations a success is communication and coordination with units training in or transporting equipment through the region.
“With (MCI-West G-3/5) coordinating training conducted in the area, MCLB Barstow Rail Operations was asked to recon several different potential rail sites near this area to be utilized for movement of equipment from Camp Pendleton,” explained Hildebrandt. “Three different sites were identified which will offer the MEF the capability to ship large quantities of equipment that can advance to the training area either through tactical or non-tactical means.”
“In December we have rotational units going back home to Fort Bliss, Texas,” Kalawaia said. “Then Alaska units coming down by ship through Tacoma, Wash. then railing from Tacoma to here where we will unload (the equipment).”
In addition to units rotating through the base for training or attending Railhead Operations training at MCLB Barstow, the Railhead Operations Training Group will continue to travel to locations in the near future to conduct on-site training, such as Fort Bliss, Texas in February, 2017. As with any position, theirs comes with “other duties as assigned.”
“We are working with MARCORSYSCOM (Marine Corps Systems Command), providing guidance and support in the development of new Marine Corps equipment and vehicles,” Hildebrandt said, explaining that the equipment will be designed with the capability to be transported via railcar.
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• Date Taken: 11.09.2016
• Date Posted: 11.10.2016 18:13
• Story ID: 214416
• Location: BARSTOW, CA, US