Photo of the day: Good bye, Railways Ministry.

 

Thursday, January 21, 2010

The decommissioned PLA Railway Engineering Corps.

As China unveils the world's fastest high speed train and its French designed railway terminals. (here), perhaps it is time to look back at PLA's long forgotten Railway Engineering Corps (REC).

The Wuhan Terminal

The REC was commissioned in August 1948 and "civilianized" in 1982 (here) by merged into the Ministry of Railway. In the 1970s, the REC peaked at 15 divisions and a total of 400,000 personnel for the construction of the "Third-Line" and other national defense projects.

The REC participated in the Korean War and connected Vietnam's rail into China's system at the height of the Indochina-Crisis. It also provided rear-guard security for the PLA during the 1979 Sino-Vietnam War.

1st Railway Division -- Commissioned in July 1948, participated in the Korean War, Civilianized in January 1st, 1984.

2nd Railway Division -- Commissioned in August 25th 1948, participated in the Korean War, the Indochina crisis of 1965, and the 1979 Sino-Vietnam war. Civilianized in January 1st, 1984

3rd Railway Division -- Commissioned in August 1948, participated in the Korean War. Civilianized in January 1st, 1984

4th Railway Division -- Commissioned in June 20th, 1951 in Korea, during the Korean War, Civilianized in January 1st, 1984.

5th Railway Division -- Commissioned during the Korea War in 1954, Civilianized in January 1st, 1984

6th Railway Division -- Commissioned in May 20th 1952, merged with the 5th Railway Division in 1980.

7th Railway Division -- Commissioned in 1952, Civilianized in January 1st, 1984.

8th Railway Division -- Commissioned in 1958, Civilianized in January 1st, 1984.

9th Railway Division -- Commissioned in 1949, participated in the Korean War. Civilianized in January 1st, 1984.

10th Railway Division -- Commissioned in 1952, participated in the Korean War. Civilianized in January 1st, 1984.

11th Railway Division -- Commissioned in February 1952, participated in the Korean War. Civilianized in January 1st, 1984.

12th Railway Division -- Commissioned in 1965 to construct the Beijing Subway, transferred to the Capital Construction Engineer Corps in 1976, Decommissioned in 1982.

13th Railway Division -- Commissioned in October 1964, merged with the 11th on 1979.

14th Railway Division -- Commissioned in March 5th, 1981, reformed as 12th Reserve Division, Shangyand Military Region. Decommissioned in 1992.

15th Railway Division -- Transferred to the Capital Construction Engineer Corps in 1975.