History - Armoured Trains and the military use of railways.
A thread for all my kind friends and followers who requested more content. Mostly German with a few pictures from elsewhere.
Images: PWB
Mapping why the Germans had to employ armoured trains on the eastern front. 2 maps: the main railway network; and, a map show the intensity of partisan activity in the area area of Army Group Centre in 1943.
Maps: @USArmyCMH
The war of the rails was probably the decisive aspect of the Soviet insurgency. While decoy raids trashed German regiments, there were never enough to carry a strike into the rear areas.
After 1945, the former German soldiers in the US Foreign Military Studies project frightened the Americans into believing the Soviet partisans were the greatest threat of all time. The Americans spent millions in research - if only old man Kovpak had known.
A closer look at the armoured train in the Polish National Railway Museum in Warsaw.
Images: PWB
The museum also has some impressive standard gauge motive power. Change of ownership common to railways.
Images: PWB
Stencils confirming change of ownership not always so visible. The gauge nodal moment!
Image: Andreas Knipping
The little engines: the work horses of the the military-railway complex. Example of a little train turned into an armoured train.
Images: PWB/@BundesarchivD
Interlude - preserved military/historical locomotives still at work.
Images: PWB
A fascinating study of the actuality of railways at war: July 1943 - Ukrainian railway yards and troop trains:
Images: Walter Hollnagel
A Nazi ceremony to open a bridge constructed by the railway engineer troops:
Images: Walter Hollnagel
Sometimes allied air raids looked very destructive, but expert railway engineers can restore traffic flow within 3 days.
Images: Walter Hollnagel
Back to Armoured Trains - the construction of tank cars had a familiar silhouette.
Image: @BundesarchivD
A preserved command car is on display in Bratislava.
Image: Lukáč Peter
Armoured train providing security and protection as construction troops repair damage caused by Red Army partisans.
Image: @BundesarchivD Bundesarchiv
Fascinating analysis by Wolfgang Sawodny illustrating how the armoured trains their configuration. Highly recommended book - German version is my favourite.
Images: Sawodny
A couple more recommended reading:
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