Trains and steam in twilight

[Raellus]

A little more research led me to the name of the armored train featured in the last couple of photos I posted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krajina_Express

And another pic for good measure.

From the various photos I've found- all of which appear to be of the same armored train- it looks like this bad-boy was armed with at least:

A 76mm AT gun (in an M-18 Hellcat turret)
Dual aerial rocket launchers
A Bofors-type 40mm AA gun
An Browning M2HB HMG
A quad-mounted HMG of some sort (possibly a ZPU-4)
Two AT-3 Sagger ATGMs

[StainlessSteelCynic]

That AA gun could be the Soviet Bofors copy, specifically the 37mm M1939 (Soviet name 61-K)
Apparently the Soviet navy got some Bofors guns in the 1930s and developed a 45mm copy but the army wanted a 37mm version. This was the 61-K.
Also made in Poland and China. Yugoslavia was a customer for the 61-K along with Romania and East Germany.

[Raellus]

I'll bet that's what it is. Thanks, SSC. I was unaware that the Soviets had cloned and disseminated their version of the Bofors.

[kalos72]

So what would be the purpose of these armored trains? How would you use them?

Say specifically back in the "States" for example versus Germany.

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by kalos72

So what would be the purpose of these armored trains? How would you use them?

They have several purposes. One is protecting rail lines and cargo shipments from hostile forces (usually partisans). This is what the Germans mainly used them for on the Ostfront in WWII.

Their second main purpose is acting as a mobile fire support base for ground troops (see the Wikipedia article I linked to about the Krajina Express).

Originally Posted by kalos72

Say specifically back in the "States" for example versus Germany.

I'm going to assume that you mean during the Twilight War and, "as opposed to Germany", not against it.

Armored trains in CONUS would be used in the same ways to do more or less the same things. In the SW, they would provide protection against Mexican, Cuban, and Soviet raiders. In the SE, they'd likely operate against New America.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

As an aside, they also make a particularly good show of force if you're trying to rebuild rail lines and convince the civvies that you mean business - "Yes we are committed to keeping the rail lines open.This special train will deter enemy forces who try to destroy our railways so you can all rest assured, this railway will continue to operate!"

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Originally Posted by Raellus

I'll bet that's what it is. Thanks, SSC. I was unaware that the Soviets had cloned and disseminated their version of the Bofors.

I'd have to check but I believe the 45mm version was not adopted for service but apparently they did use a twin barreled version of the 37mm so the 37mm is for want of a better (more accurate) term, the Soviet Bofors
I know there's a book out there about the Bofors gun by author Terry Gander that apparently has lots of detail on these things but I've never seen a copy anywhere. I don't recall the title or even know the ISBN unfortunately



Edit: A quick search while typing this revealed that the book is titled (surprise, surprise) "The Bofors Gun"

[Raellus]

Thanks, SSC. I was unaware that the Soviets had copied the Bofors.

Here's an article on an armored train of WWI.

https://medium.com/war-is-boring/a-r...a-db3e3180b50c

[WallShadow]

I know this is thread necromancy, but this little gem was in my backyard all along: The Walkersville Southern Railroad Museum, located just NE of Frederick, MD (home of Ft Detrick, USAMRIID "cancer research" facility. and hopefully far east enough of Camp David, which got nuked. The Museum opened in 1995 and has several active engines and railstock.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker...thern_Railroad