Tanks On A Train – Of all the things one can expect to see on a highway commute through Toronto, a train loaded with tanks is not one of them. But there’s always an explanation, and blogTO reached out to the Canadian Forces to learn where these war machines are really headed and why.
The German military would not give details on how many Ukrainian troops are being trained here this month. But each of the 40 Marders has a crew of three and can carry six infantry soldiers, while each Leopard 2 tank has a crew of four and transports no infantry troops.
Tanks On A Train
Anyone watching the news or doom scrolling their social feeds during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has almost certainly encountered unsettling images of tank columns rolling through cities. On Friday, that distant reality got a little too close to home for commuters on the country’s busiest highway.
One Year Of Russia’s War In Ukraine
The trains are transporting military equipment from Fort Bliss, Texas, to the Port of San Diego. The equipment belongs to the Army’s 1st Armored Division’s 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team and will be transported via ship overseas as part of a scheduled unit rotation, said Frederick Rice, a spokesman for the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.
Instead, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands collectively announced that they would refurbish for Ukraine 100 older Leopard 1 tanks — which, while more than 40 years old, still would be useful on the battlefield. The first of those would not arrive before summer, Pistorius said.
According to a Forces representative, the tanks are not being shipped east, but actually west, saying, “In preparation for Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE 2022, the largest annual Canadian Army training exercise, we are moving military vehicles by rail for transportation to Wainwright, Alberta
.” There are three significant military bases in Georgia, two Air Force bases, an Army airfield and a Marines logistics base. Any one of those could conceivably be a destination for the military equipment seen being transported through Atlanta, and we know that some troops are being moved out of Georgia on their way to Europe.
Let’s Get Colorful Event
Tanks could be involved in those movements. Portraits of Ukraine: Every Ukrainian’s life has changed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion one year ago — in ways both big and small. They have learned to survive and support each other under extreme circumstances, in bomb shelters and hospitals, destroyed apartment complexes and ruined marketplaces.
Scroll through portraits of Ukrainians reflecting on a year of loss, resilience and fear. Those fights are just simulations, but the Ukrainians will soon train on real Leopard 2A6 tanks. And at the end of March, they will be back on the front line, facing off against Russian forces and trained on new equipment.
As with weapons contributions, participation in training for Ukrainian troops has differed across European countries. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that more than 10,000 Ukrainian troops had come through Britain for training in the past six months, with the aim of an additional 20,000 this year.
As an endearing image for children, the Day Out With Thomas events — licensed by Mattel — have grown nationally and are conducted at many locations throughout the United States. Other countries host these events as well — some locations are listed below.
The Tale Begins
This year’s theme is “The Color Tour.” The training at a German military base near Munster is part of an effort across Europe to get Ukrainian forces acquainted with the tanks and infantry fighting vehicles they have been promised.
But while Berlin had hoped to pull together two Leopard 2 battalions — totaling about 70 tanks — for Ukraine ahead of an anticipated Russian offensive this spring, the West is still short on contributions. The video was captured from a car traveling westbound on Highway 401 between Whites Road and Liverpool Road, just east of Toronto near Pickering GO station, showing the train loading with tanks moving west on a rail bridge over the highway.
Wilbert Vere Awdry created this ever-so-popular character from stories he told his son, Christopher. The Three Railway Engines was published in 1945 with more books to follow until the early 1970s. In 1983, Christopher continued the story, transcending it into a television show that aired in the United Kingdom in 1984. It was introduced to the American audience in 1989 as part of the Public Broadcasting System series Shining Time Station.
A year of living apart: Russia’s invasion, coupled with Ukraine’s martial law preventing fighting-age men from leaving the country, has forced agonizing decisions for millions of Ukrainian families about how to balance safety, duty and love, with once-intertwined lives having become
Thomas Friends
unrecognizable. Here’s what a train station full of goodbyes looked like last year. “With everything going on in the world, it’s quite scary to see something like this in front of you,” said Dobbs, adding, “we have been holding onto a lot of fear and unanswered questions. I think everyone’s just looking for answers and
reassurance.” A second battalion’s worth of Leopard 2A4 tanks — including 14 from Poland, eight from Norway, six from Spain and four from Canada and three demining tanks from Finland — also is intended to go at the end of March.
But German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius indicated that repairs and checks still needed to be carried out on those vehicles which were built in the late 1980s and early 1990s. While in this case, the equipment is heading toward the Port of San Diego, other times military equipment traveling through the area might be transferring to or from a training area or military base in the region, Cook said.
We don’t know where these most recent tanks are going, because the military isn’t in a position to share that information, but the possibility is at least strong that it’s just a routine equipment transport the likes of which we occasionally see in Atlanta
. This happened in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago (tanks on trains moving through town) and it was jarring because I’d never seen it but I’m not always staring at the train tracks. Maybe there’s some shuffling of stuff right now?
pic.twitter.com/c653vcWHxm The package will be supplemented with 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, which have large tracks that make them look and operate like light tanks. Although more than 50 years old, they have proved more reliable than some newer additions to the arsenal, German defense officials say.
Deepening global divides: President Biden has trumpeted the reinvigorated Western alliance forged during the war as a “global coalition,” but a closer look suggests the world is far from united on issues raised by the Ukraine war.
Evidence abounds that the effort to isolate Putin has failed and that sanctions haven’t stopped Russia, thanks to its oil and gas exports. The soldiers training on Leopard 2 tanks and Marders in Germany were enthusiastic that the new equipment could make a difference on the front lines.
Anatolii, who would describe himself only as being over 50, said that comparing the Western systems to the Soviet-era tanks to which he is accustomed is “like comparing a Mercedes with a Soviet Zhiguli car” — better known in the West as a Lada
. ATLANTA — It was a dramatic image that went viral through social media on Thursday – rows of tanks being transported along rail lines in Atlanta, an ominous sight as Russia wages war on Ukraine and Americans wait to see if the situation in Europe will escalate to U.S.
. The response is a bit cryptic, but what they mean is they’re not at liberty to tell news organizations if those tanks belong to, say, the National Guard, or the Army, or how else they might be used.
Sweden hasn’t yet come forward to offer any of its 120 Leopard tanks. Defense Minister Pal Jonson was quoted Thursday by local news agency TT as saying, “We are open to that and we are in close dialogue with above all Germany about it.”
Just like the military drill taking place this weekend on Toronto’s subway, or an Amber Alert that had some thinking the end was near, it’s fair to be a bit jumpy these days, but it’s best to not assume the worst.
“Everyone’s highly motivated,” said Vitalii, 33, who gave only his first name, in line with protocol for a visit arranged by the German Defense Ministry. He wore orange-tinted sunglasses and a green tube scarf pulled over his nose to protect his identity when speaking with journalists.
“Hopefully the material can help us win the war,” he said. In the Netherlands, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said last month that his government was considering buying and sending to Ukraine the 18 Leopard 2A6 tanks the Netherlands leases as part of a German-Dutch brigade.
But the Dutch and German militaries nixed that plan. Passing those on to Ukraine would mean “further weakening the readiness” of the German armed forces, Pistorius said on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels last week.
More than 2,000 German-made Leopard 2 tanks are in military arsenals across Europe. Berlin was heavily criticized for holding up deliveries, by hesitating to grant countries permission to reexport German-made tanks to Ukraine. But since the German government gave the green light on Jan. 25, other countries have been slow to follow through, German officials say.
Battle of attrition: Over the past year, the war has morphed from a multi-front invasion that included Kyiv in the north to a conflict of attrition largely concentrated along an expanse of territory in the east and south.
Follow the 600-mile front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces and take a look at where the fighting has been concentrated. Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional character living on the make-believe island of Sodor.
With his human-like qualities and ability to talk, Thomas is a cute steam-powered locomotive that has mesmerized children for generations from within illustrated books and the long-running television series Thomas & Friends. Thomas is a small but vital, strong-willed engine that wants to be useful on the Sodor Railway.
With railway manager Sir Topham Hatt and other engine friends to help him out, Thomas bravely maneuvers through risky situations and succeeds at completing his adventures safely. This shiny blue engine has become a role model that has morphed into a common icon for today’s railroads and train museums to utilize for children’s events.
The United States’ promised M1 Abrams tanks were always expected to involve an even longer timeline. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said Thursday that it’s “still to be determined” whether any can be delivered by the end of this year.
All possible options will take months, she said, and others could take up to a year or two. Many of those serving in Ukraine’s armed forces had not picked up a gun before Russia’s invasion, and the level of experience of soldiers arriving for training ranges widely, said Peter, 52, a German lieutenant at the base near Munster.
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Emma Nehls is a military writer and historian with a passion for exploring the intricacies of warfare and the human experience within the military. With extensive knowledge and a deep understanding of military strategy, tactics, and historical contexts, Nehls brings a unique perspective to his writings.
