Union Pacific Military Tank Train - 8/3/11

I saw this train while I was on Metro Gold Line, on my way to catching a Southwest Chief train #3 with Heritage IV(AMTK 184). I decided to change my plan instead of catching the train #3. I was pretty lucky that this M1 Abrams tank train was about to leave and I made it to there right on time.

Union Pacific Military Tank Train at Main street bridge in Los Angeles, California on 8/3/11. UP 4768

[MrWhizzer]

yea, "tanks" for letting me see this train

[PyRStar]

RAIL FAN GOLD! GJ!!!! MADE NATIONAL NEWS!

[archangel]

Tanks are transported around the US by rail pretty regularly (because you really can't move them long distances over roads). I see many trains like this every year coming and going out of the Yermo rail yard (near Barstow CA). They are coming to Ft Irwin for training. A single Brigade (one per month at Ft Irwin) will have about 30 trains of tanks, bradleys, M-88's, howitzers, and rolling stock.

[Cnw]

I live at Ft. Bliss, TX and see various cargo and vehicles loaded and unloaded from the nearby railyard which connects to a UP secondary line!

[Condor]

There's just something soothing about tanks on trains.

[archangel]

These here are M1A1's, and all look like they are straight out of some sort of refurbishment (paint is pristine, and they don't have any unit markings). Almost all active duty units now use M1A2's, which are slightly different in the fittings.

[Seazer]

Was watching a military train pass through the passenger station in Florence SC one day while I was on duty with the Railroad and about middle way the train was a soldier standing up inside the terret of his tank . I guess he was onboard to keep a watch out on things but he sure had a good ride no doubt .

[tehnoobn]

TANKS a lot for the video. i believe I have been ARMORED with this knowledge.

[msbeard]

Almost all M1's are returned to Lima Ohio where the hull and turret are separated, and everything is removed before sandblasting. They are all upgraded to the latest versions with all upgrades installed and returned to duty better than new. They haven't built "new" in years so we recycle them as needed.

[igclifecuzz]

thanks for posting this it took me bacc to my childhood growing up in fort stewart ga

[Mike-tgdj]

Railhead I've been there and done that. Back in the good old days we had to ride with our vehicles of course that was 30 years ago and it was Germany. Traveling in Germany was like crossing Oregon with a climate like Washington state. We would button up everything inside the turret lock t up chock block it off, tie it off, and board the train. It was fun like the time we left the Stuttgart area heading east with no. snow or bad weather only to arrive in Nuremberg with 4 feet of snow on the ground with more expected. Nothing like disembarking into a blizzard only to have to hurry up and wait. Oh the good old days.

[bigmikejones]

Army has many times a year out by Yermo tank trains and assorted hardware bound for NTC at FT Irwin. Awesome to see all those M1's moving .

[heroduothend]

i had one go by today, it stopped in town and picked up scrapped fright cars and it to the train to make it look like a mix train.it had 27 tanks that looked just like these

[chessiesystemrailfanman]

AWESOME, JUST AWESOME, SOME OF OUR COUNTRIES GREAT ATTRIBUTES, RAILROADS AND MILITARY. I LOVE THIS STUFF. GREAT VIDEO, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.!!

[BastiaanBlinksma]

That is lucky indeed, great trainspotting, ..

[cscwgm]

Dont overthink it. Those are M1A1 heading for a rebuild to M1A2 standards. No big deal. In fact, they appear to be the tanks shipped from ROK, as they have completed thier transition to A2.

[K-Effect]

That was the most expensive train I have ever seen

[KarlDahlquist]

That is Hooper Heliport in the background, where LAPD stores a lot of the helicopters.

[jmdhintz]

great catch. UP's been moving tanks like they're going out of style. I've seen several come through Bakersfield this month. They make it a nightmare to get authority to cross their mainline at Oil Junction!

[UPDetector]

I really need to get one of those solid tank trains sooner or later. Awesome catch Snuffy