Armored Trains

 

Here in America we think of armored trains, if we think of them at all, as relics of a bygone age. Perhaps we recall steel clad locomotives steaming across the African veldt, armed with Martini Henrys, gatlings, Lees and Maxims. Or World Wars I and II, in which battle trains were famously active. Today? Not so much. But hold on, readers.

Armored trains are very much alive and well, especially in Eastern Europe. Serbia, for example, deployed the famous Krajina Express. Here's a photo:

And Russia notoriously armored up some rolling stock in the Chechen conflict, Baikal, Amur, Terek, and Don. These battle wagons were armed with 23 mm ZU-23-2 guns, a T 62 on a flatbed, and 30 mm BMP cannon, to say nothing of small arms, jamming equipment, missiles and whatever else the Russkies strap onto the rolling beasts.

After the second Chechen war these ferocious trains were put in storage only to reappear in rail intensive Ukraine, where they've seen extensive service. Apparently several Chechen conflict trains have been combined into one train, the Volga.

What can we say? The message is clear, surely, armored trains are awesome and we want one, or more. Texas demands it.

Casey Jones,

LSP

Magic Train

Just coz,

LSP

Defend The Greek Border Remove Kebab

Have you heard? Greece is under attack from Turkey which is sending tens of thousands to the Greek border as an invasion force. Greece is saying no, understandably, they don't want to become part of Erdogan's Caliphate.

Remove Kebab

But the Sultan's reckoning on the degenerate, cowardly, unable to fight back nature of the West. Hitler did the same thing, as did the Japanese. Do not mistake forbearance for weakness. 

Erdogan, you are on notice, it'll get visceral when we go after you. Remember Saddam, you fool.

Remove Kebab,

LSP

Roving

"It's like Ibiza but, you know, country," I said, dialing up Magic Train of Remove Kebab to maximum volume. It was an Albanian bar in rural Texas and Remove Kebab just seemed right. Everyone agreed. 

"Like this song a lot, 'bout a train with guns. So where you from?"
"From England. I'm a pastor."
"Good to meetcha!"

It turns out we pretty much knew each other thanks to mutual friends and acquaintances, it's a small town; I like that, so much better than living in the plastic-sided splendor of the Metrosprawl. Then, after a quick blast of the perennial classic, Don't Fear The Reaper, I headed for home.

The streets were empty, apart from the occasional cat, slinking across the road and one or two wild dogs. They're a menace and you have to wonder at the genius of the people who abandoned them.

Back at the compound, I reflected on the town and the wisdom of the Baptists and Methodists who helped pioneer it. They cared for people and now their churches are large.

There's a lesson in that.

God bless,

LSP