Armored Trains

Osprey New Vanguard #140

by Steven J. Zaloga, Tony Bryan (Illustrator)

First seen during the American Civil War and later appearing in the Franco-Prussian War and the Anglo-Boer Wars, the armored train came to prominence on the Eastern Front during World War I. It was also deployed during the Russian Civil War and the technology traveled east into the Chinese Civil War, and the subsequent war with Japan. It saw service on the Russian Front in World War II, but was increasingly sidelined by its vulnerability to air attack. Steven J Zaloga examines the origins and development of the armored train focusing equally on the technical detail and on the fascinating story of how armored trains were actually used in combat. This title will appeal to armor, military history and railroad enthusiasts alike.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: World War I, Nonfiction, Military History, Military Fiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 22, 2008

About the author

Steven Zaloga is an author and defense analyst known worldwide for his articles and publications on military technology.  He has written over a hundred books on military technology and military history, including “Armored Thunderbolt: The US Army Sherman in World War II”, one of the most highly regarded histories of the Sherman Tank.  His books have been translated into Japanese, German, Polish, Czech, Romanian, and Russian. He was a special correspondent for Jane’s Intelligence Review and is on the executive board of the Journal of Slavic Military Studies and the New York Military Affairs Symposium. From 1987 through 1992, he was the writer/producer for Video Ordnance Inc., preparing their TV series Firepower.  He holds a BA in history from Union College and an MA in history from Columbia University.

Mr. Zaloga is also a noted scale armor modeler and is a host/moderator of the World War II Allied Discussion group at Missing-Lynx.com, a modelling website. He is a frequent contributor to the UK-based modeling magazine Military Modelling. He is a member of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society.

Reviews

[Singleton Mosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice little book to read but more because of the subject and the fantastic illustrations then the contents. There is a lot of history of Armoured Trains to be found but I think the author missed out on many a thing. The author does not go into detail how these trains were used on the battlefield in strategic and tactical situations, it says nothing about how they were opperated whatsoever and there's more to be missed.
Still it was a nice introduction to the subject and I am sure to be reading more about it in the future, hard as it might be to find anything about it.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of something that most historians gloss over - armored trains and their usage in various wars. It starts with the Civil war and ends right after WW2, as that was the heyday of armored trains. Fascinating subject, with great visuals.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book on a topic I find interesting -- not a whole lot more information than is freely available online and readily found through google searches, but all in one place. A bit of overarching analysis, but not a whole lot.

[Joe Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, short book on the history of armored trains, especially in the Russian Civil War, the Interwar period, and WW2.