Com-Central.net

Hi Guys-
At the following link:
beute.pz1.ru/Beutepanz...n_t-34.htm
you'll find some photos of T-34/76s being used on German armoured trains. The seventh photo from the top is a double picture, it is the lower half of the double that I found most interesting. It appears to be a T-34 with railway wheels mounted at the fore and aft most points sitting on a flatcar. If running this T-34/76 on rails was the intention, one would have to ask how the T-34's lower hull could have fitted between German guage rails? If this was not the intention then, what was?
Cheers-
Geoff Steer [;-{/)

I don't think the wheels on the tank hull are at railway gage. They seem to be sitting on the outside edge of the flatcar which overhangs the railway trucks some. My suspicion is that the wheels on the tank hull are only for moving the tank hull around in a railway yard (like you would on any dolly). I suspect that the original wheels made the unit sit too high on the rail car so they chose smaller wheels to use since it would not move any significant distance on them.

Hi Bob-
I agree the wheels could not be at railway guage. About your suggestion that the wheels are only for moving the tank around, if this were the case, then why have the cut-outs for the up and down movement of the suspension arms been filled in? This is particularly noticeable because the cut-out over the boy's right shoulder has not been filled in/covered over.
As to your line: "I suspect that the original wheels made the unit sit too high on the rail car so they chose smaller wheels to use since it would not move any significant distance on them." I've just noticed that the wheel centres are above the lower hull's bottom edge whereas, on an operational T-34 the wheel centres a slightly below this line so, it looks like the suspension has been lowered which would account for your "sit too high" suggestion.
As to the possiblity of smaller wheels being used; they dont look all that much smaller to me. However, they also dont look like any T-34 wheel types I've ever seen, for one thing, the rear wheel appears to have three holes placed equidistance around the hub. Both front and rear wheels seem to have railway wheel flanges on the inboard edges but the photo is to blurry to be certain of this.
Thanks for you help on this one-
Geoff Steer [;-{/)

- bsmart

the wheels seem to be sitting on the outside edge of the flatcar which overhangs the railway trucks some.

No, if the tank is more on the right of the flatcar than on the left, that is to say not at the centre....

The T-34 sits lower because most of its suspension is missing (i.e. only 4 springs to hold it up rather than the usual 10), even with the engine removed. I agree with Bob, whatever the wheels were from, they're only there to shuttle the hull around, I doubt it was meant to operate like that. The Shadock makes a good point as well, there's no guarantee that the tank is centred on the platform, it may have shifted in transit. The hull has definitely been modified as Geoff pointed out and looks similar to one already mounted on a purpose-built frame as seen in one of the other photos. Perhaps this one was damaged and the tank is being salvaged?

Cheers, Dave

also a pic of a panzer3 on rails,clic on picture to enlarge
dennis