Western Railroad Discussion > Heavy Metal in Snowy Denver 18 Jan 2023

UP 6463, AC44CWM, led a unit military move from Beaumont, Texas, via Denver, CO, to Fort Carson, CO.  Train was parked at UP's North Yard, Denver, on 18 January 2023.  Four-inch snowfall that day in the Mile High City.

---

---

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

Anyone know what this modified Abrams tank is used for-?  Tank is missing a gun barrel and has equipment behind turrent - tow or rescue vehicle-?  Answer = assualt breecher M1150 at snowy Denver, CO.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/23 05:47 by cozephyr.

---

I can't tell if that barrel-less Abrams is the Assault Breacher or a Assault Bridge without the bridge.  Might be something else altogther.  Nice photos of the tanks in the snow.  Those tanks are pretty awesome, I know Ukraine wishes we'd send a few their way.

Nathan

atsf121 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can't tell if that barrel-less Abrams is the
> Assault Breacher or a Assault Bridge without the
> bridge.  Might be something else altogther.
>  Nice photos of the tanks in the snow.  Those
> tanks are pretty awesome, I know Ukraine wishes
> we'd send a few their way.
>
> Nathan

It's an Assault Breecher, the Assault Bridge does not have a turret.

For us not up on our military knowledge, what is an assault breacher? I assume it is used to knock a hole in something, so how does it do it?
PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> atsf121 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I can't tell if that barrel-less Abrams is the
> > Assault Breacher or a Assault Bridge without
> the
> > bridge.  Might be something else altogther.
> >  Nice photos of the tanks in the snow.  Those
> > tanks are pretty awesome, I know Ukraine wishes
> > we'd send a few their way.
> >
> > Nathan
>
> It's an Assault Breecher, the Assault Bridge does
> not have a turret.

1019X Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For us not up on our military knowledge, what is
> an assault breacher? I assume it is used to knock
> a hole in something, so how does it do it?
> PHall Wrote:

Assault Breachers are used to clear lanes through mine fields and IED's.  They have a plow on the front to clear mines and rocket launched line charges to clear a path 100-150 yards in front of the vehicle.
See M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle in Wikipedia for more in depth infomation and better pictures.

Perhaps some of these will make their way to the East Coast for export. It seems that the official position is that the US is not ready to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine, but they are sending Strykers and the UK is apparently sending Challenger 2 tanks. There were trains of M777 howitzers rolling east last summer, some of which seem to have made their way to Europe.

You have to admire the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence's sense of humor with this ad requesting the Abrams tank...laughing in the face of adversity.
"Because the best things made in America shouldn't stay in America"

Chip,
Great photos.

The UP Military passed Castle Rock around 9AM this morning.

Wayne

broken_link Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Perhaps some of these will make their way to the
> East Coast for export. It seems that the official
> position is that the US is not ready to send
> Abrams tanks to Ukraine, but they are sending
> Strykers and the UK is apparently sending
> Challenger 2 tanks. There were trains of M777
> howitzers rolling east last summer, some of which
> seem to have made their way to Europe.
>
> You have to admire the Ukrainian Ministry of
> Defence's sense of humor with this ad requesting
> the Abrams tank...laughing in the face of
> adversity.
> "Because the best things made in America shouldn't
> stay in America"

There has been, it seems to me, an unusually large number of military tank movements by rail in recent weeks.  Common in the Spring-Summer-Fall, less frequent in Winter.  The US has a lot of tanks, more than 5,000 I believe.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> broken_link Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Perhaps some of these will make their way to
> the
> > East Coast for export. It seems that the
> official
> > position is that the US is not ready to send
> > Abrams tanks to Ukraine, but they are sending
> > Strykers and the UK is apparently sending
> > Challenger 2 tanks. There were trains of M777
> > howitzers rolling east last summer, some of
> which
> > seem to have made their way to Europe.
> >
> > You have to admire the Ukrainian Ministry of
> > Defence's sense of humor with this ad
> requesting
> > the Abrams tank...laughing in the face of
> > adversity.
> > "Because the best things made in America
> shouldn't
> > stay in America"
>
> There has been, it seems to me, an unusually large
> number of military tank movements by rail in
> recent weeks.  Common in the Spring-Summer-Fall,
> less frequent in Winter.  The US has a lot of
> tanks, more than 5,000 I believe.

There is a Brigade that has been in Poland and Estonia keeping an eye on the Russians, they've been rotating units so there's been equipment going to and from the port.
Plus the normal cycle of units going out to the National Training Center at Ft Irwin near Barstow, CA to go play in the sand.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> atsf121 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I can't tell if that barrel-less Abrams is the
> > Assault Breacher or a Assault Bridge without
> the
> > bridge.  Might be something else altogther.
> >  Nice photos of the tanks in the snow.  Those
> > tanks are pretty awesome, I know Ukraine wishes
> > we'd send a few their way.
> >
> > Nathan
>
> It's an Assault Breecher, the Assault Bridge does
> not have a turret.

Thanks PHall, the missing turret makes sense, need a place for the bridge and the turret isn't needed.  I didn't see a plow which is why I wasn't sure about the bridge option, but maybe it's the angle.  From what I understand, the turret on the Assault Breacher pivots and can fire a "line" filled with explosive that is intended to set off any mines and clear a path to proceed through.  I've only ever noticed the Bradleys, Abrams, mobile artilery, and one of the tow vehicles before.  Don't recall seeing a bridge unit or breacher in person, but maybe I just didn't recognize it on the trains I've seen.

Nathan

atsf121 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > atsf121 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I can't tell if that barrel-less Abrams is
> the
> > > Assault Breacher or a Assault Bridge without
> > the
> > > bridge.  Might be something else altogther.
> > >  Nice photos of the tanks in the snow.
>  Those
> > > tanks are pretty awesome, I know Ukraine
> wishes
> > > we'd send a few their way.
> > >
> > > Nathan
> >
> > It's an Assault Breecher, the Assault Bridge
> does
> > not have a turret.
>
> Thanks PHall, the missing turret makes sense, need
> a place for the bridge and the turret isn't
> needed.  I didn't see a plow which is why I
> wasn't sure about the bridge option, but maybe
> it's the angle.  From what I understand, the
> turret on the Assault Breacher pivots and can fire
> a "line" filled with explosive that is intended to
> set off any mines and clear a path to proceed
> through.  I've only ever noticed the Bradleys,
> Abrams, mobile artilery, and one of the tow
> vehicles before.  Don't recall seeing a bridge
> unit or breacher in person, but maybe I just
> didn't recognize it on the trains I've seen.
>
> Nathan

The plow on the Assault Breacher is normally removed before shipment.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The plow on the Assault Breacher is normally
> removed before shipment.

Thanks PHall, that makes sense.

Nathan