Trains to Togus VA Hospital

Last month the Maine 3Railers took their mobile layout to the Togus VA Hospital in Augusta. The veterans really liked it and talked to us about their military and railroad experiences.
One of our visitors was a World War II veteran who drove a Sherman tank and remembers riding in the 40 and 8 (40 men or 8 horses) boxcars when he was in Europe. Details can be found at http://www.fortyandeight.org/box-car/

Ken Thorson brought his military train that has cars that represent all the services- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. 

Russ Purkey set up a WWII military convoy with a Big Boy locomotive, Sherman tanks on flatcars, and hospital cars. More on Sherman and other WWII tanks can be found in a book called "Tanks are Mighty Fine Things" at http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1945/46Tanks/Cover.htm

Here the all services train rolls through town and you can the many cars in the consist. One of the veterans told us that the roads between towns were not plowed in the winter because everything came in by rail

The military convoy train passes a small military post on the way to the coast. Quonset huts here are by Lionel.