The Texas State Railroad

Memorial Day 2011 - Day 2

May 27-28, 2011

I left Rusk at 0930, bound for Palestine and the 1100 train "to the front." The premise for the train today is that we're taking General Patton and his staff to the front along with a resupply of military vehicles. Of course, as soon as we arrived in "Rheinhausen, Germany" (AKA the Jarvis Wye), the Nazis attacked!

 

Somehow my coach ticket was upgraded to first class (Lone Star Service) and I was given a table with TSR Society President John Price. However, John was playing the part of a Combat Photographer at the front. So, in essence, I had my own table. John denied any involvement (wink wink, nudge nudge), so if the party responsible ever reads this Trip Report, you have my deepest thanks. Thank You!

 

Day 1

Day 2

General Patton takes time from his busy schedule to greet the civilians on his train.

British Troops helped guard the car I was riding in.

This guy sure played

the part well!

Some of the wives of the

re-enactors rode the

train in period dress.

A really nice touch.

A Nazi spy lurks through the car snapping photos for

the 3rd Reich

And, he is promptly apprehended by the

 British GI's.

At the front we find the smoldering remains of a fight that we seem to have missed...

Searching for mines

Finding a mine...

...then retrieving it.

Shortly after we arrive, and before the equipment can be unloaded from the train, the German soldiers

counter-attack!

Our guys jump into action to fend off the attack

and save the town... and the civilians on the train!

 

Gen Patton surveys the situation...

boldly standing and not taking cover.

 

 

 

  Reinforcements arrive! Evacuating the wounded

Video Compilation of the "Battle of Rheinhausen"

*Disclaimer: I was operating both my still camera and the video camera. So, the quality is somewhat lacking.

TSR 300 turns on the wye

The Germans surrender! Note the dead spy on the ground.

Only a MARINE would be

crazy enough to plant the colors on an island in the middle of a swamp.

Semper Fi, my brother!

General Patton's private car

 

Machine Guns and Wig-Wags. It's an odd combination, but it works!

General Patton and his staff. They were really playing it up talking on the radio and typing on the typewriters. I have to wonder what the teenage crowd though of those typewriters as they walked through texting on their IPhones!

 

More from the General's car

 

 

 

Looking out the back hatch

of Patton's Car

Pretty convincing...

 

In the yard the re-enactors created a really neat WWII-era encampment.

 

 

Marine UH-1

OOHRAH!!!!

 

 

 

 

Michele's maiden is Adams,

so I couldn't resist a pic of

this little guy

Didn't Indiana Jones use one of these to escape the Nazi's?

Gen Patton grabs some chow

This is just COOL!

The train is readied for another departure to Rheinhausen

Texas & Pacific #610

 

 

My mission complete, I headed south and home ... to Spring.

 

 

Day 1

Day 2