- Railroad plough
A railroad plough (also known as a Schienenwolf ('rail wolf') or Schwellenpflug ('sleepers plough')) is a rail vehicle which supports an immensely strong, hook-shaped '
plough '. It is used for destruction ofrail track inwar fare, as part of ascorched earth policy, so that it becomes unusable for the enemy.In use, the plough is lowered to rip up the middle of the track as it is hauled along by a
locomotive . This action breaks the sleepers and pulls the rails out of alignment; bridges and signalling equipment also suffer serious damage.World War II
Railroad ploughs were in use by the Czechoslovakian army in 1938. [ [http://jetrichovicko.euweb.cz/bunkryen.htm "Pre-war fortification of Czechoslovakia in Czech Switzerland"] (entry for 24th September 1938) (Retrieved:
15 November 2007 )]A captured German
World War II example was kept at theLongmoor Military Railway . This "may" have since been transferred to the care of the UK'sNational Army Museum .ee also
*
Nero Decree ndash"Hitler's unfulfilled plan to destroy German infrastructure, during retreat, to avoid it being used by the Allied forces"References
External links
* [http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=122619 Photos of 'Rail wolf' in action and resultant damage]
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