Locomotive is unloaded from the SS Seatrain Texas

The SS Seatrain Texas is unloaded on the 12th of August 1944. On this voyage it carried 49 steam and 25 diesel locomotives. The French railway system was a priority target in the run up to D-Day with its marshalling yards especially in northern France under frequent attack by Allied medium bombers, and its running trains a constant target of Allied fighter-bombers.

Ironically, after destroying much of the French rolling stock and locomotives the Allies had to bring hundreds of them over the Atlantic since it needed to transport troops and supplies across France.

The SS Seatrain Texas was owned by the Sea Train Line Company, at 483 feet length, with a 64 foot beam, she could carry over 8,000 tons at 16.5 knots.

On this occasion is is moored next to the SS Lapland which is using its crane to unload the Seatrain Texas. The crane of the SS Seatrain Texas was only rated at 80 tons which was insufficient to lift the 105 tone locomotive pictured.

http://www.usmm.org/seatraintexas.html