California's railway guns [Paperback]

Charles S Small (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Railhead Pulications (1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0912113103
• ISBN-13: 978-0912113104
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #668,920 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars American Railway Guns in California., July 31, 2007

By 

Robert Ruman (Silver City, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: California's railway guns (Paperback)

The story of California's railway guns involves two separate and distinct elements. The first is the development of the railway gun itself. The second is the provision of coastal defenses for the City of Los Angeles. When developing the history of the railway guns the details which would be of interest only to an ordnance engineer
have been omitted. There is a U. S. Army publication now out of print, in two t volumes, containing over 1000 pages which covers this aspect in detail. The history of the defenses of Los Angeles, where the railway guns were stationed, must cover the armament installed at Fort MacArthur for the characteristics of this armament led to the provision of the two railway guns.

Unfortunately photographs of the California railway guns out on the main line railroad tracks do not seem to exist. The railway guns crossed the continent during 1925 and 1930. From Fort MacArthur they ventured out to the north during 1934 and to the south during 1937. When the new Los Angeles Union Station was opened during 1939 with a parade of motive power, one of the railway guns appeared hauled by a Southern Pacific cab-forward 4-8-8-2. A photograph was taken which shows both the gun and the locomotive. This photograph is reproduced herein.

The railway guns were fitting companions to the enormous steam locomotives which ended the age of ponderous machinery whose weight was measured in hundreds of tons. 1998 paper edition, 8 1/2 x 11, 88 pages, numerous illustrations, maps and plans & drawings.