The Triple O Takes on a New Role -- Coastal Defense

[Eric_Mueller]

Kid-zilla and I have decided to reveal the long-deferred “Secret Project” last referenced in Triple O - 2026 Plans & Objectives. We have tried to at least pay homage to the traffic of our strategic guide, the Oahu Rail & Land Co. over the years, and military traffic was a huge part of that. To that end, we built the Submarine Transport for the Triple O and the Y.D. & Kid-zilla 2025 Mik - Rocket Carrier. Kid-zilla got a nice USA Trains Coast Guard Box car for Christmas. The only thing we really lacked (rolling the Marines into the Department of the Navy), was something to represent the OR&L’s important contribution to the Army’s coastal defense efforts, to include the 41st Coast Artillery (Railway). Though the railway guns never fired in anger, they were there, and the unit has continued to serve with honor to this day.

We will be drawing from two sources:

As ever, we will build to the exacting standers of 1:24-ish PLAYMOBIL Scale. A functioning piece of rolling stock that evokes the railway guns of old is the goal, not an exact model.

The Willford book provided a good sketch of the m1888 gun.

I’ve met the author of this book. If you are into coastal defense, he is THE source, with decades of personal research poured into preserving this dead branch of the U.S. Army. The book is a labor of love and a masterpiece of history by a dedicated and passionate “amateur” historian. Oh, it had sketches of the mortars, too, but Kid-zilla declared them “weird.” We’ll make the gun. We wouldn’t want to be weird!

The Livingston book is more railway focused. Its pictures will guide the carriage and general “in use” character. Key will be the drop-center flat car.

We did some material accumulation last weekend. I had originally thought to use the battered chassis of my re-powered LGB m2075 (battery). If figured the locomotive chassis would give this project an appropriate “heavy” look.

Kid-zilla then actually referenced the source material, and he noted standard freight trucks in our bits box would look better and be truer to the prototype.

Show off.

The board comes from our large “gemuckabucket,” wherein long, tall, awkward bits of stuff with no immediate hobby useage go until we recognize their worth. At one point, it had supported a mattress. When we pulled off the tape, we found this:

After nearly consigning this board to the hibachi, Kid-zilla noted that the longer, lower bit could be cut in two for the upper platforms and upper bit trimmed to be the lowered deck. Again I say, “Show off.”

We will commence with the flat car, as we’ve only found the barrells and recoil mechanisms for the gun.

Updates as progress merits!

Eric

[ctown2 (Craig Townsend)]

Be following along.
Here in the Puget Sound, we have quite a few costal defense forts still standing. The “deadly triangle” leading into the Sound was the home of 3 forts, all triangulated together. Fort Casey has some two disappearing guns from I believe the Philippines two 10" gun (one in each position) and a couple 3" guns.

Triangle of Fire - The Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound (1897-1953)

Interesting to see that they mounted similar guns on rolling stock!

[JRad (Jon Radder)]

Great project! I love the loco on the book cover…

I purchased a Bachmann Industrial Mogul (2-6-0) years ago hoping to model Hawaii Railway #5 that runs at the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association in Kent, Connecticut…

But alas, H. Ry. Co. #5 is a 2-4-2 and I was never motivated to try and modify the Indy to that wheel configuration.

The Indy would be a great place to start for the Oahu loco on the book cover!

[Cliff_Jennings]

Might be able to start with an Aristo 2-4-2 Rogers, remove the saddle tank, and replace the tender.

[JRad (Jon Radder)]

Perhaps, but I have too many locos and too many projects, so no!

[Cliff_Jennings]

I should have begun my sentence with “In theory…”

[PeterT]

@JRad

But alas, H. Ry. Co. #5 is a 2-4-2

The Bachmann Indie is a derivative of the Columbia, which was/is a 2-4-2. Plenty are available, but all have bad gears! Jiro sold me two sets a few years ago.

[Eric_Mueller]

@ctown2

The “deadly triangle” leading into the Sound was the home of 3 forts, all triangulated together.

Craig,

Thanks for the read. We had a different problem, as the island is very approachable from any angle. There were three 16" batteries inland that could range anywhere. Honolulu / Pearl Harbor had a series of forts that ranged from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor. During the War, the Army went nuts and emplaced stuff everywhere for what I suspect were workfare projects to keep locals employed and soldiers busy. The OR&L and service railroads were instrumental in building and supplying these guns and, in the case of the 41st, deploying them.

For the project at hand, fear not @JRad ! There is a plan for a locomotive, as we have one more m2075 shell laying around.

We’re going to get a USA Trains or PIKO chassis, tram it up, and just have fun. Eventually…Interestingly, OR&L did not have a 2-4-2, so your Hawaii Railway Co. #5 could be from another island or a plantation. OR&L stuff went global when her flag fell…

We are starting this project with the carriage, basing it on the picture in my previous post. We are gathering ideas and bits for the gun, but I want there to be some progress! To that end, the 1:24 gang and I brought forth Sabre Saw from its lair to convert a broken bed board into a lowered flat car.

My inability to make a straight cut is a long running joke here, and this was no different.

Realizing that countinuously sanding and filing and cutting to get even chunks would result in a Z-scale car, we used our triangle to assess the damage…

…set the gate appropriately…

…and got good enough.

Kid-zilla noted the prototype sloped down to the lower deck. I noted no part of me was even going to make the attempt at an angled cut. He agreed we can make stairs, which other prototype images show. Phew.

After a bit of glue and some clamping…

Kid-zilla and I parted company so I could engage in a dinner date…

…and get in some diving.

Kid-zilla and I eventually reconvened to put on some wood filler, sanded like the devil, and got a decent basis for this project.

The small timbers were used in lieu of bolsters to get a sense of the height. The whole rig is about the size of an LGB box car, so it should work.

The next step for me is to get to the hobby shop and get some precut strip wood we can use to make the various braces and sills. He’s old enough for that. As we start cutting and gluing that, we’ll ideate on the gun and supporting peripherals, like extendable stabilizing legs, the crane, the cradle, etc.

Updates as progress merits!
Eric

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[Dave_Meashey (David Meashey)]

Eric;

Did something similar for the hatchling dragon transport. The drop center concept works pretty well if the lower section is secured with care. I used wooden coffee stir sticks for decking. One has to sort them carefully; many are as crooked as the proverbial dog’s hind leg (not a bad thing for stirring coffee, but terrible for decking use)! At about $3.00 for 1,000 stir sticks, I could live with the rejects.

Best wishes, David Meashey

[Eric_Mueller]

@Dave_Meashey

I used wooden coffee stir sticks for decking.

Thanks. We’ve used similar material in some of our other projects, like the
Crane Car for the Triple O , and, yes some of those things were models for the letter “Z!” We’ll have to review our photos to see if this car had a steel or wooden deck, and, if wooden, it will get a deck like your dragon transport!

Right now, I suspect the gun will be the long leg, unless you know of coffee houses that use miniature 8" naval guns as coffee stirrers!

Eric

[capecodtodd (Todd Haskins)]

What a great project Eric and Kid Zilla and it is made even better that it has a local History to back it up.

I have been kicking around the idea of gun like that and I have been casually watching for a big bang cannon to come round at a decent price and condition to mount it to a custom built car. It’s a someday project.

I’m looking forward to you posting more progress on this.

[Dave_Meashey (David Meashey)]

Mine is more like the Civil War era, but it fits better for Middle Earth,

Cheers, David Meashey

[Joe_Zullo]

Dave,
You gun is tiny! You should be ashamed!!!

[PeterT]

@Eric_Mueller

I suspect the gun will be the long leg

Keep your eyes out for Lego accessories. I found a couple of cannon on wheels designed for a Lego fort.

[Dave_Meashey (David Meashey)]

@Joe_Zullo

You gun is tiny! You should be ashamed!!!

But Joe;

It was on the PlayMobile bargain table, and I figured I could use it for something!

Cheers, David Meashey

P.S. Besides, it won the MIK the year I got it.

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

Kid-zilla took on my alternatively straight cuts with some epoxy putty and sand paper.

This will make the detailing much eashier. To that end, basswood strips are on hand, as are the beams for the bolsters. We’ll cut and install the latter this week or weekend before detailing out the car. No point in adding details if the car won’t roll on the pike!

I started sniffing around e-Bay to see if I could find and old diecast howitzer to serve as our gun. No joy… This will be built by the stare, think, and wing-it method. I’ll snoop around a big box store this week to find likely candidates to serve as the pedestal, at least. The goal is to be able to have our PLAYMOBIL man the gun…and the future plotting car!

Updates as Progress Merits!

Eric

The interim goal is to have a unique piece of rolling stock to run as we

[capecodtodd (Todd Haskins)]

Do you have a Home Depot nearby?
I bet you could make a convincing gun with bits and pieces of PVC pipe fittings from the plumbing department.

[PeterT]

Here you go. $8 and the size of a Playmobil man.

https://brickblockarmy.com/products/ww2-m1938-m-30-howitzer-122mm

Or maybe something more elaborate?

https://field-artillery-store.myshopify.com/products/model-bricks-howitzer-set

I saw that set for $27 instead of $40, and Aliexpress has the same without the box for $6.40

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256812343602125.html