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More "Critter" Help Requested
https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36843		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Jeff Livingston [ Mon Jul 07, 2014 11:32 pm ]
Post subject:  More "Critter" Help Requested
See, see, I can spell "critter". The rosters of Army locomotives in Hawaii include the following Whitcomb units:

One 3 1/2 ton Class UF built 1925
One 4 1/2 ton Class CS-4 built 1928
One 8 ton Class 8GM-2 built 1933
One 4 ton Class 4GM-29 built 1941

Also listed is one Plymouth RL Type 2 at 3 1/2 tons built 1929.

The below photo is from the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii and has been cropped to show only the locomotive. It looks like a Whitcomb to me but which one?

Jeff Livingston

Attachments:
4 Wheel Whatsit.jpg
4 Wheel Whatsit.jpg [ 65.6 KiB | Viewed 3688 times ]
Author:  Jim Vaitkunas [ Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: More "Critter" Help Requested
Several of the harbor defense forts in the Hawaiian Territory had small narrow gauge railroads including the following:
* Fort Armstrong - Mostly to service the Mine facility there. The only battery was a 3-inch rapid fire one (Battery Tiernon) but there was a spur to the back of the battery. There was also tracks to the Engineer wharf.
* Fort Kamehameha - All batteries had rail access.
* Fort Weaver - This harbor defense post had two 16-inch rifles, Battery Williston.
* Fort Barrette - This fort had an extensive rail line that was built in a circle to service two 16-inch rifles, Battery Hatch.

Thanks!
Author:  Jeff Livingston [ Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: More "Critter" Help Requested
Thanks Jim,

The track on the wharf at Fort Armstrong was connected to the 4-foot gauge Honolulu Rapid Transit system and if I recall correctly the Army's rolling stock consisted of one flat car. The railway to handle the mines was 3-foot and manually operated. We have yet to find any photos of the mine cars.

Fort Kamehameha's railroad was only used for construction of the batteries. With the assignment of the 41st Coast Artillery (Railway) to Fort Kamehameha in 1921 the construction railroad was expanded to include gun spurs and a connection to the OR&L at Watertown. It was further expanded in 1934 to serve Hickam AAF.

Forts Weaver and Barrette both had rail systems to service the guns but only Barrette was connected to the OR&L. Weaver's first "locomotive" was a FWD truck on flanged wheels.

Schofield Barracks had an extensive rail system that was mostly owned by the OR&L and an independent 60 cm "trench" rail system between ca. 1921 and 1933 when it was removed.

Hawaii had a lot more railroading going on than most folks realize.

Jeff Livingston
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