The post about the railway gun at Aberdeen reminded of something I wanted to share. While on vacation this summer I visited Fort Miles at Cape Henelopen Sate Park near Lewes (Lewis in Delaware speak), DE. The guide there showed me some of the big guns they have collected and explained that one of the 8 inch guns was a former railway gun that they plan to reinstall on a flat car. Some information is online here:

http://www.fortmiles.org/firepower/batt ... t2021.html

The folks at Fort Miles are doing some great things. The restored 12" gun mount inside Battery 519 is quite impressive. The staff and volunteers do an excellent job of interpretation. The Fort and adjacent park are worth a visit for a basis of comparison with another group that is trying to preserve large, heavy obsolete artifacts in a hostile environment (salt air and sand).

Wesley

Im only about an hour away...maybe less. Gotta get down there and see this for myself! Never knew that! Thanks Tom!!

Crying shame they couldn’t find one of these, a flat base for a 12” Naval mortar that is lacking the tube and mounts, now sitting outside of Chehalis, WA:

That looks very similar to the one in the diagram. I am very interested in finding out the history of the car they are going to get. I will be very excited to see it once it is in place.