US Army Armored Trains 1899-1902

[p620346]

I just read that General Arthur MacArthur used an armored train to provide fire support for his campaing against the insurectionists in 1899-1901. Can anyone provide more information regarding the details of this train as well as anyother such trains used by the US Army?

[KingSargent]

AFAIK they weren't armored precisely, just jerry-rigged built-up wood sides on flatcars and gondolas to shield the troops on anti-train ambush duty. They might have carried MGs and Gatling guns.

[Grapple]

Here is a photo of an armed train used during the Philippine insurrection that I downloaded from the web a few months ago. Unfortunately I don’t remember what web site I got it from so I can’t point you to where the caption is, however I do remember it was a US train used in the Philippines during that time period

 

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2115/ph00186lje0.jpg

[p620346]

Here is a photo of an armed train used during the Philippine insurrection that I downloaded from the web a few months ago. Unfortunately I don’t remember what web site I got it from so I can’t point you to where the caption is, however I do remember it was a US train used in the Philippines during that time period

 

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2115/ph00186lje0.jpg

 

Looks like it has a naval 3-pdr (47mm) or 6-pdr (57mm) in the front and a Gattling Gun in the rear.

[Grapple]

Looks like it has a naval 3-pdr (47mm) or 6-pdr (57mm) in the front and a Gattling Gun in the rear.

From memory, I think the caption to the photo said it was a 47mm

[p620346]

I have found references to possibly two US Army armored trains in the Philippines

 

"During a camapign near the Bagbag River, Brigadier General Lloyd Wheaton used an armored train to carry supplies and artillery. The train was equipped with an artillery piece and three machine guns" This would appear to be the one in the picture

 

"General MacArthur using an armored train to provide fire support pushed his lines up to Angeles, several miles north of Calumpit"

 

Is it possible that there was only one train and that Wheanton was under MacArthur or are the locations mentioned too far apart?

[JOE BRENNAN]

...there was only one train and ...Whea[n]ton was under MacArthur

Right. An article on the train in "AFV News" Vol 28 No.2 had the following info:

"When the armored train was assembled is consisted of 4 cars, 2 box cars in the middle with flatcar at either end. The flatcars were protected by sandbags held in place by the side panels. Only the first flatcar was armed, equipped with a naval 6 pdr (57mm) fixed to fire forward, along with 2 Gatling guns on pivots to cover both front and sides. ...the disadvantage of the 6 pdr's fixed position lead to addition of a Hotchkiss 37mm revolving gun, capable of firing 60-80 rpm, which could offer further protection to the trains sides...the other 3 cars carried ammunition...and living quarters...Rather than employing a locomotive the train was moved forward by a group of Chinese laborers."

 

The train was used in combat with some success during the US advance up the rail line from Manila into central Luzon in the conventional phase of the war in 1899. After that the Fililpino forces shifted to guerilla tactics throughout the islands and there was presumably little additional use for the train.

 

Joe

Edited March 4, 2008 by JOE BRENNAN

[Grapple]

I found on the Web where I got the photo from, unfortunately the caption only says “Naval guns mounted on car of Manila-Dagupan Railroad”

 

I can’t give you a direct link to the photo, but if you go to the address below and search for Railroad Artillery you should come up with the photo. There are other photos of Colonial Philippines including some military ones at the source below.

 

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/WebZ/FETC...tityimageSize=l

Edited March 10, 2008 by Grapple