The Germans were desperate for long-range artillery in the early part of World War I and resorted to mounting naval guns on wheeled carriages as well as rail cars.

The wheeled carriages were less than successful due to their great weight, but the rail-mounted guns rather more so.

At any rate the 15 cm guns were mounted in a well-base flatcar with two four-wheel bogies.

No outriggers were fitted so the recoil energy from shots fired perpendicular to the railroad track could rock the flatcar significantly even with it chained to the ground.

The same gun was used for coast defense duties in concrete emplacements after World War I as the 15 cm SK L/45.