Lionel Burro Crane

[daan]

Hi, just some small questions on the Burro crane.

I bought a Lionel Burro crane yesterday on ebay for $50,  knowing it is used in reality for worktrains and that it is operated by one single motor with a clutch system inside to let one choose between driving the crane, rotating and lowering/rising the hook.

But nowhere on the www there is any video of the working of it, nowhere there is any discription of the mechanics and even on this board there is hardly any info apart from someone who bought one now and then. Even the Lionel website didn't offer a video to see how it works.

The use will be mostly on a piece of track in the harbour, which is the most front track on my layout, easy to reach. The idea of a small piece of ingenious mechanics capable to mimic the prototype is tempting me, but how does it really work? Is it something you really can use as a crane, or is it more a nice thingy to put on a spare track for show issues?

Anyway, just looking for some general info on this little machine, may be someone can tell a bit more? Thanks!

[laz 57]

Hey DAAN,

  I have three of them, got them pretty cheap.  They will run forward and have a track trip that you attach to the tracks.  Only came with one so either rig up something or look for another one of the trips.   When your lever on the side of the crane hits tha trip it will reverse action and move the opposit way.  There is also a switch on the side of the crane that will move the cab around in a cicle.  They are ok to run all be it very noisey,sounds like crushing walnuts.  Also you can putt your lever in nuetral and put it in a consist to run with the rest of your rolling stock.  Make sure when you get it that you take off the cab and the little allen screw and give it a drop or two of oil on the armature of the motor.  I can pull two small gondollas with mine.  Hope this helps.

laz57

[bfskinner]

Daan,

There is some info on the 1956 version (are there others?) at

    http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=499

If this is not sufficient, I'll check out my little "library" and see whether I have anything else.

 

 

 

[csxt30]

Daan : nice find for the price & good price !!  The RRs here still use them, I think, mostly that I know of in the Track Depts. They used to use them for unloading track panels out of gonds. Plus some were outfitted with a big magnet to go down through yards & pick up all the metal scrap & spikes & other steel debris. Hope to see some pictures of yours down the road !!

Thanks, John 

[msacco]

I like my postwar one a lot. Use it from time to time. It was really cool seeing the real one off to the side of the track when we did the Strasburg RR steam trip.

 Mike S.

[jefelectric]

Amtrak still uses them, I occasionally see one sitting on the siding next to the Elizabethtown Amtrak station.  It is pretty rusty, may have a picture somewhere.  Will post it if I find it.

[jefelectric]

Found them, took these about a year ago, but I saw it a few weeks ago at the same spot.  They use it for track maintenance.

 

Complete with graffiti.  It looks much like the Lionel version except the boom on Lionels has been shortened.  Oh, and there is no knob on the back of this ones cab.

[PhilaKnight]

Seen this one working in the yard in S.Philly. It was pushing a gondola filled with ballast. When it took this picture it had a flat car with what looked like scrap on it. It has a scoop bucket on it instead of a hook.

[daan]

Those are interesting pictures! A small mile from my house there is a museum tramway, Goes- Borselle, (Goes is the name of the city I live in, borselle is the name of a small village. Between those villages there was a small tramway in the day's before ww2 which has been re-opened about 15 years ago.) where they have a small 2 axle steam crane which under restoration.

I must take a look there and see if the machine is self proppeled, but I doubt it is. Size is about the same as the burro however. Normally Europeans use add on train wheels for liebherr hydraulic cranes, or add on wheels on a mercedes unimog. They are usually used for m.o.w. trains..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the burro crane made by Lionel I found the manual in PDF on Lionels website. It reassures me that it works like I figured, so that it is usable and not only a neat "thingy" for an open corner. I need to change the boom though, I like the open grid booms more. Since it's not a postwar crane, I guess it doesn't hurt anyone if I do so..

Just another picture of such a roadvehicle. Those are fun combinations. Often used on small industrial area's. The new Unimog railvehicle is like a small locomotive, capable of hauling 12 railway cars. When finished, the wheels are lifted and the vehicle drives away across the street.

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

 They are ok to run all be it very noisey,sounds like crushing walnuts.

That's funny but true, they are loud and somewhat clunky.  Mine came with 2 trip switches which it "rams" to change direction.  The unit is light, and as stated won't pull more than a few cars.  It would be cool if Lionel's electro-magnetic crane attachment can be purchased as an add on to add to the hook.  Otherwise, I don't think this crane would be very practical for any serious or "graceful" trackside operations and you may want to consider the TMCC crane.  They are still neat and noisy to watch!

Stack 

[tintrax]

     When I have visitors I like to run the Burro with the lift-out section of my layout removed,  the track trip is sited a couple of inches from the edge of the precipice. The crane is set in motion and just when seemingly is going to fall over the edge it reverses safely and goes back the other way.

Colin Duthie