Hi. As part of my TT and engine terminal expansion project I want to add several MOW items. I have several projects slated for the next month to accomplish this goal. I plan to scratch-build a dcc speeder, and add a rip area with space for a MOW consist. Things like a crane(wrecker/bow hoist) several flats+gondols, and others like things will make up the consist. So, in preparation, I tried to research what types of cranes fit my era, and I had little success. So, what better place to get info! My question to you is what type of crane would work. I know steam cranes had a longer life than most steam powered railroad equipment, but would their life extend into the 1960's? Also, would there have been any mechanized machines around this early? Thanks!
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
Yesterday is History.
Tomorrow is a Mystery.
But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present.
A wrecker isn't a MofW crane, it belongs to the Mechnical dept. It is kept near teh mechanical facilities (round house, service track, rip track).
The MofW uses bridge cranes, pile drivers and Burro cranes. Totally different animals. They were not stored by the roundhouse or rip track, usually over in a team track or older part of the yard.
Bridge crane:
Pile driver:
Burro Crane:
Mof W also had ballast cars, panel track cars, tool cars and bunk cars, which were usually associated with larger gangs. They would also be stored in an older, unused part of the yard and not necessaril anywhere near the roundhouse or service track. They also have tampers, ballast regulators, spike drivers, tie handling cranes, adzers, and Jordan spreaders. They would be stored separately from the railroad cars, since they are self propelled and they don't want to mix them with locomotives or cars, they tend to get run over.
The wrecker is "owned" and maintained by the mechanical department. The MofW equipment is "owned' by the engineering dept. Two completely different crafts, They guys that operate and maintain the wreckers would never operate or work on the MofW equipment and vice versa.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Hi,
I agree that a steam-powered crane would either have been re-engined with a diesel/hydraulic power plant by the '60s. Perhaps the excellent Tichy kit could be a starting point and you could kitbash a diesel into it?
Crane_Tichy2 by Edmund, on Flickr
The Walthers American crane, although a bit larger, would probably fill the needs of a small "Burro" -type crane for M-of-W duties.
https://www.walthers.com/american-locomotive-crane-dummy-kit-undecorated
It is not overly detailed but makes a good starting point.
IMG_0468_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
By the '60s railroads were getting more into highway type vehicles and Athearn makes a few nice looking boom-trucks and flat bed trucks that would lend themselves well to M-of-W work, too.
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH96829
Walthers offered some of their passenger cars as M-of-W bunk and tool cars, too:
PRR_MoW2 by Edmund, on Flickr
I repainted this RPO for M-of-W service:
PRR_BM70M_MoW4 by Edmund, on Flickr
Good Luck, Ed
Thanks to both of you. Sorry for my ignorance on mow distinctions. I just automatically classify a crane as mow. Thanks for the help.
The Southern Pacific had a 160 ton steam crane in El Paso in the 50s and 60s built in 1916.This is as close to the 1916 Industrial 160 Ton Steam Crane I could come up with for my 50s SP layout.As my layout is mountainous I also have a Snow Blower and Snail.I had to shorten the snow blower to get it closer to the SP protocol.Both are Athearn Kits from the early 80s.I bought both of the Walthers MOW Kits many years ago, six cars in each Kit.I keep the Snow Blower and Snail on a storage track next to my roundhouse and the Crane and 12 MOW cars in my yard. I rarely run any of my MOW cars but they do look sharp parked in my yard. EDIT:
Both the SP Crane and Snow Blower have MOW equipment numbers on them.
Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
The ubiquitous Burro Crane:
Thank you, Ed
I do not have any MOW equipment for my STRATTON AND GILLETTE.
I might put something together someday, but it takes up a lot of space and looks out of place most of the time.
Well.. if nothing else, eventually the prop fleet will have some.
When I was in N scale I had a model of a Japanese wreck crane that was an astounding model. It had jack pads, telescoping outriggers, and incredible detail. I have never seen anything like that model in HO scale.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I'd just add that MOW equipment could be very old. I remember seeing a BN work train pass by that included several wood passenger cars with trussrods (similar to the old MDC "Pullman Palace" cars) all IIRC still wearing Great Northern green and orange paint, in 1984.
SeeYou190When I was in N scale I had a model of a Japanese wreck crane that was an astounding model. It had jack pads, telescoping outriggers, and incredible detail. I have never seen anything like that model in HO scale.-Kevin
chutton01Was it anything like the ROCO HO scale 'slewing' railroad crane?
That is a fancy crane!
Mine was like this Tomix model, except it was dark green. It was a great model to pose for photographs.
Not all steam wreck cranes were dieselized by the 60's. I have pictures of a B&O steam crane working a derailment in the early 1970's.
Mark Vinski
mvlandswNot all steam wreck cranes were dieselized by the 60's.
True, many were but not all.
I was at the "Ravenna Wreck" and a steam powered wrecker was still in use as of 1962:
Cheers, Ed