The prototype for this diesel-electric crane dates to the mid-1950s. These 25- to 30-ton capacity locomotive cranes are self-propelled and capable of moving several gondolas at slow speeds. The movement capability was important, as it allowed the crane to get out of the way for passing trains.
Railroads depend on these machines to do all sorts of moderate lifting jobs. The model crane came fitted with a hook, and the real crane can swap tools to work with a clamshell bucket or an electromagnet depending upon the job.
I wasn’t able to find a drawing, but the model does match typical American Hoist Co. dimensions for these cranes. The chassis is 10′-0″ wide, 24′-0″ long, and has a deck height of 3′-6″. The cab is 18′-0″ long and stands 15′-3″ above the railheads. The boom is 51′-6″ long.
The model has a heavy die-cast metal chassis that rides on acetal plastic Association of American Railroads trucks fitted with RP-25 contour metal wheelsets that match the National Model Railroad Association gauge. The crane has split axles and internal contacts so it picks up current with all eight wheels.
A small motor inside the cab drives a crown gear mounted on the cab kingpin. The kingpin passes through the floor to drive a helical gear train and pair of worms. Only the two inner axles are powered (which matches the prototype). There’s room inside the cab to add a Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder. The crane’s cab can be manually rotated 90 degrees to either side.
The sample crane started and ran smoothly on a regular DC power pack. It can easily move 2 or 3 loaded gondolas.
This model came neatly painted with a bright yellow cab for visibility. The Pennsylvania keystone herald and raised “American” lettering across the back of the counterweight were straight and crisply printed.
This model can be used on any diesel-era railroad work train, and it’ll fit right in on many heavy industrial jobs in power plants, scrap yards, or steel mills.
Manufacturer
Wm. K. Walthers Inc.
P. O. Box 3039
Milwaukee, WI 53201
walthers.com
Era: 1950s to present
Road names: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Burlington Northern; Canadian National; Canadian Pacific; Conrail; Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range; maintenance-of-way (gray); New York Central; Pennsylvania RR; Union Pacific. A data-only version with a yellow cab and black boom and body is available
Features:
- Assembled with boom rigging
- Die-cast metal chassis
- 8-wheel electrical pickup
- Hand crank for boom and hook
- New motor drives inside axle on each truck with new helical gears
- Plastic cab can be rotated 90 degrees left or right
- Proto-Max metal knuckle couplers (mounted at correct height)
- Space for DCC decoder inside cab (sold separately)
- RP-25 contour metal wheels in gauge
- Weight: 41⁄4 ounces
Stories about cranes brings back times when I made parts for
them. I worked for a company that used a much bigger crane
in their coal storage area. I remember making a shaft and some pins. Also a gear lost some teeth and was welded and I remachined the teeth so we could get more use out of the gear. Thanks for the memories. Ed
I worked with one of these cranes several times when I worked for the rail road. We used it a lot to pick up scrap along the track as well as for pulling drift wood from under bridges on rivers and streams. I spent several days spotting scrap for the operator along the right of way. One great piece of equipment to add to any rail road. I hope to purchace one for my self soon.
Great model – be careful not to tangle the cables – I somehow got the cables into a massive mess when adding decals – you don't want to do this to yourself.
Very well done as usual. I intend to become an owner of one of these fine pieces of equipment. A.T. & S.F. My old employer.
I used to take my IA metals classes to tour the American Hoist factory in St.Paul. There they could see all of the metalworking processes: foundry,machining, welding, cutting, etc. The imense size of the machines and units that built these cranes always "wowed" the students. AM was making crawler, backhoe, train-car, and oil rig cranes at the time. Short on space, they moved out of town.
GREAT ADDITION TO THE LAYOUT. ADDED DCC TO IT, FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS NOT WIRE COLOURS (RED & BLACK ARE COMMON ON EACH SIDE). USED TCS M1 DECODER.
Bought one, love watching it move along with a few gons. It is truly COOL! Will put a decoder in soon….. maybe that could have been part of the review?
Thanks for the review. When did these cranes start in service?
As usual Mr. Hediger has presented the facts just as they are. It's always appreciated when product reviews are not written by sales people. The only problem with this review is that now that I know the facts, I want one. Time to start saving the change again, all $80 or so of it. Thanks!!
I OPERATED A CRANE OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL FOR OVER 15 YEARS IN A NAVAL SHIPYARD. IT WAS USE FOR SCRAP WORK, DRYDOCK SERVICE, AND USE EXTENSIVELY IN THE STEEL PLATE STORAGE YARD. BOTH FLATCARS AND GONDOLAS WERE MOVE THROUGHOUT THE SHIPYARD ON A DAILY BASIS. THE SHIPYARD HAD FOUR MODELS OF THIS DESIGN AND TWO OF A NEWER DESIGN. THE MODEL REPRODUCED BY WALTHERS MATCHES THE PROTOTYPE VERY CLOSELY. THIS WAS MY FAVORITE CRANE TO OPERATE BY FAR.