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Custom designed 8-axle crane tender for MTH model American crane

The crane tender includes a crane boom support which allows the boom to be supported when transported.  It is adapted from a prototype crane tender. A photo of a Union Pacific prototype 6-axle crane tender with crane boom support is shown.

The model is 60 feet in length and has 4 trucks (8 axles) which make it very stable. Each of the 4 trucks is specially mounted so that the car can easily negotiate tight curves. This same car can be used with my other MTH cranes as well. The "crane boom support" can be easily removed to convert the car into a heavy duty flatcar for general use.

 UNION PACIFIC CRANE AND 12 AXLE CRANE TENDER

  000_0663000_0664000_0665

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Last edited by pro hobby
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Originally Posted by dkdkrd:

Different curiosity...

 

How do the crane & tender track on curves?....i.e., the boom position governed by the crane vs. the boom 'chair' governed by the tender going through a curve?...or an S-curve?(e.g., crossover switches.)

 

Any video thereof?

 

Nice scratch building!

 

KD

The crane boom on the RailKing American crane model itself does not freely rotate so that the boom will tend to hang over on curves. The same applies to other Rail/King and MTH crane models.

 

Note: The truck bolsters on the crane tender are "split" which allows the tender to better track on curves.

Originally Posted by prrjim:

I'm curious, why heavy duty 8-wheel?     I didn't think the prototype boom would be that heavy.     

The prototype crane tender shown has 3-axle trucks (6-axles per car). The O scale model has 8 axles. The additional axles on the model provide more stability and provide a lower center of gravity.

Originally Posted by Seacoast:

Interesting Pro Hobby, Great design is this something you made from scratch using a mold or did you create the flat car from an existing flatcar?

Not PH, obviously But all those models are crafted from wood. I'm sure he could sell a few if they were reproducible (say, via rubber molds), although getting enough trucks could be a challenge (ask me how I know  )

---PCJ

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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