New Project Container Crane COMPLETED MODEL PICTURES DECEMBER 52022

Awesome, Alan!  I look forward to watching your progress.

Alan, that's bigger than my whole layout.  Anxious to see the end results.

Wow! That's going to be huge and I bet awesome! I'm actually in the early stages of trying to build a crane for my layout with Gilbert Erector Set pieces for that old time look to it. Mine won'tbe nearly that size since I only have a small layout and space to fit it into between the tracks coming out of my Menards 2 Bay Engine Shop. One track goes straight then does a 45° curve, over a 45° crossover and through a turnout to connect to my outside track, and the other does a 90° turn to go connect to my inside track. Please keep us updated with picture on your progress.

Gary,

Post the pictures of the crane you are constructing. I would like to see some pictures as you are building it.

Arnikon-Container Handling Cranes With Spreader

this kind?

Alan,

This crane is situated in a rail yard probably out west. If you type in BNSF container cranes in images you will see them. The crane itself will have a building like structure attached to it that will stick up 3 to 4 inches above the crane way. I will start getting into the details next week. Right now, I completed both basic structures and next will start stair and ladder details.

Most of the cruise nights and car shows are finished around here since we are quickly running out of light during the day. That provides the time for me to go back to work on the cranes. Here are some pictures of the electrical and equipment boxes that are mounted at the top of the structure. I also installed the top crane rail angles. The details will take some time on these two cranes.

Its been a little while since my last post. I have been thinking about the next parts that have to be constructed. I decided to do the crane portion of the model since it will be painted the same color as the main structure. Here are some pictures

They will be a show stopper in my Intermodel yard. Thx for the thread.

Ray

Definitely show stoppers.  As usual.  Impeccable work Alan.

Its amazing what a little color will do. I am adding handrails and platforms now.

Looks great!

Alan every time I see one of your projects, I try to imagine how by using my 3D printer and laser cutter can I improve on your designs.

Each time I come up empty! great work.

Looking really good!!!!

Alan,

Thank you. I think a mix of 3d and old school model building really will work to produce high quality hand made models for a reasonable price. The parts you make with 3d modeling can enhance anything I build.

Coach, Jeff andBossman,

Thank you for the compliments.

Here are some progress pictures on the cranes. I have all top handrails and walkways completed. I will now build the spiral stairs and ladders to get to the top.

All I can say is  WOW !!

"Impressive. Most impressive," Darth Vader.

Wow. The crane is looking great so far. Too bad you can't get it to actually load and unload containers like the real thing. That would be awesome.

Dylan,

I will consider trying to make it awesome.

That would be an engineering feat.  Now that you're considering it I expect we'll be seeing operational models in the not too distant future.

Coach,

Don't get your hopes up too much. I can model things but mechanically I am pretty sorry. Maybe after retirement I will improve in that area

Ok I won't bet the mortgage on it, maybe just my lunch money.

Here are some pictures of the platforms and spiral stairway from the bottom of the crane. A ladder with cage will be installed to grade once the wheels are installed.

Beautiful!

The spiral steps are just "over the top" Amazing craftsmanship!!!

Jeff,

I used Plastruct spiral stair kit from the catalog. I had those for over ten or fifteen years and never had a good use for them. The spiral stairs I use on tanks are made from scratch. In this case my only option was a stair tower and I did not want to put something so large on the side of the crane. The spiral stair is compact enough to allow the structure to look larger than it is.

Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. I completed the wheel assemblies and installed them. It is onto the electrical conduits next.

Amazing, truly amazing. If you don’t mind me asking, how many man-hours have you invested in this project?  Since I’m retired I could spend double that time but it would still only look 1/10th as good.

Thank you for the update Alan.  Wheels appear in the first photo, did you fabricate them or are they commercially available?  If you did the fab, which I believe you did, could you give us an explanation of the process?

Texgeekboy,

I did not keep track of the hours. I have not worked on this project on a continuous basis so it would be very difficult to figure it out.

Joe,

The wheels were scratch built. I used two 3/4 inch diameter manholes glued together to create the basic wheel. I drilled a 1/8 inch diameter hole through the center for the 3/32 inch diameter axles. I added a 1/4 inch diameter by 1/8 inch spacer on each side of the wheel. A .020 inch styrene plate with three holes drilled in each one provided the connection to the frame. Flanges we’re used to hold the axles through the plates. The plates were capped with a .060 inch plate to allow gluing to the frame structure. There are a couple of other small details. The wheels are pretty crude but they move fine on the rails.

Thank you Alan.

I completed both cranes last night. Here are some pictures of the finishing details and the completed models. I constructed a hand crank on each crane cab to allow lifting and lowering of the containers. Because of the small pins on the containers, I could not come up with a way to hook into them to pick from those points as I have done in the past. I guess the pin details are more to scale. I figure I can make some velcro or two way tape circles for each corner of the containers to pick them.

Thanks for following the progress and all the nice comments.

Wow !!!!

Gosh Alan, you do nice work. Quite a craftsman. Building is one thing figuring out how is another.

Insanely good!!! So impressive.

Now Alan you have to find something to pick up. Very good build, that's for sure.

@Alan Graziano posted:

"I figure I can make some velcro or two way tape circles for each corner of the containers to pick them."

Incredible work.  You might consider some small neodymium magnets with some in the containers also.

I am all out of superlatives for your work sir.  Est to the nth degree!

The velcro tape works, but the magnet idea by ESPEE sounds much better.

Thanks guys.