Large Scale Central

Brake wheels on railroad cranes

Does anyone have pictures of the location of brake wheels on railroad cranes ?

I’m looking for where to locate a brake wheel on a USTrains crane, as part of a long drawn out upgrading project. Although I have some pictures of cranes, none show the manual brake wheel.

Any help would be appreciated.

Hey Fred,

Happy New Year! You might want to look at how wheels are installed on TOFC flat cars or even some diesel engines. Lots of times there are rachets, instead of wheels or they are located down along the frame. The disconnects of log boggies also used irregular brake wheel positions.

I have seen them mounted so they stick out of the side of the car.

Well Fred, I have looked through several photos of the Raritan River Rail Road cranes, and all of them only show 3 sides. The one that the boom would point towards is not shown in any pictures I can find. The 2 sides and one end show no visible evidence of a brake wheel. I will email my friend who used to work there and left you know if he remembers.

Thank you all for looking. Some may have been mounted on the sides of the frame as suggested, and some with a lever and ratchet…I’d still like to see some pictures if possible…

The crane I’m working on is the USTrains large crane. Not a wrecker style, or one of the small 4 wheeled “Burrow” type.

Fred lets try this link to a video and pay attention at 0:33 https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A0LEVjUXi6VUOzwAnDoPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTBsa3ZzMnBvBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw--?p=railroad+25+ton+crane&tnr=21&vid=71EFE60AFC8D3B6C656571EFE60AFC8D3B6C6565&l=60&turl=http

Thank you John

Thank you, guys…that is the last place I would have looked for a brake wheel on a crane…!!

RE: Invasion pics from a rainy 2007 version had an operating Steam Shovel at the museum.

I have some nice pictures of the parking lot side and there is NO brakewheel or lever evident.

I did see gears underneath between the 2 trucks so possibly the crane has no brakes in the usual way on the wheels but only on the gear mechanism.

Built 03/1919, now with Central Vermont paint, made by Industrial Works Builders, Bay City, Mich.

Next Invasion, this year, I am going to go visit the crane again and see the other side and find out for sure! Unless you go over there yourself first and find out for both of us!

Fred

When I converted the Aristo diesel crane to a 1:20 scale steam crane I followed a Brownhoist prototype.

The brake wheels were located on the side above the truck, one on each side.

No proto pic handy but here is one of the model.

Good luck on your project
Rick

Thank you RicK;

Nice work…I see the brake wheel…

I think you mean USTrains model…I was not aware that Aristo ever produced one…I’m working on the same one…

Of course your right Fred it is UST.

I don’t do much with UST or Aristo Craft

so that and old age blurr things a little :wink:

I admire Rick’s model, and the position of his brakewheel(s) makes very good sense. That would be my first choice. Then there’s this, from a Brownhoist catalog:
http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/choochoo_chaboogie/Brownhoist%20steam%20crane.jpg
Before seeing this thread, I sent the image to Fred, who wondered if that was actually a telephone pole in the background. He also commented that a brake could engage that Climax/Heisler-like driveshaft underneath, operated down through the center pivot…

Sorry about that. Posting pictures here isn’t exactly intuitive. Pisses me off.

Shopped the picture to see the brake wheel more easily, and to also see what the big deal is about pictures. Wow, took about 45 seconds to figure it out.

Uploaded to my freight shed, then viewed it, right clicked and copied the image url, then hit the picture button in edit and pasted the url. First time for me. It’s NOT that tough.

A friend of mine who worked on the Raritan River answered me back.

"

If there is one on a staff on the deck, it is probably retractable such as on some flatcars and gons.

Some did have one mounted on the side frame but I don’t remember seeing it on any of RRRR’s."