OLD AHM 4903D WRECKING CRANE INFO WANTED

[darticus]

I bought one and wondered if anyone had any info on it. Anyone know the age. Anyone know if the crane is supposed to go on the flat car that comes with it and how it fits. Kinda cool! Ron

[skipgear]

That is a Roco mold that is still sold today by Model Power. I am pretty sure the crane body is modeled after a European style crane.

http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/freight/rococrane.html

The other Big Hooks available are from Arnold and Bachmann. The Bachmann and Arnold are of similar prototypes but have different details. The Arnold has stiff wires to represent the cables and the Bachmann has string on windable spools to position the crane boom. The body detail on the Arnold is a little finer more intricate than the current Bachmann.

[darticus]

Thanks for the info. Seems cool as a decoration on the table. Ron

[jsanchez]

I have an Illinois Central version, these were sold by AHM in the 70's to early 80's. The crane does not go on to the flat car. On the prototype we call the flat car a tender, various track components, wreckage, parts, etc are placed on these, it also helps with transporting the long hook/structure of the crane as a spacer car.

Jim
www.pamodelrrsupply.com

[rrtreerat]

I have three of these. And in comparing them to some old drawings it looks to be loosely base on an 'Industrial Brown Hoist Co.' 150 - 200 ton wrecking crane. The base with trucks is almost spot on but the cab could be a later diesel model. The frame on the floor of the 'tender car' is a concession to n-scales tight curves as the prototype was normally locked down to its chassis and not allowed to swing side to side during transport.