MOC: A Steam Crane for the Kotanga Tramway.

[Locomotive Annie]

With all the tracklaying and building work going on around the Kotanga Tramway at the moment a crane was becoming a very necessary item. I already had the RC Freight set with its crane, only that crane is just a wee bit too darn modern to be seen in the station yard at Kotanga so it was time to get the bricks and Technic out and see what we could come up with.

Those four adjustable stability legs line up with the studs on the sleepers to hold the crane safely in place when it's working. Not my idea, I saw it used on a crane on Flickr and decided it was just perfect for my own crane.

Steam power! I based my crane on my childhood memory of a steam crane I saw while on a train journey with my Mum when I was only small so I'm not going to try and claim that it's any kind of accurate model.

[bricks n bolts]

That's a great crane Annie, like the boiler / clean colour scheme and looks very solid / practical

[Spitfire2865]

Very nice. I love almost any steam powered device.

[zephyr1934]

Nice build with a good color scheme, though now you'll need a boom car (so much to build so little time)

[Locomotive Annie]

Thanks guys I wanted the colour scheme to match what is an older piece of working machinery so yellow definitely wasn't in the running. Greys, browns and black worked out pretty well and I deliberately used several shades of brown and grey to reflect patch and mend type maintenance work.

Ha ha Zephyr, yes I'd just completed the steam crane and was checking to see how it looked with the depressed centre flatcar that belongs to the permanent way dept when it struck me that I was going to need to build a boom car. While I'm at it I might as well build a tool van too and then that will be the permanet way dept train complete. I'm trying to build a layout and I keep getting distracted by the rolling stock. Still I suppose that means I will actually be able to run a timetable after golden spike day.

[Locomotive Annie]

Big tracklaying job at the loco depot and the new crane works just fine. Those stability struts hold the crane in position really well, - almost too well because I had quite a job prying the crane free of the track when I wanted to move it.

The loco depot is being completely relaid in 12volt grey era track with some blue era track being used to fill in the gaps until I can find more grey era track. I'm using extra sleepers for better appearance and while at first I intended to use some placeholder 8x2 plates until I could get more I've decided that I like the effect of using grey brown and black sleepers. The black sleepers look like new sleeper replacements as the sleepers used here in New Zealand are treated with a black oily wood preservative that makes them .... well,.... black all over (and pongy too!).

Btw anybody got any 12volt grey sleepers with busted clips they want to sell; - or busted 12volt points for that matter?

[bricks n bolts]

The loco depot is being completely relaid in 12volt grey era track with some blue era track being used to fill in the gaps until I can find more grey era track. I'm using extra sleepers for better appearance and while at first I intended to use some placeholder 8x2 plates until I could get more I've decided that I like the effect of using grey brown and black sleepers. The black sleepers look like new sleeper replacements as the sleepers used here in New Zealand are treated with a black oily wood preservative that makes them .... well,.... black all over (and pongy too!).

Nice effect with the different colour sleepers. So is this now your preferred 12v track solution as opposed to grey conductive rails on brown Enlighten track or will both co-exist?

Btw anybody got any 12volt grey sleepers with busted clips they want to sell; - or busted 12volt points for that matter?

I see you've made different angle 12v points

[Locomotive Annie]

Nice effect with the different colour sleepers. So is this now your preferred 12v track solution as opposed to grey conductive rails on brown Enlighten track or will both co-exist?

I see you've made different angle 12v points

The brown Enlighten track fitted with conductor rails is still going to be used, but more out on the main line where I don't have to worry about trying to convert points to conductor rail pickup. Laying the loco depot and goods yard completely in 12volt track and points is the best option really as I do enjoy shunting the yard and having to deal with possibly troublesome converted points is likely to be just plain annoying and no fun.

Yes I modified that 12volt point to fit that particular location as I soon discovered that 8-9 wide steam locos don't get on at all with the standard 12volt track spacing. The point I cut was a broken one I purchased especially for this location and I like the nice smooth transition i was able to get with such a simple mod.

[spzero]

i have some broken sleepers probably about 30/40 im in the uk but postage wouldnt be much, you can have them if you want but if you can cover postage,

[Locomotive Annie]

i have some broken sleepers probably about 30/40 im in the uk but postage wouldnt be much, you can have them if you want but if you can cover postage,

Thank you spzero, - I'll send you a PM to sort out the details.

[Hrw-Amen]

Nice crane, looks just like photographs of real ones. I have to admit I have not seen a real version of this, but it looks good.

I think using more sleepers is a good idea. My one gripe as a child with the old blue 4.5V track was that the lack of sleepers made it look very un-track like. I did not have enough back then to fill in the gaps, but i did find it annoying. I think I would prefer mainly one colour, but I agree that they get replaced over time and so mixing them up a bit is not a bad idea especially if you like it. Certainly better than the blue era white sleepers so again good job there.

[Locomotive Annie]

Thanks Hrw-Amen I think the secret with varying the colour of the sleepers is not to over do it. That length of track the crane is standing on will most probably get about half of the different coloured sleepers replaced once I have more 8x2 plates to hand so it doesn't look quite so 'busy'.

Yes the old blue track always looked inadequately supported to me and since Lego locomotives are often heavy beasts they do need to have enough sleepers under the rails they are standing on in order to avoid any problems. I must say that I like laying track with a system that uses individual sleepers and rails that need to be assembled on site as it were. It was fun last night building up the track sections and using the crane to put them into place; - almost like being a kid again

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Wow Annie this is a great veichle!

This crane looks fantastic and it perfectly fits in you layout!

The little droid is lovely! :wub:

[Locomotive Annie]

Wow Annie this is a great veichle!

This crane looks fantastic and it perfectly fits in you layout!

The little droid is lovely! :wub:

Thanks LT 12volts I thought that if i was going to undertake a big tracklaying project I really did need a crane to help out the permanent way dept guys with all the work they'd have to do

The little droid belongs to Olivia from the Friends series, though I have modified it slightly so it can hold a spanner better.