Cranes

Model Tech Studios makes a real nice jib crane. http://www.modeltechstudios.com

Freight House Crane Choices

Hi David,

You don't say what era you are modeling, so your choices spanning a century of use would likely be a jib crane, a pillar crane, and a small overhead traveling crane. All have been commercially available in different forms and price points.

Here's some jib cranes from Tichy and Durango Press:

And a pillar crane from WISEMAN MODEL SERVICES and JL Innovative design:

and some small proto overhead traveling/gantry cranes:

Jib and even pillar cranes have been mondernized to all steel variants. Likewise you can backdate the small gantry cranes, although the gantry will be fixed, by constructing with wood beams.

Have fun!

Best regards,

Geoff Bunza

Cranes

If you are modeling the northeast US either of the pillar cranes would be appropriate.  If you lose the control cab on the JL crane it's a dead ringer for RDG cranes.  In the western US most of the cranes I've seen have been the overhead bridge cranes.  Most were metal rather than wood.  An Atlas signal bridge could be used as a crane. 

I should be more specific

Sorry, I should have given more details. The railroad is set in New England in the 1950s. As I am in the UK, I would like to try and find something from here that would look right.  I can probably get close to the pillar cranes by buying over here. Many thanks for the answers

I have found a crane

I found the following crane in my LHS at a cost of $6.50 (in your money!). It will fit in well, I think, even if it is a bit off for a US railroad!

Does not look like it would

Does not look like it would be out of place to me. One thing about the various industrial applications is the tremendous amount of variability in equipment.

Thank you.

Thank you.