The CSX wrecker that sat a Spruce Pine, NC for years has been donated to the North Carolina Transportation Museum.

http://minutes.machine.market/index.php ... -waycross-
rail-crane-donated-he-north-carolina-transportation-museum/

Even more rare than the article leads one to believe.

"While big hooks were once stationed every 75-100 miles, now most major roads have only a few derricks on the property, used for only the most severe or inaccessible wrecks."

I remember this which they quoted from Trains Magazine, and it was from a article published 20 years ago. I think you'd be hard pressed to find more than five 200-250 ton wreck derricks left on Class 1's today.

They may even be extinct on modern rosters. BNSF eliminated their final one a few months back when it was scrapped. Conrail didn't even survive to the end with one on their property, when a bean counter had them retired a few years before the end (They had three in the early to mid 1990's, as I recall?). And Conrail has been gone for almost 20 years now.

And even at museums, they're almost always neglected and one of the first things to be cut up in "beautification" projects or when they're short for cash and looking for something to scrap when steel prices are healthy. Never understood how these lack appeal, but they almost always seem to be stuck in the back at museums and forgotten about.

At least this one seems to be going to a good home, where it hopefully will be restored and preserved rather than left to rust away until it's a eyesore and scrapping amounts to a mercy killing. And it's an appropriate home for a large wreck derrick if they didn't already have one.

You wouldn't have to look too hard to see one of these parked and ready to go for the next wreck cleanup at a major facility like Spencer Shops back in the day. So this is her natural habitat.

Spencer-North Carolina Transportation Museum
Bucyrus Erie C/N 251 150 tons Wrecker Steam (converted to diesel 1970’s) 06-17-19
Southern Ry #D-66 to #903006
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lionel682/3624830343/
Browning 30 tons Steam 1943?
NCMX #001
Industrial Brownhoist 40 tons Diesel 1957?
Florida East Coast RR
Industrial Brownhoist C/N 11729 250 tons Wrecker Steam (to diesel 1970) 1946
Atlantic Coast Line RR #65358
Seaboard Cost Line RR #765250
Seaboard System #765250 (converted to diesel & new boom 1970)
CSXT #985250 Waycross, GA
Bud Phillips-Mitchel Lbr. Co. Spruce Pine, NC 1993
NCTM 07-16
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3169768
(This crane and Canadian Pacific #414501 have the same C/N.)


Anyone know anything about the Browning or the Florida East Coast crane?

Leo, If you care to search the archives here I believe you will find that not only is the Conrail"Bean Counter" a member of this Order, but was instrumental in the preservation of the three remaining wreckers.
GME

Speaking of Conrail wreckers, what is the story on #45205 at Elkhart, IN? It should be ex-NYC #X-15 but it is lettered X-13. Which is correct?

No rudeness was intended. At worst, I was posting an accusation of short-sightedness.

I thought I had read a different story at this very forum though of an executive that saw one of these being kept in a state of readiness for the next call, asked when it was last used, and promptly had them retired when he found out that it hadn't been called out recently. I remember that all three were preserved, but don't remember that being credited to the same individual that decided to retire these but to someone else, perhaps the person that posted the story here?

If my poor memory has twisted things around, my apologies. And either way I definitely wasn't out to criticize any member of this message board.

Edit: Looks like I was right.

viewtopic.php?p=221052#p221052

There is no question that derricks or wreckers are rare, but I believe there are more than 5 around. The Union Pacific has 3 units itself. That said, I do not know the last time any of them have been used for anything other than locomotive repairs.

Last year, when Age of Steam Roundhouse acquired Sturm & Dillard 0-6-0 number 105 (misidentified as a DT&I engine), there was discussion of some cranes in the collection at Orrville, Ohio. Do they still exist? Is a preservation plan feasible?

Tom

Orrville, Ohio-Orrville Railroad Heritage Society
Industrial Brownhoist C/N 11594 250 tons Wrecker Steam 1945
Pere Marquette #DK-8
Chesapeake & Ohio #DK-8 to #940001
CSXT #940001 retired as C&O #940001
Art Davis as ARDX #401
ORHS 06-15
For sale 12-15
http://www.flickr.com/photos/n8myc/8627292814/
Bucyrus-Erie C/N 33779 12-44 250 tons Wrecker Steam
Chicago, Cincinnati & St. Louis #X50006
Norfolk Western #550006 1954
stored at Brewster as of 11-72
Retired 01-79
Art Davis as ARDX #404
ORHS 06-15http://www.rypn.org/forums/posting.php?mode=reply&f=1&t=39816#
For sale 12-15
http://www.flickr.com/photos/n8myc/8626 ... 185513362/
Industrial Brownhoist C/N 12064 250 tons Wrecker Diesel 08-52
Baltimore & Ohio #X-216 to #940500 05-28-82
CSXT #940500 01-09-89
Art Davis as ARDX #403 06-92
ORHS 06-15
For sale 12-15
http://www.flickr.com/photos/n8myc/8626 ... 185513362/

Giants of say 120-250 ton capacity, or so?

Lots of cranes left, but most of what I'm aware of are smaller cranes that are used for purposes such as you said, handling track sections for bridge work, helping to install switches, etc.

Is Norfolk Southern #540037 still kicking? Seen pictures of her at work in recent years, but 5 years or more is a long time given the coal decline that's seeing them downsize their roster by hundreds of units and downsizing their system. Was off the Virginia and as I recall, had a 250 ton capacity.