What might this be? Maybe a wrecking crane?

nedsn3 · **Posted:** Wed May 13, 2020 8:37 pm

I was checking out a map of the Portland Northeast Industrial park (after reading an RMC article), and following the tracks around discovered this suspicious looking object buried on vegetation on an obviously abandoned lot. It looks vaguely as though it might be a railroad crane? Maybe not, but does anyone know for sure? Just askin' Ned

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Portl ... 22.6750261

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1270

Industrial Works
4602 160t W 09-24 Los Angeles & Salt Lake #010004>910004
Retired 12-77
S. J. Nudelman & Son scrap dealer Portland, OR
Still here 2016 for sale

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Ned -

Nice catch!

John -

Looks like a stack at the back. So, never dieselized and still steam?

Les

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2874

I live six miles from there, it is not an abandoned lot, the owner of the scrap yard there will show it to you if you wish. It is surrounded by blackberry vines and so I didn't go back when I visited, they are manageable normally in spring but we have had a wet spring so it may difficult to visit now. The brasses were stolen so it can't move, but shortly after UP sold it a few decades back they asked to borrow it when they had a bad wreck, I believe the last time they ever used a steam crane. These photos (taken by holding the camera over my head because that is the only way I could get them, plus the resizing makes them hard to see) I believe are from Fall 2018, I asked a nearby awning company if I could shoot it from their work area.

nedsn3 · **Posted:** Thu May 14, 2020 10:11 pm

Hey, a lucky find. I love those industrial parks where the tracks kind of wend and wind their way around.
Ned

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1270

If you like cranes see:

https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/cr ... sworld.htm

That will keep you busy for a while.