Abandoned loco crane in Lansing

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2615

From AOTT facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AOTTORC ... 180978949/

"Matthew Murawski
Yesterday at 1:37 PM

Brownhost rail crane on a industrial track that has been cut. Located in Lansing, Michigan. Not sure if it’s going to last much longer with the doors and covers open."

NS 3322 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 19, 2022 4:24 pm

Per Facebook post today, the crane has been dragged from the brush and trees and is parked out in the open. Not sure if they are moving it somewhere or scrapping it?

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1265

Any further word on the crane's fate?

NS 3322 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2022 5:28 pm

John T wrote:

Any further word on the crane's fate?

Still there as of 4 days ago. I think they just cleaned the area up. Maybe try calling Midwest Press?

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1265

Who or what is Midwest Press?

jayrod · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2022 10:55 pm

Looks like industrial fabrication machinery sales and service.

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2615

John T wrote:

Who or what is Midwest Press?

Look at the first photo as you move up the page from your post, it even has a phone number!

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1265

I got lazy and made myself look stupid. Thanks for giving a civel answer.

Aarne H. Frobom · **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2022 9:24 am

I suspect this crane is one of two Air Force surplus cranes used to move coal at the former power plant in the middle of the Michigan State University campus. They were also used to lift parts off of Pere Marquette 1225 when its repair was begun in 1971. They were relocated to the larger, southern power plant when the spur was removed in 1978, and later disposed of. One crane moved on the day the 1225 was relocated to a temporary site on the shortened spur in East Lansing, but its operators left the boom up, generating a Big Blue Flash when it hit an overhead transmission line.

To bring everyone up to date on 50 years' worth of news from Millet, Michigan, the building housing the press company was formerly used to transload heavy objects and steel. When its siding was still connected in the 1980s it briefly housed an ex-Ann Arbor camp car made from a wood business car. That was to be installed at a failed museum project in North Lansing. I'm told it went to the Southern Michigan Railroad, but is not there now. Another refugee from the North Lansing project is MA tower, moved from Michigan Avenue. The tower was recently moved to the Lansing Model Railroad Club, half a mile due south of the press works. A neat installation next to the relocated GTW Millet depot.

Aarne Frobom
On the north bank of the Red Cedar

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2615

John T wrote:

I got lazy and made myself look stupid. Thanks for giving a civel answer.

You can certainly be excused, I didn't even remember posting those photos.

NS 3322 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2022 9:06 pm

John T wrote:

Yes, I would very much like to see a photo of the plate. Thank you.

I made a visit to the crane last weekend. The brush has been cleared making the crane very accessible.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5880265

After 4.5 years I finally got a photo of the builders plate.
DE25 Crane No. 12258

John T · **Joined:** Sun Sep 14, 2014 5:05 pm **Posts:** 1265

12258 DE 25 1955 Lansing Board of Water & Light Lansing, MI

Abandoned loco crane in Lansing

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