Meccano Bucyrus-Erie 250-ton Railway Crane

This CAD model is my Meccano version of a Bucyrus-Erie 250-ton railway crane. I modeled it based on photographs from the web and a drawing of the real crane that was published in the July 1966 issue of Model Railroader magazine.

In the early to mid-1900s, Bucyrus-Erie was a major American manufacturer of large mining and construction equipment, such as power shovels, mining trucks, and walking dragline excavators. They also manufactured cranes, including a 250-ton capacity railway crane. This was a steam- or diesel-powered, self-propelled locomotive wreck crane, and was of the largest size ever constructed specifically for railway service.

They were used mainly for lifting locomotives and railcars at the site of a crash or derailment. The main hoist could lift a maximum of 250 tons (227,000 kg), while the auxiliary hoist could lift up to 60 tons (54,000 kg). The crane itself weighed about 200 tons (181,000 kg). Nowadays, rather than owning “Big Hooks” as they were known, most rail companies use the services of outside contractors with truck- or caterpiller tractor-mounted cranes.

The model was inspired by Meccano’s Railway Service Crane (Model No. 10.1) from 1974. I borrowed a few features from that model such as the cab roller bearing, boom slewing mechanism, and the sliding doors on the cab, and adapted them to suit, but this model is mostly of my own design. I tried to replicate the general features and proportions of the real crane.

The model includes an electric motor for powering the hoist mechanisms for boom luffing and for raising and lowering the main and auxiliary hooks. It also includes extendable telescoping outriggers and swiveling bogies. Each hoist can be engaged and disengaged using control levers located inside the cab. Boom slewing is manually operated using a hank crank. The roof of the cab is removable and sliding doors provide access to the control levers. A real model of the crane would be about 57 inches (145 cm) long, or approximately 1/14th scale.

Total number of parts: 6,470
Number of bolts, nuts, and washers: 4,800
Cost of real Meccano parts (approx.): CA$3,500

Real wreck cranes were typically accompanied by a boom car and one or more idler cars that carried tools, parts, lifting chains and cables, spare wheelsets, rails, and ties.

The doors on the cab provide access to the motor and control levers. The roof is designed to be removable to provide access to the drive train assembly.

The control levers engage and disengage the hoists for boom luffing and for raising and lowering the main and auxiliary hooks. The hand crank on the side of the frame operates boom slewing.

A view of the cab interior (with the roof removed) showing the motor and the drivetrain for the hoists.

A view of the roller bearing for the cab. Circular plates on the underside of the cab bear on the top of the flanged wheels.

The crane in a different colour scheme, with the boom at it's highest position and the outriggers extended. The outriggers of real cranes would typically bear on stacks of wood timbers or railway ties. The bogies were articulated to help the crane negotiate curves and uneven track.

Real wreck cranes needed to work quickly to get the rail line back in service. The outriggers often weren't used because of the time required to set up their supports, sometimes with disastrous consequences.

A life-size depiction of the crane moving into position to recover a derailed passenger coach. [Image background: Photo by Emma from Unsplash]

A life-size depiction of the crane parked on a railway siding. [Image background: Photo by Benjamin Deyoung from Unsplash]

A drawing of the model showing the overall dimensions.