Steam & Excursion > The Big Hook Gives Southern Pacific #2348 A Lift!

Here is one that we can use some more information about. This photo is undated and the location not recorded other than it occurred somewhere in California. We see that SP #2348 has stubbed her toe enough to call out wrecker crane #7020 to put things straight. A small crowd including the crew for the wrecker is on hand to watch the lift.

If anyone has any more details on this event, it would be appreciated.


Martin



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/14 03:48 by LoggerHogger.

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Thanks, Martin for sharing another gem from you collection!

Lee Hower - Sacramento

Those cranes usually stayed assigned to one division for a long time, if you found the 7070 in another photo at another date it may be on the same division at least.

The crane in the picture is SPMW 7020.

I totally LOVE any shots with the big hooks.. Such power and agility. I would like to own one to restore. (yes I know where there is one).

Keep them coming Martin!

(And I will say it again.....a big coffee table book please)

CPRR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I totally LOVE any shots with the big hooks.. Such
> power and agility. I would like to own one to
> restore. (yes I know where there is one).
>
> Keep them coming Martin!
>
> (And I will say it again.....a big coffee table
> book please)


Agree! Beautiful piece of massive machinery. Steam hooks rule!
Mrs. Milfordgap

If you ever worked with one, you would not call them "agile".
My limited experience with them was mostly to unload track panels at derailments.
Compared to diesel cranes (either on-rail or highway) they are more difficult to control and difficult to move (retracting and extending outriggers and blocking).
But when you need a really heavy lift, or were in areas where other cranes could not go, they were the ace in the hole.

>If you ever worked with one, you would not call them "agile".

Amen to that. Worked with one once at Bayshore.

Anybody know the number of the Bayshore hook? My 2 cents says that the one in the pic is it because it has wood around the top end of the boom, which the BS hook had this so when used downtown, it wouldn't short out any MSRy trolley wire. As I recall, CSRM got the BS hook.

Interesting details in the Espee site, but no info from the time they were built to re-assignments in 1959:

http://espee.railfan.net/wreckers.html

"#7020

Was assigned to the Coast Division at Bayshore in 1959.
Built by Industrial in 1912 had a capacity of 120 Tons.
In 1966 a crane numbered 7020 was assigned to the Western Division at Bayshore, however, it was listed as built in 1906 and only 100 ton capacity...

information from an article in Trainline Issue No.13 on Relief Cranes Steam Operated, Diesel Fuel by Joe Strapac."

"#7005 / #7020

Was assigned to the Shasta Division at Klamath Falls in 1959. Still assigned to Klamath Falls in 1966. Built by Bucyrus in 1928 had a capacity of 160 Tons.
information from an article in Trainline Issue No.13 on Relief Cranes Steam Operated, Diesel Fuel by Joe Strapac. "


#7005 became #7020 around 1970 or so. The photo shows SPMW 7020 with a Steam Engine, ergo before 1970 and probably 1959 so it's not the KF wrecker. The photo could be at Bayshore yard or somewheres around the Western Division. The wooden insulator on the boom suggests Bayshore as mentioned.

Maybe the boom length could indicate something as the other 7020 appears to have had a different boom. Maybe some comparison of the photos from the Espee site would show something.

I also am incline to believe it could be at Bayshore.

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Built by Industrial in 1912 had a capacity of 120
> Tons.
> In 1966 a crane numbered 7020 was assigned to the
> Western Division at Bayshore, however, it was
> listed as built in 1906 and only 100 ton
> capacity...

Maybe someone could recognize the builder's plate on that crane? It shows nicely in the picture. There is also a lift rating stenciled on the big hook itself, but I can't read it in the posted image. Martin could probably read it from the original.

I dumped my earlier post, the Espee site info is very confusing, the road numbers were re-assigned to cranes of different builders and the location assignments are post 1959. Maybe the Trainline article has some info. Perhaps there are spotting features of individual wreckers.

As was pointed out the wooden insulators on the end of the crane says it's Bayshore. There's plenty of tunbleweeds all over the Peninsula.

It would be interesting to note if other wreckers had similar wood on the boom. Has anybody figured out where #2348 was assigned? I'm wondering if it was in the scrap line, based on the civilian's clothing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/14 11:13 by TCnR.

I have a shot of the newer, larger 7020 and it is a Bucyrus Erie crane..much larger than the 7020 in this photo.
Roger Beckett