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Model Railroading > HO gondola tie crane?Date: 01/19/17 18:58 HO gondola tie crane? Author: suvart Does anyone know if there's a manufacturer of kit for the modern tie cranes they mount on gondolas? I've seen kits for older models/ ones with wheels, but none like the one I'm looking for. thanks
 Date: 01/19/17 20:35 Re: HO gondola tie crane? Author: fbe Jimbo is one of the prototype trade names and is the one common to MRL.
I know of no commercial models. Date: 01/20/17 00:02 Re: HO gondola tie crane? Author: MrMRL I'm not aware of any manufacturer that produces an exact copy to the gondola-mounted crawler crane you're inquiring about. Believe me, I've thought about it, being the MRL Jimbo would be a kick-ass model to go along with my modest MRL fleet... I have considered the possibility of modifying one of the many Custom Finishing HO scale white metal crane kits seen on the market over the last several years. Custom Finishing has produced five fairly close examples that I know of that could be modified, strapped and/or attached to to a scratch built (styrene) gondola sled. This would at least statically mimic the "inch-worm"(?) method these cranes use in traversing across a string of scrap gondolas. A couple of theses are readily available online through Walthers, the others, out of production for some time, can be scrounged up from time to time with careful Google searching of online hobby shops, or intensive observation on the Ebay market.
There are several examples I know of that could be used as starting points... See (Pic 1.) below for the finished examples of these cranes (not my models...) 1. 7001 - Fairmont Tie Handler 2. 7010 - Pike Utility Crane 3. 7028 - Pike Bridge Timber Inserter 4. 7083 - Kershaw Tie Crane 5. 7091 - RTW Model 2170 Tie Handler Along with a couple of MRL's Jimbos I've seen over the years... Pic 2. Crane 379-01 on MRL 100503 Springdale, MT. (5/28/09) Pic 3. Crane 379-03 on MRL 40002 Livingston, MT. (10/5/15) ~ Mr. MRL    Date: 01/20/17 08:50 Re: HO gondola tie crane? Author: unclebob I just sold this one on ebay. It is an older ConCor model.
Mike  Date: 01/22/17 16:33 Re: HO gondola tie crane? Author: georgiaroad Part of my Stephens Railcar HO scale company has its SERIVCES DIVISION, tasked with railroad construction, heavy lift and derailment response and clean-up. One of my plans is to create a "Tie Setout Train" and I expolred the idea of creating a Jimbo type material handler. Since I am modern freelance, I decided to follow more along the lines of the Brandt truck and OTM- Omni Trakker modern iteration of the Jimbo unit. I decided that Stephens Railcar would have its own version based off a Nroscot rubber tire excavator. I removed the tires and mocked up the sliding frame (I know--it is way out of scale and I have a lot of work to do). This was mainly as a marker to lay out the tie down car that is used to service the machine and to transport it from job to job, tied down so it will not move. I found a good picture of the NJT tie down car, an old gondola with notches cut with welded reinforcing steel to allow the Jimbo to perch while traveling to and from the job.
   Date: 01/22/17 20:03 Re: HO gondola tie crane? Author: georgiaroad Here is a good drawing I found that I can scale to rebuild the machine properly. My version will be a CAT-TRACKER brand in keeping with the CAT model I am using. I will have to build and detail the frame then fit it to the tie down car. Incidently, the Brandt truck has a hydraulic scissor lift that actually places the machine at the level of the tie gondola so it can easily walk over and load on top of the car for use. I know Matt Snell built a Jimbo. It lacks some of the intricate detail on the machine frame, but it is a VERY good model.
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