Western Railroad Discussion > The Big Hook

donnerpass Wrote:
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> Jim Mahon (The Bear) told me a story about fishing
> derailed cars out of the Truckee River, using the
> big hook.  The opinion of the brass on scene was
> that the cars were too far out to be reached by
> the big hook.  After the brss all went to get
> coffee, Jim and the hook operator had a little pow
> wow.  The hook opertaor said he thought he could
> retrieve those cars and told Jim how he was going
> to do it.  He told Jim that he needed him to
> stand behing the hook and let him know when the
> wheels on the backside came six inches off the
> rail.  When the brass returned, the cars in the
> river were now sitting on the ROW.  Jim always
> told me he had great respect for the magic big
> hook operators could perform

I love that story.

One day something’s going to go sideways way up there in the middle of nowhereland again, and Hulcher won’t be able to get it. And they’ll be wishing they still had a hook around….or not…they probably won’t even know what a big hook is.

So the sidewinders are all that's needed these days to do the heavy lifting in tight places?

Thought for sure there would be a demand for the Big Hooks!

Chuck 

What a great Bear story!

Lifting the rear 6" is classic!

Chuck 

Texican65 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> donnerpass Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Jim Mahon (The Bear) told me a story about
> fishing
> > derailed cars out of the Truckee River, using
> the
> > big hook.  The opinion of the brass on scene
> was
> > that the cars were too far out to be reached by
> > the big hook.  After the brss all went to get
> > coffee, Jim and the hook operator had a little
> pow
> > wow.  The hook opertaor said he thought he
> could
> > retrieve those cars and told Jim how he was
> going
> > to do it.  He told Jim that he needed him to
> > stand behing the hook and let him know when the
> > wheels on the backside came six inches off the
> > rail.  When the brass returned, the cars in
> the
> > river were now sitting on the ROW.  Jim always
> > told me he had great respect for the magic big
> > hook operators could perform
>
> I love that story.
>
> One day something’s going to go sideways way up
> there in the middle of nowhereland again, and
> Hulcher won’t be able to get it. And they’ll
> be wishing they still had a hook around….or
> not…they probably won’t even know what a big
> hook is.

...which is why they still have a hook in Roseville, that was used to rerail snow fleet equipment not long ago..

Posted from Android

It's now 5-6 years since l lived in E. Kingston NH, one house up from the Guilford/Pan Am mainline when I was out in the yard (without my phone or camera) when a wreck train rolled by headed toward Ayer, MA. The IB crane brought up the end, per typical policy. I ran as hard as I could to get my phone, hop in the car and tried to catch it, but alas, without success. Drat. I missed a golden opportunity.

Bob Phelps
Micanopy, FL

donnerpass Wrote:
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> Jim Mahon (The Bear) told me a story about fishing
> derailed cars out of the Truckee River,

I was just reading about "The Bear" (Jim Mahon) managing the snow clearing trains.  I take it he has retired by now?

Back in 2018 I visited the TTI (TransKentucky Transportation Inc.) in Paris, KY and they had this Industrial Brownhoist and boom car on one of the turntable whisker tracks;  Not sure if it's still there (quite possibly so) but they only run a few short miles from Paris anymore, and mostly just do transloading out of the yard there.  They also have a Grove crane so this likely won't ever be used again.


 
 

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The Northern Nevada Railway in Ely, Nevada has an operating steam-powered big hook.  

A lot of effort was put into restoring this treasure some years ago.  

Chuck 

Portola Ca has one.

Jesse6669 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> donnerpass Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Jim Mahon (The Bear) told me a story about
> fishing
> > derailed cars out of the Truckee River,
>
> I was just reading about "The Bear" (Jim Mahon)
> managing the snow clearing trains.  I take it he
> has retired by now?

Jim Passed Away on December 9th last year, his funeral was December 19th In Auburn, Ca.

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

UP scrapped two big hooks in roseville last year, each one normally had a support train with old passenger cars with asbestos, must kill them all is the mentality

98% of the time "Big Hooks" are not used anymore. Sidebooms, Hi-Rail capable 150 ton wreckers that can drive down the road are out there and work all the time....See "Mantis 30011 Re-Railer" or many other wrecking cranes that took over for the slow and cumbersome 100-250 ton rail bound wreckers of the past. Sidebooms have been used on mountainside derailments for years. They can be moved in on flatcars, BN, UP, and others have used those units "Wreckmasters" they were called, had folding booms and blade equipped, but they can also be cumbersome. A straight sideboom and large dozers, track loaders,big excavators, etc. handle the lions share of derailments.  Cranmasters uses 100 ton crawler wreckers with winches, and other mobile equipment to handle derailments. The day of the 250 ton Bucyrus or Industrial Brownhoist "Big Hooks" is over except in shortlines or special circumstances. A few of them do still exist in running order. There is a list somewhere of existing "Big Hooks" online. We have one less than 15 miles from me "Not in working order". I was and still am involved in the derailment business for many years. Almost all North American railroads and many others use specialist contractors who can move in quickly with huge amounts of large mobile quipment and do jobs in hours or a few days that used to take weeks. Mountains do not present major difficultties for many of these contractors. We have worked in very difficult terrain many times. Now days engines are recovered, cars re-railed, etc, that would have been scrapped in the day of the steam or diesel railbound wrecker. Below is a link to some good photos of a job we did a few years ago....Washout on the Upper Delaware River in Deposit NY.....Four SD-60's went down and all were re-railed. This is how it's done today in many cases.
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,4729279,4729288#msg-4729288



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/25 11:34 by TimT.

Great explanation TimT.  

Did not know there were 150-ton cranes on Hi-Railers.  

Thanks!

Chuck 

RailDawg Wrote:
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> Great explanation TimT.  
>
> Did not know there were 150-ton cranes on
> Hi-Railers.  
>
> Thanks!
>
> Chuck 

I believe there is one at the museum at the station at Barstow, CA.

Lake level Route Mainline Traction Motor Change with a 150 ton Mantis....Just like a NASCAR Pit Stop.

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It makes you wonder how many rubber tired hooks are still around.

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

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BNSF Interbay Carshop in Seattle, WA has a Mantis. I’ve still seen planned lifts done with Hulcher or Jammies….

This is BS from the uniformed.  Big hooks were extremely expensive, slow and often ineffective.  Modern mobile cranes changed the efficiency of derailments and dramatically reduced the cost.


I have experienced this and know the facts.

use to be  a lot of pettibone cranes

Have we located all the Big Hooks west of the Mississippi River?

The eastern railroads ones are very cool too.  

Chuck

i don't think so