By the 1950s, the days of steam-powered wrecking cranes were numbered. Railroads began replacing the big hook with smaller, more versatile diesel-powered cranes. These self-propelled units eliminated the need for a separate loco and crew, making them more cost effective. Since they could pull a few loaded cars at low speeds, they proved ideal for track and bridge repairs, where you'll often find them today. Many private industries, such as steel mills, scrap yards and others that require a crane, found these units an ideal choice. They can function as a crane or a switcher, doing two jobs for less money.
 
These kits offer you the same versatility of the real thing! Choose from a powered model, complete with hidden motor and gear drive, capable of pulling a few cars. Or, for a static display, there's a dummy version. Both kits come in subassemblies, requiring only final assembly and rigging for the finishing touch.
 
WALTHERS AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE CRANE (SERIES 5070 AND 5050): TIPS, SUGGESTIONS AND REVISED INSTRUCTIONS Walthers American Locomotive Crane kit comes semi-assembled. After you connect the boom to the cab and thread the rigging, your model will be ready to display or run on your layout.
 
Rigging the crane takes time and patience.
 
The kit includes approximately 6' (180cm) of string. This is a medium weight upholstery thread, such as is available at your local fabric store. Before you start, cut the string to the following lengths:
 
18" (45cm) to rig the cranes hook to the spool inside the cab (the hoist string).
 
21" (52.5cm) to rig the top of the boom to the idler pulley assembly.
 
Approximately 33" (82.5cm) to rig the idler pulley assembly to the spool inside the cab. The exact length of this third string is less important, since much of it will wrap around the spools inside the cab.
 
The following supplies will aid in rigging the crane: a) Thin knife or chisel blade to unsnap the cab from the base of the crane.
 
b) Small screwdriver to loosen the screw on the base and insert the boom spring.
 
c) Tweezers to help you thread the rigging through the cab and position it on the pulleys.
 
d) Masking tape to hold rigging in place temporarily while you thread the other sections.
 
e) Clamp positioner (such as X-tra Hand made by X-Acto or Twin Grip Positioner by Mascot) to hold the cab while you thread the rigging. It is best to get the strings in the right places before you try to do the rigging. For example, after you remove the cab from the floor of the crane (instruction step 2), you can attach the 18" long hoist string to the front spool, threading under the guide and through the hole in the cab (see the beginning of step 5). Set this aside while you rig the boom.
 
As you are putting the rigging in place, the string has a tendency to slip off. Be prepared for this and use masking tape to hold the rigging in place temporarily.
 
Please note that the illustrations on the instruction sheet have been simplified so that they are easier to follow. The crane's cab does not appear in the illustrations.
 
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Using CA type cement, glue the stirrup steps and pilots in place as shown.
 
2. Inserting the Boom Spring The boom spring is designed to prevent the boom from flopping up and down.
 
Using a thin knife or chisel blade, unsnap the cab from the base of the crane.
 
Snap the boom into place. Note: the boom will not snap into place unless the cab is off.
 
Loosen the screw on the front left of the cab floor, as shown in the illustration.
 
Insert the boom spring between the cab floor and the left spool support and hook the boom spring on the lowest cross member of the boom.
 
Tighten the screw to hold the boom spring in place.
 
3. Preparing the Hoist String Tie the 18" long string to the front spool inside the cab.
 
Thread it under the guide and through the hole in the cab.
 
Set this aside while you rig the boom. 4. Rigging the Idler Pulley Assembly to the Top of the Boom Use the 21" long string to rig the idler pulley assembly to the top of the boom.
 
Tie the string to the top hole on the right hand side of the idler pulley assembly.
 
Wrap it over the top of the right outside pulley, then thread it from right to left through the bottom holes of the assembly.
 
From underneath, wrap the string over the left outside pulley at the top of the boom.
 
Thread it through the top hole on the left side of the pulley assembly.
 
Tie the string in place.
 
You may want to hold the rigging in place with masking tape, so that it does not come off the pulleys while you thread the lower half of the boom.
 
5. Rigging The Lower Half Of The Boom You will need approximately 33" of string to rig the lower half of the boom.
 
Work with about 2 inches of thread between the roof pulley assembly and the idler pulley assembly as you do this rigging.
 
Tie the string to the right hand hole of the rear spool inside the cab.
 
Thread it under the guide and through the hole on the right hand side of the roof.
 
Thread the inside pulleys first, wrapping the string first over the top of the roof pulley and then over idler pulley.
 
From here, wrap the string underneath the outside pulley on the roof.
 
Next wrap it over the top of the outside idler pulley.
 
Thread the string through the top of the hole on the right hand side of the roof assembly, then underneath the assembly and up through the bottom of the hole on the left side.
 
From here, wrap the string underneath and over the outside pulley on the idler assembly.
 
Next, wrap it over the outside roof pulley.
 
From underneath, wrap it over the inside idler pulley, then over the top of the inside roof pulley and down through the hole in the left roof of the cab.
 
Inside the cab, pull the string under the guide and tie it to the hole on the left spool.
 
6. Rigging the Hoist String If you have already attached the 18" hoist string to the front spool inside the cab (step 3) you can reattach the cab.
 
Thread the string over the pulley in the center top of the boom.
 
From underneath, thread the string through the hole in the center of the boom and tie it.
 
Glue the hook pieces together and place them on the loop of string hanging from the boom. 7. Operating the Boom and Hook This kit includes a special tool to raise and lower the boom and hook. Use the hole in the vent on the crane's right side to operate the boom. Use the hole in the window on the left side to operate the hook.
 
By the 1950s, the days of steam-powered wrecking cranes were numbered. Railroads began replacing the big hook with smaller, more versatile diesel-powered cranes. These self-propelled units eliminated the need for a separate loco and crew, making them more cost effective. Since they could pull a few loaded cars at low speeds, they proved ideal for track and bridge repairs, where you'll often find them today. Many private industries, such as steel mills, scrap yards and others that require a crane, found these units an ideal choice. They can function as a crane or a switcher, doing two jobs for less money.

These kits offer you the same versatility of the real thing! Choose from a powered model, complete with hidden motor and gear drive, capable of pulling a few cars. Or, for a static display, there's a dummy version. Both kits come in subassemblies, requiring only final assembly and rigging for the finishing touch.

WALTHERS AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE CRANE (SERIES 5070 AND 5050): TIPS, SUGGESTIONS AND REVISED INSTRUCTIONS Walthers American Locomotive Crane kit comes semi-assembled. After you connect the boom to the cab and thread the rigging, your model will be ready to display or run on your layout.

Rigging the crane takes time and patience.

The kit includes approximately 6' (180cm) of string. This is a medium weight upholstery thread, such as is available at your local fabric store. Before you start, cut the string to the following lengths:

18" (45cm) to rig the cranes hook to the spool inside the cab (the hoist string).

21" (52.5cm) to rig the top of the boom to the idler pulley assembly.

Approximately 33" (82.5cm) to rig the idler pulley assembly to the spool inside the cab. The exact length of this third string is less important, since much of it will wrap around the spools inside the cab.

The following supplies will aid in rigging the crane:

a) Thin knife or chisel blade to unsnap the cab from the base of the crane.

b) Small screwdriver to loosen the screw on the base and insert the boom spring.

c) Tweezers to help you thread the rigging through the cab and position it on the pulleys.

d) Masking tape to hold rigging in place temporarily while you thread the other sections.

e) Clamp positioner (such as X-tra Hand made by X-Acto or Twin Grip Positioner by Mascot) to hold the cab while you thread the rigging.

It is best to get the strings in the right places before you try to do the rigging. For example, after you remove the cab from the floor of the crane (instruction step 2), you can attach the 18" long hoist string to the front spool, threading under the guide and through the hole in the cab (see the beginning of step 5). Set this aside while you rig the boom.

As you are putting the rigging in place, the string has a tendency to slip off. Be prepared for this and use masking tape to hold the rigging in place temporarily.

Please note that the illustrations on the instruction sheet have been simplified so that they are easier to follow. The crane's cab does not appear in the illustrations.

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Using CA type cement, glue the stirrup steps and pilots in place as shown.

2. Inserting the Boom Spring The boom spring is designed to prevent the boom from flopping up and down.

Using a thin knife or chisel blade, unsnap the cab from the base of the crane.

Snap the boom into place. Note: the boom will not snap into place unless the cab is off.

Loosen the screw on the front left of the cab floor, as shown in the illustration.

Insert the boom spring between the cab floor and the left spool support and hook the boom spring on the lowest cross member of the boom.

Tighten the screw to hold the boom spring in place.

3. Preparing the Hoist String Tie the 18" long string to the front spool inside the cab.

Thread it under the guide and through the hole in the cab.

Set this aside while you rig the boom.

4. Rigging the Idler Pulley Assembly to the Top of the Boom Use the 21" long string to rig the idler pulley assembly to the top of the boom.

Tie the string to the top hole on the right hand side of the idler pulley assembly.

Wrap it over the top of the right outside pulley, then thread it from right to left through the bottom holes of the assembly.

From underneath, wrap the string over the left outside pulley at the top of the boom.

Thread it through the top hole on the left side of the pulley assembly.

Tie the string in place.

You may want to hold the rigging in place with masking tape, so that it does not come off the pulleys while you thread the lower half of the boom.

5. Rigging The Lower Half Of The Boom You will need approximately 33" of string to rig the lower half of the boom.

Work with about 2 inches of thread between the roof pulley assembly and the idler pulley assembly as you do this rigging.

Tie the string to the right hand hole of the rear spool inside the cab.

Thread it under the guide and through the hole on the right hand side of the roof.

Thread the inside pulleys first, wrapping the string first over the top of the roof pulley and then over idler pulley.

From here, wrap the string underneath the outside pulley on the roof.

Next wrap it over the top of the outside idler pulley.

Thread the string through the top of the hole on the right hand side of the roof assembly, then underneath the assembly and up through the bottom of the hole on the left side.

From here, wrap the string underneath and over the outside pulley on the idler assembly.

Next, wrap it over the outside roof pulley.

From underneath, wrap it over the inside idler pulley, then over the top of the inside roof pulley and down through the hole in the left roof of the cab.

Inside the cab, pull the string under the guide and tie it to the hole on the left spool.

6. Rigging the Hoist String If you have already attached the 18" hoist string to the front spool inside the cab (step 3) you can reattach the cab.

Thread the string over the pulley in the center top of the boom.

From underneath, thread the string through the hole in the center of the boom and tie it.

Glue the hook pieces together and place them on the loop of string hanging from the boom.

7. Operating the Boom and Hook This kit includes a special tool to raise and lower the boom and hook. Use the hole in the vent on the crane's right side to operate the boom. Use the hole in the window on the left side to operate the hook.