This showed up on facebook, I am not associated: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=102 ... 3188855982

"I’m afraid this might not be the place to ask, and if it’s not feel free to delete it. My father passed away, and his prized possession was a 250 ton steam powered crane. Like many of us, I don’t have a place to keep it. I have spoke with a couple museums, and although that seems like a viable option. I am looking for ideas of ways to ensure it’s preservation. It is located near ABC railroad in Kent Ohio. Also it is still on friction bearings"

Please provide the railroad that owned the crane and it's number. Builder's number also if known.

According to the OP it is ex-C&O.

If you have not already done so, I urge you to contact Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek, Ohio.

According to another source it is C&O #940000. That would make it Industrial Brownhoist #11753 250t Steam Wrecker 1946
Chesapeake & Ohio RR #WC30 to #940000
CSXT #940000

I hope you find a home for it.

If you guys have facebook access you might want to contact the owner there, as I noted I am just re-posting it and I doubt he will see it here. He seems to be flailing. A lot of replies over there are emphasizing that he not just turn it over to a "museum" without insisting that it not be cut up ever to pay for their excursion trains etc. given that is the fate of many such cranes in recent years.

I spoke with the owner via phone two nights back. He’s more than willing to work with anyone in Northeast Ohio to get the crane to a place of safety. It has been stored indoors for a couple of decades and the photos I saw show it to be in excellent shape.

The owners name is Jon Martin.


Joe

Joe,

Do you happen to know which crane it is?

To the best of my research and chatting with the owner, we believe it to be C&O 940000. The C&O owned three 250 ton cranes. One was from the Pere Marquette. One is preserved in Orville, OH. That one is the 940001. The 940002 I believe was the P&M crane. He tells me the crane doesn’t show any numbering on it. It also has a steam tender that is with it. It is marked C&O 940350.

Joe

940002 was based in St. Thomas, Ontario and survived into the late 1980's. Still operating with steam until its death.
The tender on it was 940392.

As far as I have been able to find out, our CSXT #94001 was originally PM #DK-8. If that’s not correct, certainly please let me know.

Industrial Brownhoist #11594 250t SW 1945
Pere Marquette #DK-8
Chesapeake & Ohio #DK-8 to #940001
CSXT #940001 retired as C&O #940001
Art Davis (DABO, Inc.) #ARDX #401 Orrville, OH
Orrville Railroad Heritage Society Orrville, OH 06-15
(for sale 12-17 $20,000)

Curiosity killed the cat.... has anyone heard anything more about this crane?

The owner tells me that he still hasn't decided on where to donate the wrecker. He would like it close enough for him and his children to visit.

That's a very good point. Like many of you, I've been shocked at the number of cranes scrapped in recent years.