Howdy Folks-

I was working on the Burro (model 15) that the Stewartstown Railroad acquired from Strasburg a couple of weeks ago, and it occurred to me that the crane has no external lights - no headlamps.

Did various railroads add lights? If so where? I'd hate to have to drive this crane back to the yard in the dark....

I've looked at a number of sites on the web, especially the N&W Historical Society Archives, but don't see any clear indication for a Model 15 Burro crane.

Thanks in advance

Mike

I don't know if there's any "standard," but external automotive-style headlamps were often fitted at the top corners of the cabs of Burros I saw in use on Penn Central and Conrail. They were typically lit full power when moving over the lines, to serve like headlights on a train to "see and be seen."

They tended to be the round self contained units, one on each corner, sort of like "ears". When I had to replace one, I told the guy at the auto parts store "It's off an old Ford tractor", saved a lot of explaining (Your Donkey has headlights? No, it's a burro...)

There were two on the front corners of the cab, and something a bit more like a headlight on the back, which tended to become the front when traveling, so that the boom was trailing. Can't recall specifics on it, think it may have been the same thing, maybe a bit brighter, or maybe something that was a bit more like a "real" headlight, but still small and roof mounted. Never ran the thing after dark, doubt the lights would have helped all that much.

They've been made for so many years, and modified so many times, it's likely you'll find lots of variations.

This looks about like what I recall. Two on the front, one centered on the back and bit larger. Scroll down the page a bit to find it.

http://www.bsrw.org/photos-our_equipment.htm

Mike -

If I recall, there was a steam locomotive tender type headlight for sale in the RyPN Classifieds a while back. That would seem to me to be a nice authentic headlight for a Burro Crane. Maybe sold by now though.

Mike; I just checked and it was advertised as a "Pyle National railroad flood light". Don't know if it might still be available or not, but maybe worth looking in to at least.

Les

I've worked at a place whose big contract with the UP was rebuilding Burros (and some of the bigger American cranes).

Any sealed beam light in an appropriate housing will do... or did then. That was over 10 years ago. Now, I don't think you could swing a dead cat and hit a Burro. They don't work on them at my former employer anymore, either.

The last two the railroad had on the repair shop property... they went to the torch. They still belonged to the UP. I contacted the appropriate person and got to salvage some of the fittings off the machine before it mets it's end .

The most interesting original parts left on it... two round, red glass marker lights that were up on the back of the house above the sliding doors.... one on each side. Mounted in a metal housing that screwed to the corners. Had to go back and bring a ladder to be able to reach them.

Someone else got the magnet generator and the cable off the drum.

I got the air and engine gauges, magnet controller, twin cylinder compressor and the radiator and both the blue and white "BURRO" signs off the sides.

Another railroad employee came and got the turbo off the side of the engine.... then the scrap guys grabbed it with their track hoe and tore it to pieces!

Here's what you need:

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Catal ... 0459876578

~$42 each at your local NAPA store.

Yep. exactly! As I said in my earlier post "When I had to replace one, I told the guy at the auto parts store 'It's off an old Ford tractor' ".

That's pretty much what he sold me.

As for not being around any more, they are scarce. I'm sad to say that I scrapped one. The construction company I worked for had no use for it, and my favorite local tourist railroad didn't want it (not even for free!). So I put an add in RT&S offering it for sale. I finally got a call from a guy one day. He said he worked at a place that rebuilt them. I said "Great! How much are you willing to pay?" He replied "Oh, no, I don't want to buy yours, I wanted to know if you wanted to buy a rebuilt one?" I told him that since I couldn't get ride of one, why would I want two?

With no takers, I reluctantly pulled off some parts, like the journal brass, sold the engine to somebody and sliced up the rest.

Thanks, for the pictures and suggestions. I don't know if I'll put a light at both corners of the cab, but will definitely do one looking both ways - toward and away from the boom.

I'm in the process of recabling the cable controls, and then more rust repair and painting, but we were using it a few weekends ago. Gets kinda hot in the cab, even with the hatches open, so I'll be adding a fan as well ;)

Thanks again-

Mike

Check out Dietz headlights. There is a ton of them on ebay. They were made in painted, chrome or combo. They were used for a long time on all sorts of vehicles and equipment. Our 20 ton Whitcomb has one on each end, and my old Suburban has the same lights on the plow, with the optional turn signal kit. They use the standard 7 inch round sealed beam lamp, and I believe you can still get spot lights.

They're placed on both corners in the front since the boom will obstruct them otherwise. That way, at least one of them is likely to be visible from most locations on that end of the machine.

Hey Mike,
This is the same light fixture Bobharbison is talking about.
On the C&NW/UP we had Phoenix Sturdilite model 9RS-46 light fixtures on our Burro and American cranes. If you over tightened the ring that held the light in place the auto type light bulb would crack cause of the heat of the bulb. My American had 5 24 volt lights so I would have some with 50 watt floods and some with 250 watt aircraft landing lights I'd order from Napa .
The Burros seemed to go thru a lot of light bulbs I think because they rode so hard along with the stiffness of the Sturdilite fixtures. On the Chicago Service Unit Burros most were replace with common rubber type tractor lights that were very flexible and cheap.
As for your cab being hot the Model 30 and 40 Burros had reversible fan blades to change the direction of air flow for winter and summer operations. To change them "with the engine and battery switch off " you just grab each individual blade on the end and push it to the center of the fan shaft to over come the spring tension and then turn it 180 degrees and it should pop back out and lock itself . You must do this to each blade so they all face the same direction. I never ran a Model 15 so I don't know if it has the same set up as the others. When you look at your fan and see each fan blade with a spring around its base then yours is adjustable. If it is you may have to work them lose with PB -Blaster and a lot of twisting and wiggling and patience. Good luck.