The Rail Crane’s work-out

 

Purchased in 2012 the museum’s Plasser & Theurer rail crane has been very much in demand recently, over the recent P-Way possession in November, another 32 engine hours were clocked up including early starts at 0630 and working to darkness in the afternoon.  There has been more use in the last couple of years due to  P-way ,S&T work as well as erecting  steelwork for the Running Shed.

Crane drivers complete daily Fitness to Run inspections before use, those now qualified are Peter Martin, Jack Plumb, Peter Robinson. When working with others  a “Slinger/Signaller” is required, who looks out for the  safety of the load, persons in the vicinity, and whose hand signals  are quite complex. Representative examples (not to be taken as training material) are shown below:

 Essentially, the maximum 12 Tonne  Safe Weight Limit can only be achieved with the jib quite close to the crane. Can be extended further if the lift is over one end of the crane rather than at full slew. The maximum lifting radius is 13 meters which allows for the machine to pick up a maximum of 2.7 T over end, or 1T at full slew based on the maximum track Cant (super elevation of track) at Chappel of 100mm.

 

This means a 30ft rail can be raised, with the rail lifting beam, at any position within the cranes reach, and a longer  60ft rail with some limitations.

A photo of  the old New Viaduct Siding panel being craned out