We have found the Lionel Portal Gantry Crane to be the most fun, challenging and useful accessory on the layout. The Gantry Crane can load and unload many items. It can be used with a hook and with a electro magnet allowing many items to be handled. If the item is not magnetic, small steel washers can be glued on say plastic drums or containers to allow lifting. I have installed washers to allow lifting of Mercury Space capsules. Here is a review of improvements and uses for the Lionel Gantry Crane.
Installation, improvements and uses of remote operating Lionel 6-12834 Portal Gantry Crane
I obtained a remote operating Lionel Portal Pennsylvania 12834, Gantry Crane 6-12834, from 1993, awhile back. I got a good deal as one of the crane legs was broken off, just up my alley. A little epoxy glue fixed that. It took some time to install with the crane controls having to be added near to the turntable control and with in reach of the crane.
The Gantry Crane controls are within reach of the crane, and are shown at the bottom left. as shown below.
I installed single rail tracks for the crane to operate on. The rails use short pieces of rail tie to hold them. I went with 1/2 ties by cutting up 027 track ties to make them as they would take screws to hold the track down. Fake sleeper ties are in between the 1/2 cut up 027 ties. I had not thought of just gluing them down to my fake painted gray concrete.
The crane cables were made long enough to allow the crane to reach each end of the crane rails. I need to come up with a way to make the crane move on the crane rails without finger help!
Lionel Gantry Crane 6-12834 with a truck load of rails ready to be unloaded at the right Note also in picture above: A Lionel Tie ejector car picked up at a train show which keeps the interest up and a wireless color TV camera on a flat car that transmits pictures to a small TV under the train board control panel and a 55 inch flat screen TV on the wall.
The crane controls are close to the crane which is important to keep things moving. Crane controls are on the left. Also pictured is my Williams, BL2, one my very few more modern engines with can motors.
We pickup canisters with washers glued to the top and 1/2 pieces of 027 rail seen in the truck. This crane with gondolas and flat cars have endless possibilities for operations of the crane.
Making the Crane Control be a Two Hand Operation
I have found I need three hands to operate the Crane control. One for Up and Down Lever, a second for swinging the crane boom Left and Right and a third for holding the magnet voltage ON as there is not a lock on that control, with justifiably concern for burning out the magnet. I made a small wooden wedge out a piece of pop sickle stick, added a red handle to the stick. The new stick is used to force the magnet voltage to be ON without using a third hand. Care must be taken not to leave the wedge in.
The operating gantry crane is now the most popular accessory to operate on the layout and it is challenging to load and unload a gondola car with canisters as well as pieces of track rail and to remove and install the cover for a gondola car.
Now Mercury Space Capsules can be loaded and unloaded from the Mercury Space Capsule car after the installation of metal washers on the top.
Charlie
