Does the mechanism operate smoothly or with unusually difficult to raise and lower the boom and the smaller hook on your crane car?
Recently I bought a “new in the box” Conrail Operating Crane Car 30-7917, it is very attractive; it appeared in MTH's 1998 Volume 3 - S.P. Daylight catalog along with the Chessie 30-7916 version. Then the MTH 1999 Volume 1 catalog had the Nickel Plate Road 30-7919 version and Amtrak 30-7918 version of the same operating crane.
I am trying to decide whether to return this crane to the ebay vender, or improve the operation. Lowering the boom and lowering the smaller hook has much more resistance (very harder cranking resistance) and is accompanied by very loud clicking. However, raising the hook and raising the boom is much easier, nearly smooth, and the clicking is not very loud. Did you experience similar operation with your MTH RK crane?
Is there anything you would recommend to smooth out the crank lowering operation for the hook and boom? I bought this crane intending it to be a Christmas gift for one of my grandsons (5, 4 or 3 yr old). As it is, I doubt they will have the grip to lower the hook, and as they say: lower the boom!
Thanks in advance with your experiences and advise.
