I have a number of gondolas carrying scrap metal loads. I was wondering if anyone makes an N scale electromagnet/crane to unload them? Thanks for any info. Hmm... I just pick up my gondolas and dump the loads out...
Railway Express Miniatures makes/made one called the American High Cab Dragline Kit. I purchased one for the exact same reason, though I have not yet built it. Looks like a nice kit, although the cab windows are not open. If you're talking about one that is attached to the gondola itself, those are also available.
Thanks for the info. I'm 71 years old, and the parts just look too small for me to handle. That's the main reason I quit buying unassembled Micro-Trains couplers, among other things LOL.
Kiz, Artitec makes a ready to use crane with a clamshell bucket. https://www.artitecshop.com/en/dolberg-crane.html It might be possible to replace the bucket with something that looks like an electromagnet. There are a couple of U.S. hobby shops that I know of that carry the Artitec line of N scale models. Carter
Thanks Carter. That's way more than I want to spend though . I think I'll just forget about having a scrap metal industry and have an industry that makes pipes, I-beams etc. I can get I-beams and tubing cheap from Evergreen Styrene . Hmm... Kiz has started withdrawing from his IRA to fund his obsession, a.k.a. hobby...
The local scrap yard (recycle center) has one that looks like that with a magnet and clam shell. Interchangeable.
Didn't STEWART [spelling?] make a model of an American diesel electric railmounted crane? This has been years ago. Any crane can be used to unload scrap, just fashion an electro-magnetic pick up.
Some of the kit ones arent to bad to build. Fashion a fake round electro magnet to hang from the cable...put a small rare earth magnet in it...lift most anything steel in your scrap yard ! . .
Kiz, I am guessing your modeling era would not allow the use of a hydraulic excavator in which the bucket has been replaced by an electomagnet. If it did, here is a source for an inexpensive modern excavator that comes attached to a key chain. https://actionfarmtoys.com/products/85981-micro-caterpillar-320-hydraulic-excavator-key-chain While the excavator at the link above is approximately 1:150 scale, this photo shows the Cat 320 key chain excavator "parked" between two 1:160 scale excavators, and for the most part, it is not distractedly large. There are at least two scrap yards in the area where I live that use hydraulic excavators with electromagnets. Carter
