ChrisH-UK Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I know this is a long shot but I was wondering if anyone knows about the Serco Tie Cranes as illustrated here https://www.flickr.com/photos/8068575@N02/3419906502/and here http://www.sercoloaders.com/images/railroad2.jpg What I know so far is that the crane element itself is a Serco 170-A loader (yeah I can read what it says on the arm ) and I've found some reference shots and a general arrangement diagram for that. I have made a reasonable guestimate of the dimensions of the car that the crane itself runs on from the few square-on photos I've found but if anyone has more detailed knowledge I'd be grateful for their input. The bit I'm really struggling with is the car that runs either side, they can be used for tie stacking as shown in the photo links or be fitted with a half-height corrugated container as shown here http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2963868 I even tried to figure out if the number of corrugations might hold the key to the length of the vehicle, I think that proves I need help (some might say it would be easier to just lock me up). TIA Chris H Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Most likely that's a cut down 20' box, if so, it'd point to the "trailers" being about 23' to 25'? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Most likely that's a cut down 20' box, if so, it'd point to the "trailers" being about 23' to 25'? I'm not sure that isn't a 10' container. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I'm not sure that isn't a 10' container. I reckon it's a 20' box that's been cut down; it's only got the Twistlocks at one end. You see similar mods done on normal boxes used as site stores and suchlike in the UK and elsewhere. Would it not be possible to calculate the length using a sleeper count? I reckon the main longitudinal structural members are 12" section, if that's of any use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 That's a 20 ft container for dirty dirt. Its not cut down. It has IBC's on all corners, top and bottom. Its quite commond to see those on intermodal cars out west, usually double stacked, with contaminated dirt going to disposal out in Utah or Nevada. Search for EPIC containers for example, I am having trouble with links. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I'm not sure that isn't a 10' container. Definately longer than 10'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Definately longer than 10'. Compare the length to the 8' width, or consider the 33" wheel on the gon behind. It isn't 20' long. It might be 15. From the various styles of IBC, I'd say it was cut down from something larger. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginelane Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hi I made a tie crane for Menasha and used the main dimensions of the carrier crane wagon to scale the crane. I also used a cab from a HO crane to get that key dimension. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH-UK Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 The discussion about container size is one I have had myself and I've drawn similar conclusions, it's certainly no larger than 20ft, it is larger than 10ft. Btw, I've checked a picture I can't show (unsure where it came from) that conclusively shows the twistlocks are at one end only I have used the method that enginelane suggested but the other way round, using the known size of the crane to guesstimate the size of the rail vehicle beneath but all the pictures I've found with the other vehicles in have issues with parallax that throw doubt over any measurement from those pictures. Thanks for your help so far, it at least proves I'm not going mad (Or no madder than anyone else here) Chris H Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Compare the length to the 8' width, I had, which is why I said definitely longer than 10! Chris - what's your estimate for the length of the crane chassis, as that's roughly 3/5ths of the length of the trailers? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH-UK Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 I had, which is why I said definitely longer than 10! Chris - what's your estimate for the length of the crane chassis, as that's roughly 3/5ths of the length of the trailers? It's 11ft, that's assuming the cab measurement given in the spec sheet is for the shortest part of the cab at the bottom. It also says it's a 27ft boom yet it has a 30ft reach and yes the fulcrum is at the centreline. BTW depending on the photo used the crane chassis is between 3/5 and 3/4 the length. Edit 11ft makes no sense - checking Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH-UK Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 Ok, maybe roughly 11ft does make sense If the chassis is roughly 3/5ths of the trailers that would be roughly 18 1/2 Proportionally it's just over 2ft between chassis ends so from crane chassis centreline to end of the trailer would be 5.5 + 2.2 + 18.5 or 26ft. If a 27ft boom actually had a 27ft reach then these numbers work. If the reach is 30ft as the SWL diagram suggests then the numbers would need a little massaging. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 So a 20' box chopped to about 15' or 16' would work, and would explain the lack of IBCs on the far (lower) end? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH-UK Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 I had emailed Serco loaders before with no success, a friend took up the case and got me a contact who says that the crane chassis is 14ft and the carts are just over 20ft. "Just over 20ft" is a little subjective but in my mind that means it wouldn't be enough for a 20ft container to fit between the stanchions, especially as half the crane chassis plus a 20ft container would put it at the extreme of the 27ft boom/jib reach. So maybe 18ft container? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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