How many of you had a Tonka or Buddy-L truck with a crane on the back as a kid. I didn't, but this beats that all to heck;
https://youtu.be/OJJ...DwLCpVkMWzUuwfd
Finally, I had something to play with when I worked at the National Railroad Museum. 150 ton wrecker from the Soo Line railroad. We, (AKA the Mangy Crew) got it running, and used it for track work and shop use. This one was steam powered, and has canvas sides around the machinery. Only the boiler had steel sheathing for sides. We were going to complete the restoration the following summer, but the FRA shut down all steam powered trains and equipment in museums and tourist railroads. A year later there was a restructuring of the FRA which now allowed some operation of historic steam equipment. But the museum never ran steam again, and I no longer worked there. I hooked up with a guy named Dick Jensen, and with an ever changing crew of mechanics, we traveled around the country restoring steam engines for other museums and tourist operations.
The museum also had a 50 ton American Brownhoist "cherry picker" that was steam powered, and self-propelled. We used it for light lifting. Occasionally we would "drive" it over to the McDonald's on Military for lunch, and park it on the Neena spur. Always drew a crowd.
