I saw this on the 'bay and thought folks here might be interested in it as a collector item. I've never seen or heard about these before.
Search on item 400711624661
It appears to be hung by straps around the operator and then their are paddles to operate the crane ?
Has that Motorola look to it along with the labeling...
-Steve
Motorola RF Crane Control
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Re: Motorola RF Crane Control
They are a remote joy stick without the cord that sends commands by radio to operate Cranes or other equipment.
We worked on those at the MSS. Based on the HT200 series radio.
We worked on those at the MSS. Based on the HT200 series radio.
Last edited by Will on Thu May 22, 2014 1:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Motorola RF Crane Control
Good find. That would be a great addition to a Motorola collection.
Re: Motorola RF Crane Control
got a service call to the local cement plant in the mid 90's, their Locomotive remote control went out on them. i told my manager "nice joke".
he said no joke, you and the lead tech are going there.
we went to the train area which we had only visited a few times to wire 72v to 12v converters
and install non FRA, non clean cab radio into their locos.
yup sure enough 1 loco had a rcvr for remote ctrl, it was electric controlling air valves and the remote had a dead man switch on top of it.
i think it was a Magnetek Remote.
back to the shop and the svce monitor confirmed the remote was dead - called the manufacturer as we did not feel comfortable servicing any thing that moved a multi ton loco remotely - they said over 2 grand in mid 90's money for a new one (what? yipe!).
told the plant about the new unit being required and they said order one.
i thought really over 2 grand and the tone on the phone was the same as he used for ordering lunch - wow.
funny thing is later in life i worked for the local RR as a loco electrician/mechanic and we did any major service on the cement plant's loco's.
that same loco was on the sched for work years later while i was working for the RR!
i called the cement plants mgr before they brought the loco and asked if they could send the remote with the loco in a box with my name on it for testing and maintenance of that system and they did.
i then bet lunch to all the fellow mechanics that i could operate a loco like an r/c toy - oh the looks on their faces when i opened the box and ran that loco on the test ground!
oh - i didn't have to bring lunch for a week they all kept up their end of the bet from local fast food places - ahhh memories.
he said no joke, you and the lead tech are going there.
we went to the train area which we had only visited a few times to wire 72v to 12v converters
and install non FRA, non clean cab radio into their locos.
yup sure enough 1 loco had a rcvr for remote ctrl, it was electric controlling air valves and the remote had a dead man switch on top of it.
i think it was a Magnetek Remote.
back to the shop and the svce monitor confirmed the remote was dead - called the manufacturer as we did not feel comfortable servicing any thing that moved a multi ton loco remotely - they said over 2 grand in mid 90's money for a new one (what? yipe!).
told the plant about the new unit being required and they said order one.
i thought really over 2 grand and the tone on the phone was the same as he used for ordering lunch - wow.
funny thing is later in life i worked for the local RR as a loco electrician/mechanic and we did any major service on the cement plant's loco's.
that same loco was on the sched for work years later while i was working for the RR!
i called the cement plants mgr before they brought the loco and asked if they could send the remote with the loco in a box with my name on it for testing and maintenance of that system and they did.
i then bet lunch to all the fellow mechanics that i could operate a loco like an r/c toy - oh the looks on their faces when i opened the box and ran that loco on the test ground!
oh - i didn't have to bring lunch for a week they all kept up their end of the bet from local fast food places - ahhh memories.