# Lionel #3360 Burro crane coal loader



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

I wanted a was for the Burro crane to be able to load the coal car, so I got this really neat Hayword HO scale Clamshell Bucket Kit from

crowriverproducts.com

Since the Burro is a small crane, the HO clamshell was more to scale than the much larger O scale bucket which is made for full sized cranes.




























The clamshell fully articulates just like a real one... 











Greg


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## steam chaser (Feb 21, 2011)

Very cool,I like it,looks nice on there.Great find


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I picked up an HO and O scale one from them. I was initially surprised that it came in little pieces, not exactly what I expected.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I picked up an HO and O scale one from them. I was initially surprised that it came in little pieces, not exactly what I expected.


Hey John, why did you think they were so cheap! :laugh:

I've done a few die cast pewter kits and they're a lot of fun and a great way to hone old fashioned low tech modeling skills. Just take it one step at a time. I use a piece of really fine sandpaper on a plate glass surface to remove the flashings from each part, and they drill really easy by hand with a pin drill. Stranded copper wire is also a great material. I needed a way to keep the arms from sliding off of their pivots and so wrapped the ends of the pivots with pieces of wire.










A set of 3 mining ore cars were $8 each...



















This caboose was $10...



















And this handcar was only $1... and the handles even go up and down when it rolls. 










Greg


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Cool Greg, some nice shorties there. I don't anticipate an issue putting the buckets together, just took me by surprise when I got them.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

It does look nice, almost like it was ment to go on the Crain. I thought it was assembled too. I was going to buy one.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

That is purrrrfect. :smilie_daumenpos:

Needs a little rust on it?


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

big ed said:


> That is purrrrfect. :smilie_daumenpos:
> 
> Needs a little rust on it?


Thanks, Ed.  
It'll most likely get a shot of BBQ black, 
my personal favorite all purpose paint. 


Greg


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

sjm9911 said:


> It does look nice, almost like it was ment to go on the Crain. I thought it was assembled too. I was going to buy one.


I'm glad you know now that it's a kit. The scale of the bucket did work out nicely as the Burro is not a high capacity crane. They also make an O gauge bucket that is quite large but would look great on a full sized crane.

I was looking at old pics of real Burro cranes and they were *very* versatile and had different models to fit different uses.











They had a second set of outboard wheels so that the crane could work off of a flat car. 










The flat car also carried a ramp so the crane could drive itself onto the rails and could pull the flat car along with it.

Here's a pic of a Burro with a load of wooden ties...










Greg


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Cool, thanks Tooter!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Versatile it was, Hook, clam bucket and I forgot about a magnet.

Now you need a magnet to carry on the work supply car. :thumbsup:
Just in case the job calls for the need of a magnet while out on the job site.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

That real Burro you show in the picture that is going to pickup something out of the scrap car is boomed over awfully far?
I wonder how much weight the magnet can pick up? As there are no outriggers on the crane and the angle he is at you would think he could tip right over?
I guess the weight limit is not enough for it to tip?
I would feel safer with a lesser angle if I was operating it. 
I guess there is a big counter weight on the back too.:smokin:


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

There had better be a weight in back! :laugh:

Some models of the Burro looked a lot more heavy duty than others. That's why I went with the small HO bucket. I don't think it can lift much. That flat car with the ramp is what fascinates me, and I'm already wondering if the crane could run up a ramp onto a flat car with a piece of track on it. 

Greg


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Finished off the bucket with a coat of my personal favorite... flat black high temp bbq paint. 




























Greg


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

When you drop the bucket down it opens, does it close when you pick it up and is filled with the coal?


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

It can only open if I manually spread the bucket halves... but does close by itself when lifted. So it doesn't actually operate. It just* looks* like it could. 


Greg


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Looking at it, it could be made to operate. A piece of thin fishing line could be adjusted to control the opening point if you wanted to. Depending on how easily the bucket opens, and if the weight is enough. Not having one, that's an idea I see from the pics.

Carl


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

The bucket naturally hangs in the closed position, and pulling on the upper pulley isn't sufficient to open the clamshell because of how it's weighted.

But I'm ok with it as it is. After all it's a toy. The bucket looks real enough and fits nicely with the little Burro. There's no point in having coal cars without something that can move the coal. 


Greg


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Greg, do you know what is missing on the Burro?
An operator sitting in the cab. :thumbsup:

Do you have any people yet? 
Maybe the shorty caboose could use one inside too, if not inside maybe standing on the back?

Maybe the guy in the yellow hat would work in the Burro?










http://www.readymadetoys.com/up3bepafiw.html


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