The crane tender had two jobs: to protect the crane's boom and enable it to be coupled with other cars on the way to a wreck site, and to carry the tools, chains, slings and other gear needed to clear a wreck. Unlike the crane itself, which was a precision piece of gear made by a specialized company, the crane tender was usually a home-built affair, cobbled together from whatever a railroad's shop crew had lying around. Our model represents a typical such car, built from what appears to be an older flatcar and an obsolete bobber caboose, functioning as an equipment shed.

The rest of a typical wreck train usually had the same hand-me-down look. Passenger and freight cars no longer fit for revenue service were recycled into crew, equipment, and tool cars for wreck and maintenance of way service.

MTH Premier O Scale freight cars are the perfect complement to any manufacturer's scale proportioned O Gauge locomotives. Whether you prefer to purchase cars separately or assemble a unit train, MTH Premier Rolling Stock has the cars for you in a variety of car types and paint schemes.

Virtually every sturdy car is offered in two car numbers which makes it even easier than ever to combine them into a mult-car consist. Many of MTH's Premier Rolling Stock offerings can also operate on the tightest O Gauge curves giving them even more added versatitlity to your layout.