The Legendary Cullen Friestedt Co. Burro Crane
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- Опубликовано: 21 сен 2014
- Frank J. Cullen, President of Cullen Friestedt Co. narrates a video history of the company and its major product line, the legendary Burro Crane. This video features unique railroad history not found elsewhere.
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When I saw this title, I thought it would be obscure information. It was kind of obscure, but it became very interesting. Those little cranes were handy as a pocket on a shirt, for the railroad companies. They had them doing everything, and doing it well and efficiently. I love machinery like this and I really enjoyed watching it. Thanks.
Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad will be bringing a Burro Model 30 into service in 2019. Formerly at Niles Canyon, this crane was donated to our program several years ago, but we have now grown to the point where we need the capabilities of this amazing machine. This video has been an inspiration to me ever since you posted this! Thanks!
Has this been completed?
Awesome little machines! It's still cool to see these machines at work on the old C&NW Harvard subdivision. Powered by Detroit Diesels, not sure if they were 53 or 71 series, there is no mistaking that sound! Thanks for the history lesson and the awesome video!
I had no idea that they were Detroit Diesel powered, but from that era, it makes sense. I have never heard one run. There is a model 30 at a railroad museum in Perris, CA, but it has not moved in decades. My favorite is the Model 40. A UPRR Model 40 is parked in the desert at Cisco, UT. It moved about five years ago from Seven Mile, near Moab, Utah, so it appears to be in running condition.
@@JamesMcGillis The C&NW's had Detroit diesels, not sure about other RR's, were they re-powered at one time? I will check with my C&NW/ UP operator friend, Jim will know for sure.
@@JamesMcGillis Finally got hold of my C&NW operator, he said Burros came from the factory with 4-71 Detroit Diesels!
THAT was a very well thought-out rig and very versatile! Had as many attachments as a Gravely tractor! Very well done!
My Father Ivan Roy worked at the Chicago factory, building these cranes until they moved to Minnesota for some 30 + years before they moved.
Thanks for the comment. In the fall of 2019, I found the "missing" Model-40 Moab Burro. It had been moved from Seven Mile, near Moab to Cisco, Utah, where it was chained to a siding. If you enjoyed the video, you might like to view my other articles at moabburro.com.
My father Carl Vitko Sr worked at the Kilbourn Ave plant for over 20 years as a assembler
I remember my dad talking about Ivan, he worked side by side with him
@@carlvitko1756 wow, that is pretty awesome! Glad you shared that. My Father Ivan passed away in 2001.
@@salondavidanthony2771 I'm sorry to hear that,my dad died from cancer a year after the factory shut down. Didn't even get a chance to enjoy retirement. He started there in 1969 shortly after his previous employer.National Video Corp went out of business.i think I have a pic of both our dad's and a third guy working on assembly.i know he liked Ivan alot
The BC47 featured at the beginning of the video was my machine back in 1991 to 1993 west of Ft. Worth on the UP.
There is one of these Burros sitting in the Glenwood Springs yard, for a few years now, looks like it is in good working condition. Looks old too, along with the snowblade next to it.
Nice catch, the Burro carnes are almost all obselete now !!
Wow! They sure move those wheel/axles quickly.
WAY to fast! Those wheel sets brought back memories! They were all friction bearing sets, so the bare steel journals were coated with a rock hard tar like coating to protect them until placed in service. It had to be removed before the wheel set could be placed in a freight car truck, and it was pain to get off! When I started as a freight car repairman in 1979, there was still a lot of friction bearing trucks in service, and we replaced a lot of them. Some guys would get a bucket of mineral spirits and rags and scrub forever , other would soak the rags, wrap them around the journal and light them off, attempting to burn it off! Still wound up doing a lot of scrubbing, and also would get you “tuned up” by the boss if you got caught doing the fire trick!
Guys like these made the USA. nice history to see this was a very important company to the U.S.
I used one in the seventys for penn-central
Weel, it's not obselete. In Brasil we still use it. hahaha
Why is it called "Burro"?
mentira não acredito.
It is called a "burro" because it is self-propelled, can work verh hard and is often found in the desert.
Do they still use burro cranes?
Grande el burrito.
Back when men were men and no hard hats were needed.
The Union Pacific Model-40 #BC-47 is sitting on a siding at Cisco, Utah. I found it there last year and visited it again in October 2020. It is in full operating condition.
Used to run one in the Chicago area. Fun little crane. The Ohio was much bigger better ballsier and easier though.
It would appear that all Burro crane operators were maniacs! I’d love to know how many workers were killed or maimed by these fools! I’ve always been intrigued by Burro cranes, and it’s kind of ironic that I’m within two miles of a Burro crane that’s owned by the Winston-Salem Southbound Railway! It’s still in operating condition, but mostly sits parked on a siding. It’s always been a my belief that these cranes were delivered in the greasy, filthy condition because I’ve never seen a clean one! Ha!
When the Burro Crane was in its hay day, workplace safety and liability insurance were not as important as getting the job done. Today, most functions are controlled with hydraulics. Back then, most functions were controlled by mechanical levers and spools of cable. Still. the operators could control several operations simultaneously and with great precision.
@@JamesMcGillis That’s right! No joysticks back then! It always amazes me to see old motor graders with a whole army of levers in front of the steering wheel! I thought we would see at least fatality when the crane was whipping those rails around! Love those Burros though!
They’re still safe. Operators aren’t though these days with their iphones in their hands constantly.
Odd choice for music but I like it.......
Thank you for the mention. Mr. Frank J. Cullen Jr., grandson of the founder of the Cullen Freistadt Company provided the video on a CD. Cracking that and uploading it to RUclips took some help, but now it is saved for all times. The Orange Empire Railroad Museum in Perris, CA has a working Model 30 Burro Crane. What a joy to behold.
The Burro Cranes, especially the Model 30 and 40 had a great power to weight ratio. The operator could move material or equipment at previously unattained speed. The perfect balance or men and machine. Note the complete lack of safety gear.
Truman, tell me about your Burro Crane experience. Very few people know what it was like to operate a Burro Crane. We all want to know.