1901 Union Pacific Derrick
edited by David Barth, 11 December 2009.
Courtesy The Forney Museum of Transportation at 4303 Brighton Blvd., Denver,
Colorado 80216. Photos were taken in May 2009.
This is the oldest derrick known to exist that was built by Industrial Works of Bay City, Michigan, according to the April 2009 edition of “Work Extra”
newsletter. It is among the few derricks that were named.
It was built for the Union Pacific railroad in 1901 as number 02801. Later it was renumbered 03053, then 903053. The derrick was designed to run on steam
from a coal fired boiler. It is not self-propelled and must be moved along the track by a locomotive. By 1967 it had been converted from steam to run on
compressed air. Compressed air lines ran throughout the rail yards.
The derrick weighs 46,300 lbs. (approximately 23 tons) and its lift capacity is 40 tons. It was used in the 23rd Street yard in Denver, Colorado to move
shifted loads on rail cars and to position rail car truck wheels during a change. By 1967 it was powered by air pressure instead of steam. Air pressure was
available throughout the yard to power various tools and equipment.
Information courtesy of Al Frank, long-time Forney Museum consultant, and John C. La Rue, Jr. of Bonita Springs, Florida, publisher of “Work Extra”
newsletter.
