Portland Terminal Crane 198

Number: 198
Railroad: Portland Terminal Company
Type: 25-ton diesel locomotive crane
Builder: American Hoist & Derrick
Year: 1954

Our crane is an operational self-propelled diesel-mechanical model with a 25-ton capacity, built by American Hoist & Derrick in 1954. It served in the Portland, Maine area, and was transferred to the Boston & Maine yard in East Deerfield, MA, following the purchase of Portland Terminal and B&M by Guilford Transportation Industries in the early 1980s. In 1996 RMNE purchased the crane, and repainted it the following year in its Portland Terminal color scheme. This crane was and is used in railroad maintenance service. The name “Tim Reed” on the cab pays tribute to a deceased RMNE member who was the chief operator of the crane for several years. The Portland Terminal Company was a subsidiary of the Maine Central Railroad created in 1911 to handle local switching for MEC and Boston & Maine in the greater Portland area.

This equipment usually may be viewed on the Thomaston Station display track.  However, it periodically is moved to other locations on the Naugatuck Railroad to work in maintenance service.