Ruston Bucyrus 22-RB Crawler Crane
The Ruston Bucyrus 22-RB is a very successful excavator in the 20 ton weight class which provided the base for a number of different configurations including shovel, backhoe, skimmer and lattice crane. Produced from 1950, the range had a number of design changes over its long production life.
EMD has recently introduced the third variant of the 22 which is available as both the Ruston Bucyrus and Bucyrus Erie designations and follows from the 22-B/22-RB shovel and 22-B/22-RB backhoe which were manufactured by TWH collectibles for EMD.
The latest version is configured as a crane with a lattice mast consisting of a footing, three extension sections of varying length and the mast head. The lattice mast is constructed from formed metal which gives a realistic and rigid scaled appearance and requires assembly using tiny nuts and bolts.
The box contains a dragline bucket, clamshell grab and crane hook allowing the collector to choose a working configuration during assembly. The main mast winch is pre-rigged and secured with tape which reduces the time needed for assembly and a set of tools is included to make assembling the mast sections easier although these are a little tight to get into position.
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The dragline bucket has good surface detailing with tiny chains connecting to the frame with a fairlead mounted below the mast to control the drag operation from the front most right hand winch. The clamshell grab utilises two lines to open and close and this works very well with a metal plate integrated into the frame of the clamshell ensuring it opens as the winch is operated.
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A tagline winch has been installed on the mast to prevent the clamshell from twisting while allowing greater control of positioning. |
On the review sample, there were not enough bolts to allow the use of all the mast sections and this is a mute point as the amount of rope on the mast winch is not enough to allow the head to be connected if more than the single longest mast section is used. On the full sized machine, additional pennant lines would be used but these are not included in the box.
There are three winches installed in the main housing with access to the winding mechanism through the side opening doors and the sliding cabin door. A winding key is included and the winches function well with engineered braking to ensure the drums remain in position.
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The undercarriage has some fantastic fabricated tracks which look so realistic. Added to this are small drive chains fitted to the inside of the track frames which drive the sprockets. This is a great touch which greatly adds to the realism of the model and shows the level of engineering that has gone into producing the model. |
The main housing has a sliding rear panel which allows the interior engine bay to be seen, complete with an engine mock-up while the sliding cabin door reveals the operator’s seat and the large hand levers. Plastic walkways fit along the sides of the body and these have a textured wooden finish with fine scaled metal grab rails found around the body.
The body casting has vent panels, compartment handles and rivet head detailing all visible with an embossed Ruston Bucyrus name plate inserted into the rear counterweight. The model is also available in the Bucyrus Erie designation.
