I just found out the first mobile crane was built in 1914

I was watching a show about old machines and they said the first real mobile crane was made by a company called Coles in 1914. It was steam powered and could move under its own power, which was a huge deal back then. I always figured they came along much later, maybe after the war. Makes you think about how far the gear has come in just over a hundred years. Anyone know any other cool old crane facts like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan_cooper732mo ago

Wonder if they ever had crane races back then...

sean_green442mo ago

The Bocker crane from 1895 moved at maybe two miles per hour on steel wheels. Evan_cooper73, a race between those would be slower than watching paint dry. They were built for heavy lifting at a worksite, not for speed. The real competition back then was about who could lift the most weight without tipping over. You'd have guys betting on load tests, not races. It was all about raw power and stability getting the job done.

thomas_sanchez2mo ago

Honestly the Coles one was cool but the first self-propelled crane was actually German, made by Bocker in 1895.