Big Hook on the move. Nevada Northern's heavy Consolidation #93 hauls a work extra southbound on the Ore Line, headed for the Mines District to clean up an accident scene. She's pictured here, running alongside U.S. Highway 50, just below Lower Tunnel (MP 141.6) hauling the railroad's "Big Hook", the 100-ton Steam Wrecking Crane A, which is one very useful piece of gear to have when you have heavy iron on the ground. In the consist today, right behind the locomotive, is the crane's tool car, which carries all of the hooks, cables, rigging, as well as the tools and supplies required to site and set up the crane. Behind the crane are a pair of box cars carrying other supplies, an outfit car which will serve as a sort of command post for the crew, and a Kennecott Caboose. Although we don't have one with us today, wreck trains might also carry flats with rails and perhaps a ballast hopper, both of which would be necessary to deal with significant track damage, which is often a consequence of big wrecks.
