Scrap yard steam tractor loader

I finally finished the Vintage Vehicles Erie steam shovel which I built as a grab crane with a grab bucket instead of the steam shovel scoop.  This kit had a LOT of small plastic parts and is quite detailed but a pain to build.  Maybe that is why they went out of business.  I have two more of these kits but not sure if I will build them.  The grab bucket is a brass kit by Bob Razsa who passed away some years ago.  I placed a hunk of white metal in the boiler at the rear of the model to balance it.  I was going to place a sitting figure in the model's seat but the seat  and seat area is too small for the HO figure.  I elected not to install the four side doors as this machine is old and beat up and thus relegated to the scrap yard duties.

I have also added more metal scrap to the scrap yard.

This pretty much finishes my work on the scrap yard unless I think of something else I want to add.

Here are a few prototype photos for reference.  These machines were built in many configurations over the years.

Grab buckets were used for both bulk materials (coal, gravel, etc.) and for solid materials including scrap metal.