Thought I'd post an update.
I just bought this 1910 Barnhart Log Loader. Part of my Forest products industry project. These steam powered booms were mounted on rails mounted to the bed of flat cars. The Loader moved along these rails lifting logs that had been placed by the side of the tracks by the lumberjacks. It could haul itself from car to car by use of special joiner sections which let it bridge the gap as it filled each car in turn.
At the time this was considered a big innovation because it meant you didn't have to move the train every time a car was loaded.
I have chained it down on rails to the deck of a 30' flatcar and stored extra rail sections between them. In the background you can see my latest efforts in using Sedum as HO scale trees. The tree trunks behind them are small branch pieces with moss filling in the background. The effect looks pretty realistic I thought.
