Steam crane
![Railway steam crane, with vertical cross-tube boiler, at Summerlee Heritage Park](/Images/godic/202502/13/Steam_Cranes_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4454525115.jpg")
![Fairbairn steam crane in Bristol](/Images/godic/202502/13/Fairbairn_steam_crane_side_view5116.jpg")
![Derelict Smith (Rodley) crane, on the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal](/Images/godic/202502/13/Mbb_canal_steam_crane_sion5116.jpg")
![Steam powered Overhead crane from 1875](/Images/godic/202502/13/RvancoppSteamCrane12620105116.jpg")
A steam crane is a crane powered by a steam engine. It may be fixed or mobile and, if mobile, it may run on rail tracks, caterpillar tracks, road wheels, or be mounted on a barge. It usually has a vertical boiler placed at the back so that the weight of the boiler counterbalances the weight of the jib and load.