From the website www.metaltoymuseum.com:

"Buddy "L" Railroad Dredge no. 1021
Every railroad has a fleet of locomotive Dredges operating to supply materials for keeping the road bed in good shape and also for digging or building new right-of-way for extensions. This Buddy L model is a reproduction of one of the big outfits. OPERATION. Lower the grab bucket— turn the windlass and bucket closes and up comes the load. Turn the tiller wheel and cab turns around on car platform to desired location—pull a cord and bucket opens and drops the load exactly where it is wanted. THE BOOM is all steel and is easily controlled by heavy ratchet type windlass. BUCKET is clam shell type, all steel, 3 1/2 long, 3 5/s wide and 2 deep with 3 3/4 jaw opening. It has strong steel hinges and fittings. CAB has solid steel floor with rein forced and corrugated steel roof and turns in a complete circle on car bed by means of hand tiller wheel. EQUIPMENT includes miniature steel boiler, fire box, double drum hoist with ratchet lock, L-rake, clutch, cable, etc. CAR is built with steel platform 17 long and 5 1/2 wide, which during operation of dredge is locked to rails with chain clips and supported by telescoping extension beams. It is equipped with oscillating type bricks with steel axles, flanged wheels, couplers, etc. FINISHED in two coats of black enamel with red cab roof and trim. DIMENSIONS: Length, with boom extended, 34 , width with supports extended 13 1/2, height with boom up 23 , weight 21 pounds."