diff --git a/src/minecraft/assemblyline/common/machine/crane/CraneManager.java b/src/minecraft/assemblyline/common/machine/crane/CraneManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6bb0941
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/minecraft/assemblyline/common/machine/crane/CraneManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package assemblyline.common.machine.crane;
+
+import assemblyline.common.AssemblyLine;
+import net.minecraft.world.World;
+import net.minecraftforge.common.ForgeDirection;
+import universalelectricity.core.vector.Vector3;
+/**
+ * Manager of crane movement, mapping, setup, but not AI
+ * @author Rseifert
+ *
+ */
+public class CraneManager
+{
+	protected int ticks = 0;
+	/** Limits of how far the crane can move on a 2D plane */
+	public int maxLimitX, minLimitY,maxLimitZ, minLimitZ;
+
+	public World world;
+
+	public CraneManager()
+	{
+
+	}
+	/**
+	 * maps out the rail system that the crane will use for movement
+	 */
+	public void mapRails()
+	{
+		//TODO figure out what i'm going to use as the center point of this mapping first
+	}
+	/**
+	 * finds if the rail at this location is a rail and lines up with the current direction of the rails
+	 * 
+	 * @return true if the rail is good to use
+	 */
+	public boolean isValidRail(World world, Vector3 loc, ForgeDirection dir)
+	{
+		int id = world.getBlockId(loc.intX(), loc.intY(), loc.intZ());
+		int meta = world.getBlockMetadata(loc.intX(), loc.intY(), loc.intZ());
+		ForgeDirection facing = ForgeDirection.getOrientation(meta);
+
+		if (id == AssemblyLine.blockCraneParts.blockID && (dir == facing || dir == facing.getOpposite()))
+		{
+			return true;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
+}