PURPOSE: To enable positioning of a carriage at a target rack by inputting information from a follower sprocket rotation amount detection means to a controller, and controlling the elevation position of a carriage through operation of an elevation apparatus with the output from the controller.

CONSTITUTION: A rotary encoder 123 detecting the rotation amount of follower sprockets 162, 164 is provided to control the position of a crane 100. The information of the rotary encoder 123 is input to a controller 700, and with the output of the controller 700 a running motor 125 is operated to enable the crane 100 to stop at a required position on a rail 2. By inputting to the controller 700 information on the position of line columns of rack 800 as information on a distance from an original point, the crane 100 runs at a specified distance from the original point and stops. The stop position is a point to face the rack 800. It is thus possible to enable positioning of a carriage 200 at a target rack 800.