Industrial History: Silver Spade Bucyrus-Erie 1950-B Stripping Shovel

The reason it was called the Silver Spade is that it was built in the 1960s by Bucyrus-Erie during the 25th year of its former owner's, Hanna Coal, operation. [post-gazette]

OEMoffHighway

When I researched Big Brutus yesterday, an article mentioned that a larger shovel was scrapped in 2007 in Ohio. Today, the following post allowed me to discover that the larger shovel was the Silver Spade that worked in the same mine as the Big Muskie Dragline. Big Brutus was "only" 11,000,000 pounds with a 160' boom and 90 cu. yd. bucket. This one was 14,000,000 pounds with a 210' boom and a 105 cu. yd. bucket. (The only larger shovel than the 1950-B's was The Captain, the Marion 6360. It was 28,000,000 pounds with a 215' boom and a 180 cu. yd. bucket.) The other Bucyrus-Erie 1950-B shovel built was the GEM (Giant Excavation Machine) of Egypt, and it was scrapped in 1991. It was a twin except that it had a 130 cu. yd. bucket with a shorter reach. Before the GEM was scrapped, it supplied parts to refurbish this shovel in 1989 after a seven-year hiatus due to coal market conditions. The organization that tried to save it raised $800,000. And even though scrap steel prices were high in 2007, that covered the $700,000 scrap value. But CONSOL insisted on $2.5m. And building the museum in the pit where it broke on April 19, 2006, would require additional reclamation costs. [post-gazette, OEMoffHighway, RoadsideAmerica] "The cab and the bucket were donated to the Harrison Coal and Reclamation Park where they are currently on display." [DailyDieselDose] Using Street View, I could not find the bucket. Nor can I determine what happened to a Marion 7200 walking dragline that was saved for use by the museum.

Harrison Coal & Reclamation Historical Park added six photos with the comment: "Photos provided by Jeff Waid: The Silver Spade. All slides taken by my Grandfather Ralph J. Hockensmith in 1966. Cadiz, OH."

Jim McConnell: Climbed the top of the boom on the outside stairs, and back down on the inside stairs. Permission was granted by maintenance supervisor, Jack Frost, while they were down for a short time for routine maintenance. Tony Puskarich, my boss and co-owner of Cravat Coal of Hopedale and Holloway, Ohio and I, were visiting the "Spade" that day, at Mr. Frost's invitation. I was a truck driver for Cravat, but also the Company photographer ! An experience, I'll never forget !! ( I think Mr Frost said it was 185 ft. From the top of the boom, to the ground below ! I don't have access to the photos, as they became the property of Cravat Coal. P.S. It was cool to enter the monster machine, via the elevator located inside the center shaft, and exit, while the machine was revolving around that shaft, as it was when we entered before shutting down !

Nate Perzanoski: Is that a D9 down there? Austin Primus

Austin Primus: Nate Perzanoski probably. Need a big dozer to play with the big shovel.

[Some comments indicate that enough money was raised to pay full scrape value back when the scrape market was high, but Consol wanted the organization to also pay for the land reclamation.]

Harrison Coal & Reclamation Historical Park shared

South Milwaukee Industrial Museum posted eight images with the comment:

We have reached 1,950 members! Thank you to everyone who has joined! To celebrate, here we have the Bucyrus-Erie 1950-B Stripping Shovel.
Two 1950-B Stripping Shovels were built. The first, known as the Silver Spade, started work in 1965 at Consolidated Coal Company’s Georgetown operations in Ohio. It was one of the most famous stripping machines because it was the last to operate, it continued to dig until 2006. It was scrapped the following year. During its working life the Silver Spade moved 607,226,370 cubic yards, more than double the volume moved in the Panama Canal excavations.
The second 1950-B, named the GEM (Giant Earth Mover or Giant Excavating Machine) of Egypt, The GEM OF EGYPT fan page. It was commissioned by the same customer in 1967. The GEM operated until 1988, and was scrapped in 1992. This turned out to be Bucyrus-Erie’s last stripping shovel.
Both 1950-Bs employed the “knee-action” crowd, the only Bucyrus-Erie shovels to use this Marion Power Shovel patented design, and a special legal arrangement was formulated. In this design the dipper handle is pivoted to a movable stiff leg rather than the boom.
The Bucyrus Museum is located in the Bucyrus Club, 1919 12th Avenue, South Milwaukee, WI. We’re open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10am-3pm. Group events are available outside of normal hours by appointment. Please call to make an appointment.

Harrison Coal & Reclamation Historical Park posted
Come see the bucket and operator cabin complete with controls, along with the original Bucyrus Erie “BE” sign from the gantry of the 1950B “Silver Spade” during our events throughout the year!
[Location]

post-gazette

Mining Mayhem posted
Silver Spade - old classic face shovel!
Jim Garoutte: 105 cubic yard bucket. 13500 horse power. I would bet you could park 3 full size pickups in the bucket side by side . this is one of the largest mining shovels ever built. Only 2 of these were ever built by bucyrus Erie . I've worked on several B.E. and other manufacturers large draglines and numerous large mining shovels electric and diesel. I love the big stuff. The largest machine was over 1300 ft long and millions of pounds. Used in underground mining. The machine is called a LONGWALL MINING SYSTEM. Over 1300 ft underground
Danny Brooks: As I have never seen one of these work. How wide where the strips and what depth of waste material did they handle????
Mining Mayhem posted
The Silver Spade at work!
David Ryan: About as useful as an ashtray on a motorcycle.
George Gates: I was on the shooting crew for it!! That is a 130' hole it's setting in. 105 yards a scoop and place it 380' away from where it loaded it.
Mike Bower: I maintained the radio in it, rode that elevator many times, antenna is on the very top of the boom.
Mining Mayhem posted

Col Doldie commented on Danny's comment
I can't answer any of your questions, but for a large machine, the bucket appears to be only about 2 yards. Later in '61, I started at Hodkinson Crane to work on these Units + other models, They really were as good as the advert. You could adjust 5 clutches in an hour compared to Ruston-Bucyrus - basically a mobile garden shed - which took one day per clutch, a whole week with no income.

Michael Pork Smith commented on Mayhem's second post

Tim Barricklow posted posted two photos.

Nate Nowak shared

Seven of the ten photos posted by Garrett Newman with the comment: "Photos of the Muskie the gem and the spade dad has in an old photo book."

William J. Beck posted
I want to share a photo of my favorite stripping shovel -- the Marion 5761 with a 65 cu yd bucket. My first real job was at Consolidation Coal Company's Burning Star #2 near Du Quoin, Illinois in the M 5761 pit. My other favorite stripping shovels are the GEM and the Silver Spade which was operated by Consol near Cadiz, Ohio. Included is a summary of shovel specs compiled in "An Analysis of Strip Mining Methods and Equipment Selection" dated May 29, 1973.

Robert Ferda posted five photos with the comment: "The Silver Spade coal shovel was finished. Here are a few photos of it being cut up for scrap."

William Taylor shared

Daryl Withrow: It dug it’s own grave.

Larry Barragree: Daryl Withrow So did Big Hog. Surprised the EPA allowed it either time. Hell, the average Joe can't put a seep drain it his/her garage floor. Money talks!

Kim A Phalen: Daryl Withrow none of this was buried all scrap hauled away.This location is just where it became disabled for the last time.