These are notes that I am writing to help me learn our industrial history. They are my best understanding, but that does not mean they are a correct understanding.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Cranes
I started this a while ago, and then forgot about it. I have written specific posts about specific cranes. But this post still makes sense as an overview. I have also added the "crane" label to the blog.
The motivation for this post is a video of a crane putting itself together. When I saw them build the I-355 overpass over Ogden, I saw them construct and deconstruct a big crane using two smaller truck-mounted cranes. By big crane, I mean each tread itself is hauled by a semi-truck and the body of the crane is a significant oversized load. Liebherr has added extra hydraulic jacks to their smaller crane so that a crane can put itself together. I noticed that a bigger crane can add its own tracks, but it needs a helper crane to finish assembly.
(Update: I saved these links before I discovered how to make permanent Facebook links. But even the group link for "Heavy Transportation" is now broke.
But a Google search of "self assembling crawler crane" found some videos. This is the one I watched.)
The video that shows how to build a LR 1500 is heavy on "PR cuteness." So I just drug the time-line cursor over it. I did catch this scene that shows that a crawler track fills a flatbed trailer. Also note at 2:46 that a second crane is needed to add parts to the crane.
Manitowoc M250 can also self-assemble. I don't understand some of the terms like "boom butt" and equalizer. I wonder how all of those pins are powered? air? hydraulic? Either way that seems to be a lot of valves.
John's comment: "MRL on KRL: New Locomotive Crane on Kasgro Depressed-center Flat Car." I have always wondered how far they can swing a load to the side since they don't seem to have any outriggers.
Self-propelled cranes are getting rather big. The trailer provides more axles to spread the load across the road and turn the crane around curves. I count five telescoping segments to the boom. Given that each segment is rather long, I wonder how long the boom is when it is fully extended. I finally found the cab to drive it on the road. It is hanging off the front side. I have a posting of more telescoping cranes.
You think it's a bad day when a couple of cars drop on the ground while switching? How about a day so bad you have to get a crane (or two) to pick up your crane?! (also in the Paducah North Yard) — in Paducah, Kentucky.
Don't you just love the smiley face on the side that says: Happiness is working safely?
It looks like the operator of the yellow crane did not bother to extend any outriggers. I've seen pictures of cranes tipped over, but they are "standing" on their outriggers.
Thomas Roach posted Construction on the River, last year.
[Note the ring crane is on a barge so that it is easier to move. This is probably building 150 N. Riverside Drive.]
Alex Finlayson posted
[It never occurred to me that the boom would be the highest point at a construction site until I saw this "lighting rod." ]
The pieces of cranes themselves can be huge. A couple of pictures of the block assembly of a Liebherr 13000 crawler crane.
And the largest crane-like machine in the world: "Bagger 293 - The Largest Land Vehicle In The World Bagger 293 (was built in 1995 in Germany) is 96 metres (314.9 feet)." My Facebook link broke, but if you Google "Bagger 293", you will find plenty of information on this bucket-wheel excavator.
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