# Is This A Load or What.....?



## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

You all have to check this out.

Can you imagine this coming through a bunch of small towns to get where it has to be.

June 21, 2010
OVERSIZED LOAD HEADING TOWARD VIRGINIA
Expect traffic delays beginning June 24 through early July between Ewing
and Virginia City

BRISTOL - An oversized tractor trailer carrying a generator to the
coal-fired power plant under construction at Virginia City is scheduled
to make its way to Virginia Thursday, June 24 (weather permitting). The
transport began in Knoxville, Tenn., June 19.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the Virginia
Department of Motor Vehicles, Virginia State Police, the transportation
company Barnhart and their contractors are coordinating the move and
developing a schedule that minimizes impact to drivers, local businesses
and residents as much as possible.

The oversized load is over 365-feet-long, 22-feet-wide and 600 tons, one
of the largest to travel through the state. Included in the caravan for
the oversized load will be certified pilot cars and Virginia State
Police escorts for traffic control.

Following is the route the transport will take through Virginia. Due to
the July Fourth Holiday, the transport will not move from July 2 and 6
a.m. until July 5 at 9 p.m. Travel will take place during nighttime
hours between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless noted otherwise:

- Cumberland Gap to Ewing on Route 58.

- Ewing to Jonesville on Route 58.

- Jonesville to Pennington Gap on Alternate Route 58

- Pennington Gap to Dryden area on Alternate Route 58

- Dryden area to just west of Big Stone Gap on Alternate Route
58

- Alternate Route 58 through Big Stone Gap to the base of Powell
Mountain on Route 23

- Base of Powell Mountain on Route 23 to the top of Powell
Mountain near Route 610. Traffic will be diverted to the southbound
lanes of Route 23 to allow transport in the northbound lanes - transport
time undetermined.

- Route 23 at top of Powell Mountain to near the former Wal-mart
at Norton on Alternate Route 58

- Alternate Route 58 at Norton to just east of Coeburn

- Alternate Route 58 just east of Coeburn to St. Paul

- Alternate Route 58 from St. Paul to Virginia City

Motorists should be alert to significant delays while the load is being
transported. Information about the transport operation will be posted
on Virginia's 511 travel information system, which is available by
dialing 511 or on the Web at www.511virginia.org
<http: /> . (END)


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## Edziu (Jan 17, 2010)

Holy smokes! Do you live near it to get pictures as it rolls by….and rolls by…..and rolls by.


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## m88k (Apr 26, 2010)

All the alternate routes listed publicly? They're just asking for a terrorist ambush! Public officials don't watch Die Hard movies enough.

I'm reminded of one of the engineering disasters covered in one of the freshman engineering courses. They were hauling a gas turbine to a power plant, and less than a mile from the plant they had to cross train tracks. This thing was massive, with a large tractor pulling it and a second pushing. One of the police escorts crossed the rails to make sure they were clear, then came back for the trucks, and they started across. However, the trucks were SLOW to accelerate, and by the time they were 1/4 of the way across, a train was on the way! 90 ton generator t-boned by a diesel train; not pretty.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

I recall reading, in of all places an old Reader's Digest, of an enormous load on a tractor trailer. It could do no more than 5 mph, and had a permit for 200,000 lbs. State Police became suspicious when they saw the load, because of the enormous number of wheels under the trailer, all mounted on some sort of caster design. The load, some huge piece of machinery, weighed in at 585,000 lbs. Jeez, this load you speak of is more than twice that!


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## lilredweldingrod (Nov 23, 2009)

At $2.00 a pound for each pound over the permit. How would you like to pay that ticket? lol How to go out of business in a flash.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

I read about one like m88K story. But, in this case the trach had a crest with the road lower on eqch side. When they tried to crass the track it became high centered and ground to as halt. It didn't move until the train hit it.


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## Wolffarmer (Jul 14, 2009)

Near where I lived one summer they was moving a two story house and when they got it on the tracks realized they had more power lines to lift. So there was a few people on top of the house hold up power lines ( I suppose with fiber glass poles ) When of course the train came. They said there was people jumping off the house and running all kinds of directions. Train went right through it. I was the area the next day. Big pieces was gone but there was about a zillion tooth picks still there. Train engineer was interview in the paper " Engineers keep track of the cars/trucks they have hit. I Got a house" He was rather proud.

To bad that was before the near ubiquitous video cameras. That would have bee interesting to see a train go through.

Randy


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## Wolffarmer (Jul 14, 2009)

Now i live near the main line through Southern Idaho farm country and about every other year someone gets hit on it around here. For a number of years I was driving a truck that had the front bumper from a truck that got hit and the driver killed. The brakes on the truck I was driving never did like to stay in adjustment. Thought that bumper was trying to get #2. I put 100,000+ farm use miles on that truck in about 7 years. And probably about 15,000 + loads. It is now setting in the bone yard. I visited it last saturday. LOL


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

I worked on Power Plants for 30 years and I never saw a 365 ft long generator much less shipped in one piece. Must have been a misprint.


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

Here is an update.

There is a story in the paper today along with a photo of this thing. According to the paper, it is 23 feet wide and 225 foot long (including the hauling rig) and weighs 640 tons. That sounds a lot more believable than the 325 feet long, but it did go from 600 tons to 640 tons.

Howie - The photo shows the generator as one piece. I may try to scan it later so I can post it. But I will be shooting it when it comes through town for sure. The article says that it is moving at a "brisk" 8 to 10 mph. It has a long way to go to arrive at its destination.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

I saw a trailer hauling the biggest machine tool I have seen.

It was an articulated trailer, 5 pieces altogether . Tractor, a swiveling section, the trailer the machine was on, another swivel, and a caboose looking thing with a driver . Tiller steer, like the big fire trucks.

The machine itself was at least 100' long.

The whole convoy was escorted by the Ohio State Patrol on I -71.

I wish cell phone cameras had been around back then.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

I've seen these big shovels etc moved across highways before,not down the highway. I was involved with moving a piece of equipment for an experimental clean coal plant that weighted 1400 tons(by river).
Who knows,maybe I'll learn something. Even at 225 feet,that is a very long generator. These things are precision equipment and usually fitted together in sections and very delicately balanced.
I used to live in that part of Virginia(Lebanon and also worked at Cleveland) and I didn't think there was 365 feet of straight road anywhere <g>


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

You are exactly right Howie. They're going to have to make it through a lot of 90 degree turns. And some maybe even more. They say they have been planning the move for about six months. I had to shoot a two-story house being moved down our main street. Man, that was a weird sight, but this is really going to be something.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

poopiekat: I remember reading that article . If I remember correctly when they were going to move the trailer out of the rest area the local sheriff said not on my roads. Further, these people went as far as Washington to try and get permission only to find out that the local sheriff had jurisdiction and they could not over rule him. He finally let the movers move to a RR about a mile away and that's how they got rid of it. When the cop saw the trailer the driver (who had made a pit stop) took off and never was found!
Correct me if I'm wrong. (G)


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## GregD (Oct 24, 2009)

Nobody watches Massive Moves on DIY network?

shopgurl - that looks like something from a Sci Fi movie!


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

GregD: All massive moves are carefully planned and orchestrated. For the guys involved with them,they are an everyday thing. TV adds the drama.


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

Well, here's a video. You have to scroll down to it and wait for an adv. to show. Looks pretty big.

http://www.citizentribune.com/news/index.asp


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

ok, I watched the video and read what it says. It's still hard to believe that this trailer was longer than a football field. Even though I don't believe everything I read, I'll stand corrected on this.( I did go to Barnharts website and didn't find any mention of this project,it may be too new for them to have posted it yet)


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

225 feet does not = a football field.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

well the newspaper article said 365 feet. that's longer than a football field.


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

Read the thread.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

yes you are completely correct , I stand corrected, I appologise. have a great day


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## Magnum (Feb 5, 2010)

Oh Sorry. I just saw the Post Title and thought you were talking about something else. Have to go and check on the "Site Feedback" Forum. Haven't been in there for a while. Did I see something posted about that in Coffee Lounge? I'll have mine Black TO GO Please.


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

Well, this thing has finally made it to it's destination and now the numbers the newspaper are reporting are a hell of a lot more believable than they were at first.

Here are the numbers from today's newspaper. It weighs 400-ton (that's a heck of a lot different than the 600,000-tons they reported in the first several stories about this thing). The rig was 265 feet long, 22 feet wide and over 17 feet high. It traveled from Knox County, TN to Wise County, VA and took more than two weeks (but they didn't move it during the July 4th weekend). It is called a "stator". The paper says, "the stator's journey began halfway around the world after its manufacture by Toshiba in Japan. It was then shipped to Port Allen, La. and taken by barge to a dock on the French Broad River east of downtown Knoxville, TN, where it arrived in February." 
"Six months of planning went into the final over-land leg of its journey to Dominion's Virginia Hybrid Energy Center being built new St. Paul, VA. The $1.8 billion, 585 megawatt, coal-fired power plant is to be operational in 2012." 
"The hauling rig was powered by two monster trucks manufactured by the Pacific Truck & Trailer Co., "Big Daddy" a 700 horsepower and "Big John" at 600 horsepower." 
"Numerous state police units, utility bucket trucks and escort vehicles of Barnhart Crane & Rigging - the heavy haul company in charge of the over-land move, accompanied the rig on its journey." 
"Barnhart manager Tim Fielder said the Knoxville-to-Wise County haul was the longest of this weight in the 41-year history of his company."

I have some photos, but haven't had a chance to load them on my computer. When I do, I'll post them.


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## sawblade1 (Feb 11, 2010)

please post pictures I like seeing things like this it's sorta my hobby with my model trains to make models like this for my train layout


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