cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
17108
Boy's Toys
When you look out the window and see this rumbling down the street, you know it's going to be a good day! Even if they will be turning off the electricity...
There were 4 more flatbed trailers queued up with counterbalance weights ~ roughly 20 tons on each. They keep the crane from toppling over as it reaches over some houses and giant trees on its way to installing a new power pole in our canyon.
In the meantime, several crews of linesmen disconnected and unhooked the existing wires going to the pole. I estimated 17 trucks and about 25 people were on this job.
The residents of the ~ 80 homes on this dead-end street were unwilling participants. They found themselves blocked in for 5-15 minutes at a time as the flatbeds slowly backed down a few hundred yards and around a tight corner, to deliver their weights, tools and wire.
Here are two of the trucks backed down a narrow curving street and around the corner, and lined up perfectly! No curbs were jumped, no cars smashed, no dogs run over. The drivers' skill was amazing!
The "nowhere to go and nothing to do" neighbors stood on the curb and gawked. Me included.
Moving the weights to the crane.
Full extension. 5 segments plus two more on top and a safety flag to warn low-flying aircraft. I estimate 150 feet. Palm trees here and there provided extra challenge to the crane operator.
A hole was already dug about 6-7 feet deep, near the existing rotten and tilting power pole.
They reached over this majestic (endangered species) Torrey Pine and slid the pole into its hole.
The white ball is a weight to reduce the pole from swinging around. The hole is just behind the hedge.
On the right side of the image you can see the guys on another pole preparing to run wires over to the new pole.
A gang immediately climbed the new pole and began to add hardware and transfer lines to it. Notice the slanting old pole on the left side; they will cut it down and take it away.
Meanwhile, out on the street, tempers were frayed as residents (denied their daytime television and Internet) idled impatiently waiting for the trucks to give them space to pass.
Meanwhile, out on the street, tempers were frayed as residents (denied their daytime television and Internet) idled impatiently waiting for the trucks to give them space to pass.
The crane distmantled itself and put its boom down on its little trailer, and rumbled off to wherever giant cranes live.
Our power came back on about 4:20 something, having been off about 8 hours. I saw my digital satellite clock come back on but didn't have time to focus as 4:24:24 on 04:24:24 ticked by.
It seemed like we didn't go anywhere all day (in the car) but we each managed to walk 7000 steps up and down the street, watching all the action.
Today the second chapter begins, as the power company is gone now but the cable and telephone folks are scheduled to arrive and move their lines, and the clean-up crews take some branches, wire and the old pole.
This is our new view; the old one didn't show above the fence.
Cazalea
Boy's Toys
When you look out the window and see this rumbling down the street, you know it's going to be a good day! Even if they will be turning off the electricity... There were 4 more flatbed trailers queued up with counterbalance weights ~ roughly 20 tons on eac...
I enjoyed this story
Those are some seriously impressive cranes. When we had tree work done in our front yard, I’ll never forget the look on my kids faces when they looked out the window to see a crane with its towering boom going about its business! 🌳 🌲
What a production. Congrats on the new power poles.
I hate my power being shut off because almost all my lights interior and exterior are on timers of some sort and it's a pain in the butt to get everything back to normal.
Yes, and thermostat & network & clocks
I had to hunt around to find the switch to restart my newly-installed dehumidifier, refrigerator took a few hours to re-cool, etc. ...
Heavy machinery....
Has always impressed me, and held a special place in my heart. Another excellent pictorial Mike. Cheers, Filip
