Transport for the Grand Coulee Dam

This recent haul is the first of six transformers that are being transported to the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington. At a rail siding in Odair, Washington the 154 metric ton unit was unloaded and set on the trailer. It was then moved 30 miles and placed in a staging area at the Grand Coulee Dam.

Once all of the units are at the site, they will be dressed out and have oil added. During this stage of the process, Bigge will move the old units to a laydown area. The newly furnished transformers, now weighing 250 metric tons, will then be taken from the staging area and set on their foundations.

Our crews always handle heavy hauls with the utmost care, and plans are thoroughly engineered in adherence with highway safety codes. If you would like to find out more about our heavy hauling capabilities, please contact Gedge Knopf at 510-639-4010 or by email at gknopf@bigge.com.

Bigge is a TRAM Dealer

Bigge is now a TRAM Fall Protection System dealer! TRAM stands for Travel Restraint Access Module, and it is a unique safety system designed by Standfast Corp. that prevents inter-level falls when working on a crane, thereby helping to prevent injuries that can result from traditional fall systems.

TRAM offers a higher quality of safety over its competitors. Its full-body harness offers optimum mobility, with an adjustable arm that is at waist-level, which does not alter the worker’s center of gravity. Set into a foot-level guide rail, the arm can be efficiently moved around without any kind of strenuous effort, and from there it can then be adjusted to a full vertical, horizontal, or 45 degree angle, depending on where the work is to be done.

TRAM's double action hooks and full body harness do not allow inter-level falls. Momentum is quickly arrested; so much so that the quick stop does not allow for speed to build and inflicts no trauma on the individual.

We are proud to offer this exceptional safety system. As always, we regard safety with the utmost importance and take every precaution to ensure the well-being of all personnel.

For information about the TRAM Fall Protection System, contact Zack Ganzell by phone at 510-639-4075 or by email at zganzell@bigge.com.

Our Liebherr LR 1600/2 Fleet

We are excited to announce that our new fleet of Liebherr LR 1600/2’s has been keeping busy erecting wind turbines at this new wind farm.These turbines weigh 165,000 lbs. and they are being set on 100 meter towers.

What sets this model apart from other crawlers is its ability to perform these lifts without the need for a back mast. End users will find themselves with faster turnaround times and lowered transportation costs when moving the machine to, from, and within job sites. As well, the LR 1600/2 is equipped with 2.0 meter tracks, making it superior in traction and ground bearing pressure when compared to similar models.

For more information about the Liebherr LR 1600/2 or any other crane in our fleet, please contact Jesse Sullivan at 510-639-4045 or visit us on the web at http://www.bigge.com/crane-rental/wind-turbine-erection.html.

A Close Quarters Lift

We have been working at a new Energy Center for over a year now, offering various cranes and transportation services for different portions of the construction. In preparation for the new steam generator and turbine units, a 55 ton Terex rough terrain crane was used to lift and set the pipe racks and other equipment.

The building housing the new equipment did not offer a lot of space in which to work. The Bigge project manager for this site had to find a crane that could handle the load capacities while still fitting within the tight confines of the enclosed area. Given the wide range of rough terrain cranes available in our fleet, it was easy to find the right one for this close quarters job. With only about an inch to spare on either side of the crane, we successfully lifted and set the pipe racks and other equipment without any problems

The narrow work environment of this job was challenging to plan for, but our knowledgeable engineers and staff made it possible, despite the limiting circumstances. If you would like to request information about a similar job you may have, please contact Gedge Knopf by phone at 510-639-4010 or email at gknopf@bigge.com or contact Troy Kussmaul at 510-639-4168 or email at tkussmaul@bigge.com.

A Refinery Disassembly

When a coal-fired power plant in Northern California needed to be disassembled, Bigge was contracted for the job. We supplied rigging crews and several cranes, including a Liebherr LTM 1220 265 ton all terrain crane.

Our crews worked closely with our customer throughout the project, ensuring a safe and smooth operation, as well as making sure that critical items would not be damaged during the dismantling.

The lifts involved removing 170,000 lbs. of piping that was used for super-heating inside the plant. The pieces were hoisted and then brought to the ground, where sheers were waiting to prepare them for transport to the scrap yard.

We often work on complicated dismantling projects, so this job in particular was familiar and easy for us to complete on time and without issue. If you would like a quote for your next dismantling project, please contact Wayne Matheny by phone at 510-760-5296 or email him at wmatheny@bigge.com.

Working in Tandem

Pictured to the left are wind turbine tower sections being prepared for transport to a new Northern California wind farm.

These sections arrived in the port, where our crews lifted them from the ship and onto the trucks. For this job we used a Manitowoc 2250 in Series III, with 210 feet of main boom and a long reach tip. In tandem, we used the Liebherr LR 1300 with 164 feet of main boom. Each tower was 120 feet long and the heaviest weighed 131,000 lbs.

If you would like to find out more information about port services in your area, please contact Wayne Matheny at 510-760-5296 or by email at wmatheny@bigge.com.