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Henderson, Minnesota |
Why does the dragline cross the road?
Chief Ironsides will take a very slow, short walk across Highway 83 next Tuesday, temporarily shutting down the highway between Underwood and Washburn and causing all other traffic to be detoured in the meantime. The chief is a 13.5 million pound dragline at the Falkirk Mining Co., and it will cross from the west side of the highway to the east, where it will shovel up overburden at 120 yards a chomp for at least the next 20 years.
David Straley, a spokesman for North American Coal Corporation, owner of the coal mine, said the mining company will put down 20,000 cubic yards of dirt over the highway and adjacent railroad track to prevent any damage from occurring when the mighty machine takes its sweet time crossing. The dragline moves only at the rate of one-tenth mph, so the actual crossing will take several hours.
It will be the fourth time in the mine's history that a dragline has crossed Highway 83. Crossings were made twice in 1987 and once in 2003.
-The Bismarck Tribune
I've been in the cab of this rig while it's operating a few times. Unblelievable. It's all electric, has a huge extension cord following it. | |
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Cheif Ironside makes his move Drag line excavator.
