Ot: Big Load Dwarfs Little Old D25

[bamfordsgarage]

The Lady Michelle and I drove to south Edmonton last night to have a look at a massive shipment heading out early this morning for Fort McMurray AB, some 280 miles Northeast but considerably further by the circuitous route necessary to avoid overhead lines, etc.

 

Built by Dacro Industries and transported by Mammoet Canada, the combined vessel and transporters are, according to the newspaper report, 780 metric tonnes/1,716,000 lb in weight, 29 ft wide, 38 ft tall, and 278 ft long. There are two low-deck transporters plus several escort vehicles. Each transporter sports 10 axles (the four at each end of the load are steering axles) with 16 tires per axle for a grand total of 320 tires plus eight spares stacked behind the front cab.

 

The Dacro guy I talked with had no idea how much this bit of hardware cost to build or haul, but did comment that every move around their yard during construction was worth about $25K.

 

Photos: Front view with toy D25 to the side; rear view with temporary rear cab mounts, midship view and Lady Michelle; close-up of rear load swivel support stack.

[Don Coatney]

I cannot imagine changing a flat tire on the inner most wheel. Must take one huge bottle jack to raise the tire off the ground

[randroid]

Chris,

 

My first best guess from the shape of it and considering the destination would be a wind tunnel of sorts.  Perhaps there's a simple explanation as to why it would be located in such an isolated area.  Or perhaps it's a turbine heater for when somebody who has something very cold wants it to become very hot very quickly?

 

Ah, government spending has no logic without regard to borders and our meager speculations must only be a source of mirth among those signing the checks.

 

-Randy

[Dave72dt]

Dacro Industries is building components for refining oil from the sands in Alberta.  Whatever it does, it's part of the refining process.

[greg g]

Making Canada Ugly one hugh petro chemical element at a time.  I know it probably needs to happen but it does turn hugh tracts of wilderness to man made ugly.

[TodFitch]

Chris,

 

My first best guess from the shape of it and considering the destination would be a wind tunnel of sorts.  Perhaps there's a simple explanation as to why it would be located in such an isolated area.  Or perhaps it's a turbine heater for when somebody who has something very cold wants it to become very hot very quickly?

 

Ah, government spending has no logic without regard to borders and our meager speculations must only be a source of mirth among those signing the checks.

 

-Randy

Why jump to the conclusion that it has anything to do with government spending?

 

As "Dave 72dt" and "greg g" note it probably has to do with the petroleum industry. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about the economy of Fort McMurray:

 

Fort McMurray is considered the heart of one of Alberta's (and Canada's) major hubs of oil production, located near the Athabasca Oil Sands. Besides the oil sands, the economy also relies on natural gas and oil pipelines, forestry and tourism. Oil sand companies include Syncrude, Suncor Energy, CNRL, Shell, and Nexen.

[RobertKB]

Making Canada Ugly one hugh petro chemical element at a time.  I know it probably needs to happen but it does turn hugh tracts of wilderness to man made ugly.

 

Yes, I have to agree. However, we all rely on petrochemicals to keep not only our old cars running, but our new ones as well. Unfortunately, the whole world economy runs on fossil fuels so we get them where we can. They have cleaned up the tarsands a lot but it is still a pimple on the world's butt.

Edited February 26, 2013 by RobertKB

[randroid]

Gents,

 

 

 

Why jump to the conclusion that it has anything to do with government spending?

 

Oops, there I go getting all political again.  Didn't mean to step on anyone's toes.

 

-Randy

[bamfordsgarage]

The morning paper had a much better photo of this garagantuan, aside from the obvious lack of an old Mopar to add human interest.

[Scruffy49]

I spent 4 years heavy hauling, but nothing even remotely close to that. Better them than me... can you imagine having to chain up all those tires on ice/snow? I'd keel over dead.