150-ton Suspended Load Carried 286 Miles
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CH of the heavy equipment which has to be carried by road as sible loads consists of electric ormers, generators and the turbine which drive them. A• typical 31e is found in two large turbine which were recently completed :lawn Boveri Ltd., at their works den, Switzerland. The two stators le 125,000-kW. turbo-generator ed 148 tons. The order was received in 1948 from the Houilleres du Bassin de Lorraine, and the delivery point was the Grosbtiederstroff power station in Alsace, France. Over a year was 'spent on the transport problem, which was in the hands of the main contractors, Messrs. Welti-Funer.
Weak bridges, tunnels, sharp bends and steep gradients were among some of the hazards that had to be met on the journey of 286 miles with a " train " 295 ft. long. The minimum clearance had to be 15.7 in. at a point midway in the length of the load.
The articulation problem, however, was more difficult of solution than that concerned with height. It was, however, solved in an ingenious way. Built on to the two six-axled, solid-tyred load-carrying units were special A-frame members so mounted as to be free to pivot about the platform of the 24-wheeled bogies.
The A-frames were attached to the respective front and rear ends of the load by bracket members to that the load was virtually suspended between the two bogies. Seven tractive units were employed, three in the capacity of pullers and four as pushers, whilst an eighth vehicle ran as a spare.
It says much for the organization behind this transport feat that the journey was successfully completed in 10 days, 24 hours ahead of schedule. The total load hauled was 216 tons.