How Did the Big Digger Cross the Road

When you are looking to move a heavy-duty excavator across a main road you need a plan in place to protect the surface from damage, our American friends at PA Mining recently witnessed one such movement.

This 2007 model Terex RH120-E is not a massive mining shovel by any stretch of the imagination, but tipping the scales at around 284 tonnes and fitted with a 16.5m³ face shovel bucket, it could do some significant damage to a paved surface.

When the machine needed to move from one part of the mine to another it involved the road crossing, and so rather than bringing in costly timber or rubber mats, the decision was taken to use what looks like tarmac planings to form an inexpensive and effective covering for the road surface.

A Volvo L220G wheeled loading shovel was used to place the material ahead of the crossing, and to remove and stockpile the material on completion of the move, a very fast and simple way to do the job.

The machine is the equivalent of today’s Caterpillar 6030 model and is powered by 2 x Cat C18 engines producing 1,044kw (1,400hp) @1800rpm, or the Cummins QSK 19-C power packs which offer slightly less power at 1,008kw (1,350hp) @1800rpm.

Its not every day that you get to see something like this, so its great that the PA Mining boys were there to capture the action on this occasion.