ML Crane Group company Crane Service Inc. has provided heavy lifting, heavy haul and alternative movement services to the wind industry in New Mexico and Texas for many years. Transporting and hoisting wind turbine components is an integral part of its business.
Recently, the Crane Service Amarillo branch and the Alternative Movement Division (AMD) teamed up to deliver a 136,000-pound nacelle to Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, NM. What makes this project special is that the nacelle was not installed on a tower, but on the floor of the North American Wind Research and Training Center where it is a training tool for students in the Wind Energy Technology program.
The Crane Service team used its 9-axle Faymonville HighwayMax extendable trailer and 4-axle heavy haul tractor to transport the nacelle the 275 miles from Garden City, KS to the North American Wind Research and Training Center in Tucumcari, NM. The HighwayMax was the perfect transportation solution as it provided a nimble platform and narrow turning radius required to navigate the 235,000-pound gross load out of the congested storage facility and onto the road.
The chosen route to the training center consisted of multiple two-lane highways, each with elevation changes and height threshold issues. With its nine hydraulically steered pendular axles, each with a stroke of 23.6 inches, the HighwayMax was able to stay in lane and hydraulically lower the load when needed.
Upon arrival, the Crane Service team again lowered the Highway Max and guided the nacelle into the 12,385-square-foot training facility. The nacelle was positioned under a 500-ton Enerpac gantry for offload and installation.
Source: American Cranes & Transport
