The 1,200 ton
Unless otherwise noted, all images are copyright of www.Sackrabbit.com 2008
Nothing short of amazing is an understatement describing the effort that is happening
in Quincy, MA this summer. The Goliath Crane is 328 feet tall and more than 3000 tons of
steel and history is moving nearly half way across the world. An expert team of about 25
men from around the country and across the Atlantic has been called on to dismantle one
of the most significant and recognizable landmarks in New England.
The day started with a brief of all team members. “We all give our undivided attention, its
game on,” says Site Foreman Steve Gullage. As a 27 year veteran ironworker he oversees
members of the Ironworkers Union Local 7 of Boston and International Union of Operating
Engineers Local 4. This is Steve’s biggest caliber job he’s overseen. His employer, Daniel
Marr and Sons has been in the business since 1898. As the sun begins to set after an
intense day at the site, the supervisors recanted the day’s activities in the job trailer at the
site of the former Fore River Shipyard. Each worker knows that this could be the most
interesting project of their career. Another day their safety record has been maintained,
closing the book at this most dangerous work site.
Sarens of Belgium has entrusted this program to two of its top professionals in the heavy
lift and rigging business. Sarens is the parent company that provides the brilliant systems
engineering behind this project. Thierry De Crée of Belgium is the Sarens Site Supervisor ,
they call him Terry. He has used the 4000 ton lifting capacity jacking system on a
mountaintop. “We erected a windmill in Hundhammerfjellet, Norway. It was the first job
with this system, and it was more capacity than we needed. If you look closely, you will
notice that only 2 legs of each jack are actually touching the ground”. He is describing
each of the four main jacks that are on the concrete pads. Inside each of the two legs are
“billets” or “Pistons” as they called them. These solid steel pistons are one half meter in
length weigh approximately 400 pounds and are inserted by an automated system of
hydraulics and hoists. They provide the lifting strength to take the intense compressive
load during the raising and lowering of the jacks.
Norman Cantrell of Memphis Tennessee is the Site Supervisor and project manager for
Norsar, LLC, a heavy lift and transport company. Sarens and Norsar are joined at the hip.
“We’ve changed our game plan, so you won’t notice a lot of progress in the next couple
days, but wait till you see what Greg has come up with now” he says with a coy smile. He
is referring to Greg Nordholm, co-owner of Norsar. “You’ll see next week”. A conversation
then took place that has amazing stenciled all over it. The new approach will surely have
onlookers rubbing their eyes, even more than they are now.
Today, Goliath is 2700 tons of steel in the cradle, suspended just a few feet off the ground.
The cradle is the top end of the giant jack system called the Sartower. The day’s activities
include heavy crane operation, welding, cutting, rigging and an intense amount of
coordination. At the helm of the Manitowoc 2250, a 250 ton capacity crawler crane, is 30
year veteran operator Frank Serio. Frank is responsible for maneuvering the heavy
equipment and dismemberment of Goliath. As he moves the crane inch by inch in reverse,
he is assisted by other members of the IUOE Local 4 team. Each hand signal is critical, a
wrong move and a guy wire could be clipped putting the entire site at risk. Frank is “game
on”, his hands maneuver the controls, he watches the hand signals of several members
of the ground crew and like a sixth sense, feels the crane as he guides the crane expertly
under the jacks and wires. “They’re a great group of guys, we all count on each other”
stated Frank at the end of the day.
There is plenty of ground work to take place once the large sections are safely lowered. It
will be about another month until the whole crane is loaded safely on a barge near the end
of August. Of course there are many factors involved with scheduling this type of transit.
Fuel alone is a major consideration when taking barges across the ocean. A full barge is
usually more cost effective and hurricane season is in full swing as well, unsettling factors
in the back of every planners mind. Another team of experts will take the dangerous trip
across the Atlantic, through the Mediterranean and across the Black Sea to their final
destination of Mangalia, Romania. It will be about a 30 day transatlantic trip. Upon arrival,
Terry will fly to Romania to oversea the re-assembly of the crane. The crane will be
outfitted with modern controls and completely rewired and a fresh coat of paint. The crane
is currently wired for United States AC current which is 60 hertz. In Romania, and most of
Europe the current is 50 hertz.
We hope to get some progress updates from Romania in the months to come, when
Goliath comes back to life. For some, once she’s gone, she will fade in our memories but
not be forgotten. For others, it will be reassuring to know that the landmark icon that has
been part of our lives, will once again be working as she should, lifting steel and serving
the shipbuilding industry
in Quincy, MA this summer. The Goliath Crane is 328 feet tall and more than 3000 tons of
steel and history is moving nearly half way across the world. An expert team of about 25
men from around the country and across the Atlantic has been called on to dismantle one
of the most significant and recognizable landmarks in New England.
The day started with a brief of all team members. “We all give our undivided attention, its
game on,” says Site Foreman Steve Gullage. As a 27 year veteran ironworker he oversees
members of the Ironworkers Union Local 7 of Boston and International Union of Operating
Engineers Local 4. This is Steve’s biggest caliber job he’s overseen. His employer, Daniel
Marr and Sons has been in the business since 1898. As the sun begins to set after an
intense day at the site, the supervisors recanted the day’s activities in the job trailer at the
site of the former Fore River Shipyard. Each worker knows that this could be the most
interesting project of their career. Another day their safety record has been maintained,
closing the book at this most dangerous work site.
Sarens of Belgium has entrusted this program to two of its top professionals in the heavy
lift and rigging business. Sarens is the parent company that provides the brilliant systems
engineering behind this project. Thierry De Crée of Belgium is the Sarens Site Supervisor ,
they call him Terry. He has used the 4000 ton lifting capacity jacking system on a
mountaintop. “We erected a windmill in Hundhammerfjellet, Norway. It was the first job
with this system, and it was more capacity than we needed. If you look closely, you will
notice that only 2 legs of each jack are actually touching the ground”. He is describing
each of the four main jacks that are on the concrete pads. Inside each of the two legs are
“billets” or “Pistons” as they called them. These solid steel pistons are one half meter in
length weigh approximately 400 pounds and are inserted by an automated system of
hydraulics and hoists. They provide the lifting strength to take the intense compressive
load during the raising and lowering of the jacks.
Norman Cantrell of Memphis Tennessee is the Site Supervisor and project manager for
Norsar, LLC, a heavy lift and transport company. Sarens and Norsar are joined at the hip.
“We’ve changed our game plan, so you won’t notice a lot of progress in the next couple
days, but wait till you see what Greg has come up with now” he says with a coy smile. He
is referring to Greg Nordholm, co-owner of Norsar. “You’ll see next week”. A conversation
then took place that has amazing stenciled all over it. The new approach will surely have
onlookers rubbing their eyes, even more than they are now.
Today, Goliath is 2700 tons of steel in the cradle, suspended just a few feet off the ground.
The cradle is the top end of the giant jack system called the Sartower. The day’s activities
include heavy crane operation, welding, cutting, rigging and an intense amount of
coordination. At the helm of the Manitowoc 2250, a 250 ton capacity crawler crane, is 30
year veteran operator Frank Serio. Frank is responsible for maneuvering the heavy
equipment and dismemberment of Goliath. As he moves the crane inch by inch in reverse,
he is assisted by other members of the IUOE Local 4 team. Each hand signal is critical, a
wrong move and a guy wire could be clipped putting the entire site at risk. Frank is “game
on”, his hands maneuver the controls, he watches the hand signals of several members
of the ground crew and like a sixth sense, feels the crane as he guides the crane expertly
under the jacks and wires. “They’re a great group of guys, we all count on each other”
stated Frank at the end of the day.
There is plenty of ground work to take place once the large sections are safely lowered. It
will be about another month until the whole crane is loaded safely on a barge near the end
of August. Of course there are many factors involved with scheduling this type of transit.
Fuel alone is a major consideration when taking barges across the ocean. A full barge is
usually more cost effective and hurricane season is in full swing as well, unsettling factors
in the back of every planners mind. Another team of experts will take the dangerous trip
across the Atlantic, through the Mediterranean and across the Black Sea to their final
destination of Mangalia, Romania. It will be about a 30 day transatlantic trip. Upon arrival,
Terry will fly to Romania to oversea the re-assembly of the crane. The crane will be
outfitted with modern controls and completely rewired and a fresh coat of paint. The crane
is currently wired for United States AC current which is 60 hertz. In Romania, and most of
Europe the current is 50 hertz.
We hope to get some progress updates from Romania in the months to come, when
Goliath comes back to life. For some, once she’s gone, she will fade in our memories but
not be forgotten. For others, it will be reassuring to know that the landmark icon that has
been part of our lives, will once again be working as she should, lifting steel and serving
the shipbuilding industry
| Nothing Too Heavy and Nothing Too High It’s “Game On” and Nothing Less (8/1/08) by George Graham |
Click on Every Picture !
| Goliath is 46' shorter in this picture |
| GeneralForeman Steve Gullage reviews the fixtures for the next weld with another Local 7 Ironworker. |
| IUOE Local 4 Crane Operator Frank Serio is "Game on" |
| Thierry DeCrée, Sarens Site supervisor from Belgium shuts down the jacks for the day. |
| Norman Cantrell, Memphis, TN of Norsar opens the door to the elevator in the Northwest leg. |