July 30, 2010

What is 16 stories tall, weighs 11 million pounds, has a normal traveling speed of .22 miles per hour, took 52 men to build, required 150 railroad cars to ship all the parts and pieces to the job site and cost $6.5 million in 1962?

It is a Model 1850-B Electric shovel named “Big Brutus”, now retired, that was used in the coalfields of southeastern Kansas. Look at the truck parked at the base of the shovel for size comparison. This huge machine required an operating crew of three: 1 - Operator, 1 - Oiler, 1 - Groundman.

This is Char standing in the 90 cubic yard dipper.

There is a self-guided tour with 23 stopping points around and through the shovel. I made it through the first six climbing approximately 8 feet above the ground before I stopped. Char doesn’t mind the height and continued on without me.

Here she goes on her way to the operator’s cab on the left.

Char is in the operator's cab. This is as high as anyone is allowed to go. The remainder of the tour is through the inside.

This is one of the four 3 ½ inch cables that was used to lift the dipper.

This is more the size perhaps I could have climbed around on. Maybe not.

This 1928 Chevrolet Cabriolet Convertible was on display in the museum. I don’t believe it had anything to do with “Big Brutus” but it was nice to see such good automobile restoration work.