The Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) contracted Walbridge to disassemble a coal dumper car at its Michigan City Gen Station and install a new car. The work was done in association with Heyl & Patterson.
Walbridge had to assemble the new rotary coal car dumper between “live” train tracks, requiring maintenance of 10 feet of clearance. Due to site configuration, Walbridge could not use a two-crane lift to remove the old dumper out of a building nor to install the new dumper. Instead, a Manitowac 18000 with a 120-foot boom assembly and 100-foot mast assembly was used. Due to the presence of a concrete vault beneath part of the crane, special effort was made to reduce ground pressure due to the combined weight of the crane and dumpers.
Planning and coordination were critical so demolition of the old dumper and work on the new dumper inside the building could proceed and still allow for proper ingress and egress.