Barnhart Blog

Barnhart Unveils New Dual-Lane Transport System To Handle Loads of Up to 600,000 Pounds

2012-01-27T07:04:00.001-08:00

At Barnhart, we are always looking for newer, more efficient ways to finish a job. In fact, it’s one of our core ... http://bit.ly/y9UotD

Combined Cycle Power Plants – Condensate and Waterflow

2012-01-06T04:02:00.001-08:00

A large part of Barnhart’s business includes heavy lifting and transport for power plants. From nuclear to coal, ... http://bit.ly/yTugNU

Barnhart Has Launched New Mobile Site

2011-12-16T08:59:00.001-08:00

Like it or not we live in a mobile society. Mobile devices, such as iPads, iPhones, Droids, and other tablets, ... http://bit.ly/scE5iQ

1.5 Million-Pound Transport

2011-11-02T09:33:00.003-07:00

Market: RefiningLocation: MichiganProject Dates: 04/2010 – 07/2011The ChallengeA customer hired Barnhart to ... http://bit.ly/vGELS2

Barnhart Transports 343,600-Pound, 150' Long Chemical Reactor Over Mountains

2011-11-02T09:33:00.001-07:00

Market: Heavy HaulLocation: North Carolina and TennesseeProject Dates: 08/2011The ChallengeA customer contrac ... http://bit.ly/ubl0gn

Safe, Reliable, and Cost-Effective: the Modular Lift Tower, Part III

2011-10-10T04:03:00.001-07:00

In the two previous articles (Part I and Part II), we demonstrated the growing need for a lifting device that rival ... http://bit.ly/nhfX8K

Versatility and Portability of the Modular Lift Tower, Part II

2011-10-06T04:02:00.001-07:00

The brilliant engineers at Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co., headed by Chief Engineer Eric Barnhart, came up with the d ... http://bit.ly/oJVUrU

Engineering Promptly Finishes a Turbine and Generator Haul and Minimizes Transport Costs

2011-10-03T04:01:00.001-07:00

Market: PowerLocation: North CarolinaProject Dates: 03/2011The ChallengeA customer contracted Barnhart to hau ... http://bit.ly/oslPHS

Tri-Bar and Tri-Block Systems Solve an Almost Impossible Stripper Vessel Removal and Replacement

2011-09-26T04:00:00.001-07:00

Market: ChemicalLocation: OklahomaProject Dates: September 16, 2010The ChallengeA customer tasked Barnhart to ... http://bit.ly/qBE8pa

Barnhart Transports Cold Box over 400 Miles

2011-09-19T04:05:00.001-07:00

Market: ChemicalLocation: TennesseeProject Dates: 12/2010The ChallengeNarrow turns and obstructions clouded B ... http://bit.ly/oci40n

Facebook Job Fair: Oklahoma City Branch Looking for Crane Operators and Superintendent

2011-09-16T13:49:00.001-07:00

Listen up, crane operators, Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co. is hiring at its Oklahoma City branch. Not only is this a ... http://bit.ly/nlsMVV

Barnhart’s Modular Lift Tower: A Perfect Response to Industry Demands

2011-09-13T04:01:00.001-07:00

Many large, heavy lift projects require work in subpar conditions. Congested power plants, refineries, and factorie ... http://bit.ly/pIpldB

Custom Stands and Hydronics Unit Speed Up Commercial Cargo Removal and Replacement

2011-09-12T07:14:00.001-07:00

Market: CommercialLocation: CaliforniaProject Dates: 12/2010The ChallengeA customer tasked Barnhart to unload ... http://bit.ly/q3AyQX

Engineering Modifications Simplify a Florida HRSG Removal and Replacement Project

2011-08-11T06:03:00.001-07:00

Market: PowerLocation: FloridaProject Dates: 03/2011 - 04/2011The ChallengeA customer contracted Barnhart to ... http://bit.ly/qYSJlG

Barnhart Thrives under Strict Quality Control Standards and Safety Requirements in D.O.E. Condenser Demolition

2011-08-08T06:02:00.001-07:00

Market: D.O.E.Location: OhioProject Dates: 06/2010 - 10/2010The ChallengeUnder strict quality control standar ... http://bit.ly/r6I8YR

Innovative Equipment Used in S.C. Nuclear Rotor and Feedwater Heater Replacement

2011-08-05T06:01:00.001-07:00

Market: NuclearLocation: South CarolinaProject Dates: 02/2010The ChallengeA customer’s faulty crane and tig ... http://bit.ly/ofUwyn

Previous Work Speeds up Illinois Crane Load Test

2011-08-02T06:03:00.001-07:00

Market: NuclearLocation: IllinoisProject Dates: 12/2010The ChallengeFreezing temperatures in the Midwest thwa ... http://bit.ly/nGcpXL

How Do We Practice Unparalleled Safety? From Start to Finish.

2011-07-27T06:52:00.001-07:00

Our comprehensive commitment to safety sets us apart from our competitors. To Barnhart Crane & Rigging, safety is n ... http://bit.ly/qjmDj4

Frigid Temperatures For Feedwater Heater Replacement

2011-07-06T07:01:00.001-07:00

Market: NuclearLocation: IllinoisProject Dates: 02/11The ChallengeA customer contracted Barnhart to remove an ... http://bit.ly/pBb8eR

Barnhart Saves the Day with Overnight Bridge Repair

2011-06-27T04:00:00.001-07:00

Market: Heavy CivilLocation: FloridaProject Dates: 09/22/04 - 10/07/04The ChallengeA truck carrying an excava ... http://bit.ly/iW86f9

Barnhart Uses Tri-Block System to Move Boiler Headers at Tennessee Plant

2011-06-15T11:29:00.001-07:00

Market: PowerLocation: TennesseeProject Dates: 06/2008 - 11/2008The ChallengeBarnhart was tasked to move and ... http://bit.ly/lNBV1j

Congested Site Leads Barnhart to Innovative, Speedy Finish in Feedwater Heater Replacement

2011-05-31T11:32:00.001-07:00

Market: NuclearLocation: WisconsinProject Dates: 10/05/2008 - 10/30/2008The ChallengeA confined plant setting ... http://bit.ly/kiJxf5

Barnhart Hauls Historic Locomotives

2011-05-27T13:29:00.001-07:00

Just a few weeks ago, Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company assisted the Washington Department of Energy in hauling two ... http://bit.ly/jH4qw7

Custom Designs Make Nuclear Feed Water Heater Replacement Much Easier

2011-05-24T14:45:00.001-07:00

Market: NuclearLocation: New JerseyProject Dates: 04/2009 - 11/2009The ChallengeA customer contracted Barnha ... http://bit.ly/jFbDaA

Barnhart Dominates SC Annual Awards

2011-05-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

On May 2, 2011, the Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association (SC) announced the winners for the Rigging Job of ... http://bit.ly/lTmTpf

Barnhart Powers Forward in Transformer Transport

2011-04-21T13:25:00.001-07:00

Market: Nuclear PowerLocation: PennsylvaniaThe ChallengeA customer contracted Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co. to ... http://bit.ly/f0ssas

Transport and Setting of Turbine/Generator in a North Carolina Project

2011-04-12T11:07:00.001-07:00

Market: Power

Location: North Carolina

The Challenge

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co. won a bid on an already-in-progress job, which included the hauling, lifting, and setting of steam equipment, and the customer urged the team to finish the job on a very tight schedule. On top of that, very wet and extremely cold weather made the project even more difficult, not to mention a very constricting site gave the crew very little real-estate in which to work.

The Solution

Creative planning, hard work, and timely deliveries all helped Barnhart meet the deadline. In addition, clever engineering enabled the team to connect the Marino girder to the Barnhart gantry track, and as a result, saved much time and money.

The Description

The customer contracted Barnhart for the onsite transporting and setting of the turbine in addition to a generator. The job required the team to lift, haul, and set these massive pieces to an alternative location on the job site.

The project was already underway when the crew won the bid, and the customer desired a quick finish. Barnhart engineers then focused on quickly submitting the project plans. Other engineers on the site also flooded the team's engineers with questions, and Barnhart's quick responses kept the job on schedule.

Barnhart's engineers also developed a plan to connect the Marino girders with the Barnhart gantry tracks. This allowed the team more flexibility and availability with its equipment and saved quite a bit of time and money.

The rest of the crew suffered through cold and wet weather. In fact, the site conditions heavily constricted the equipment because of minimal space to navigate machinery. The crane operators and workers pressed onward with hard work and overcame the dreary setting.

A subcontractor also delivered integral parts and equipment to Barnhart right on schedule. This timely delivery, matched with Barnhart's creative engineering staff and diligent crew, allowed Barnhart to start a job behind schedule and finish ahead of the deadline.

Major Equipment Used

Goldhofer Trailer
Stator Frame
500T Hoist

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Services:

Despite Difficult Hurdles, Barnhart Races to Quick Finish in Generator Heavy Haul

2011-04-04T12:47:00.001-07:00

Market: Power

Location: Tennessee

The Challenge

A customer called on Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co. in the "11th hour" for a heavy haul job, including the transportation of three combustion turbines and three combustion generators. One of the most difficult routes a Barnhart team has ever maneuvered and the need for a quick permit obtainment called for a perfect performance by the company.

The Solution

Barnhart quickly secured the required permits from the State of Tennessee for this difficult job. After quickly obtaining the permits, Barnhart won the job for the original bid value, but that only allowed them to leap the first hurdle in this job.

Next, Barnhart's careful planning, ingenuity, and friendly negotiations helped them save time, secure their routes, make tight turns, and safely navigate steep hills and narrow roadways.

In fact, Barnhart conducted numerous pre-mobilization and operation meetings, in addition to daily job hazard analyses, to successfully complete the job.

The Description

After being called in late by the customer, Barnhart won the bid on the heavy haul job because they quickly secured the required permits while the competitor failed to do so. Friendly relations with the state and a commitment to safety and government guidelines quickly allowed the team to obtain the permits.

The original schedule for the job called for a delivery every ten days. However, the team compressed the schedule to one delivery every seven days to ensure timely completion. This seems even more impressive when one considers the team covered a 74-mile haul route and two cities during every delivery.

The crew faced its first obstacle with a faulty railroad crossing. A careful inspection led to an engineering effort to shore up the bridge, ensuring a safe crossing.

Next, Barnhart negotiated terms with a do-it-yourself car wash because the car wash blocked Barnhart's route on a tight turn. The car wash agreed to demolish the building, and the trailers safely maneuvered the turn. In fact, the road on which the car wash sat was perhaps the tightest road Barnhart has ever had to squeeze through!

The last part of the route included a five percent grade and a road width of nineteen feet. The dolly transport itself stretched just under eighteen feet wide! After numerous meetings and careful transport, the team safely completed the job.

Barnhart's hard work and careful planning ultimately led to an extraordinary achievement with this job. Despite the tight schedule and daunting obstacles, the team managed a near perfect performance!

Major Equipment Used

16- and 20- Line Dolly Transporters

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Services:

An Unwieldy Dome Did Not Circumvent Barnhart's Efforts to Successfully Complete Removal

2011-03-28T08:15:00.001-07:00

Market: DOE

Location: Washington

The Challenge

A customer contracted Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co. to remove a containment dome. However, the thin walls of the dome caused the dome to flex and bend during removal, making the project very difficult to complete.

The Solution

The Barnhart team engineered temporary hold-down and tightening brackets to stabilize and easily remove the dome.

The Description

A customer assigned Barnhart to two tasks: removing a containment dome and transporting a polar crane. The dome extended 80 feet in diameter and weighed around 145,000 pounds.

The team conducted a shell analysis on the dome and found the dome to be thin and flimsy. The shell analysis led the team to engineer the appropriate brackets described above and to locate the best rigging attachment points.

Barnhart's subcontractor, Cutting Edge Services, cut the dome using a large wall saw. Once the subcontractor cut the dome, Barnhart used a CC1800 SSL crawler crane to place the dome on the ground.

The team lifted the polar crane to a transporter for shipment. And the customer left the dome on the ground to be cut into pieces for easier shipment.

Although the project lasted several months, Barnhart's expert engineering and well-trained staff finished the project ahead of schedule with no injuries.

Major Equipment Used

CC1800 SSL Crawler Crane
THP Trailer

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Services:

Transformer Offload, Transport, and Replacement

2011-03-18T16:06:00.001-07:00

Market: Power

Location: Mississippi

The Challenge

A customer contracted Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company to receive, offload, and stage four 520,000 pounds Hyundai transformers in Mississippi for the 2012 Extend Power Uprate (EPU) outage in 2012. Potential problems with the dock, where the Barnhart team would offload the massive EPU equipment, put a small hiccup in the schedule.

The Solution

The water at the roll off site suffered from siltation pollution. This simply means that the water contained higher concentrations of sediments and soil buildup than normal. This problem brought the dock's integrity into question, but a professional engineering review found the dock's structure perfectly stable to withstand very heavy weights.

The Description

The EPU outage allows the power plant to update their components and equipment in order to produce more power. The customer contracted Barnhart to help with the power plant's uprate.

After finding the dock to be absolutely safe, Barnhart assigned its newest fleet addition, the LR 1700 Barge Crane Big Al, to the task of offloading the massive transformers.

The Barnhart team than loaded the four transformers to a 195' x 35' deck barge that eventually hooked up with Big Al at a local port.

Once the team secured the barge to two dolphins near the new dock destination, the crew spent a day in setting up the ballasts for lifting operations. Big Al then successfully relocated the huge transformers from the barge to an awaiting 16-line PSTe trailer on the dock. By using Big Al's nifty winch system, the team perfectly aligned the transformers atop the Goldhofer.

The trailer transported the four transformers to a staging location just a short distance south of the dock. The intermediate staging allowed the Barnhart crew to offload all four transformers in a single day!

Next, Barnhart will move the transformers to a much more distant staging location, where the team will dress them out in preparation for the upcoming EPU. During this scheduled EPU outage, the team will replace the plant's old transformers with the new ones Barnhart has transported.

Major Equipment Used

LR 1700 Barge Crane "Big Al"
16-Line Goldhofer PSTe Trailer

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Services:

Traveling Screen and Stoplog Removal from Reactor Pump

2011-03-14T14:06:00.001-07:00

Market: DOE

Location: Washington

The Challenge

A customer contracted Barnhart to remove six traveling screens and one stoplog from a nuclear reactor pump hose. The original contractor unsuccessfully removed the traveling screens because decades of immobility tightly wedged the screens in the filtering system.

The Solution

Barnhart's top of the line pull-up gantries allowed the team to shake the screens loose, remove them from the pump hose, and successfully complete the job.

The Description

Originally, the customer contracted a competitor to remove and dispose of the old traveling screens and stoplog by means of a 2250 crawler crane. Nuclear reactor pumps use traveling screens as a net to collect debris from incoming water, and a stoplog allows the engineers to adjust the amount of water flow into the pump.

The customer wished to retire the old equipment, but however, as stated above, the numerous years of wear-and-tear lodged the screens in place. The customer and competitor invited Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company to assist in the project's completion.

The project leaders originally thought that the screens weight may have exceeded the crawler crane's capacity, in addition to the screens' firm positions. Barnhart brought in a Pull-up Gantry that effectively dislodged the stubborn traveling screens.

As it turns out, the stuck screens were the only problem, as the other team easily removed the screens with the 2250 crawler crane. Similarly, Barnhart used the pull-up gantry along with climbing jacks to initially unfasten the stoplog, and the other team successfully removed it with the same crawler crane.

Major Equipment Used

Pull-up Gantry
Climbing Jacks

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Services:

Barnhart Makes Special Appearance in 2011 Super Bowl Commercial

2011-02-23T14:48:00.001-08:00

Most of us are aware of the product placement advertising that sneaks its way into popular television shows and movies. In fact, the clever folks at Bud Light poked fun at the marketing methods during this year's Super Bowl commercial lineup:

But does product placement work in commercials themselves? I don't think many marketing teams have attempted it.

However, Chrysler's 2011 Super Bowl commercial "Imported from Detroit," featuring Rap Artist Eminem, inadvertently promoted Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company with a quick product placement shot.

That's right. Those are official Barnhart cranes. You can't see the Barnhart name, but they made the commercial.

Here's the full commercial below. The crane shot appears in the first ten seconds of the video.

So, how does Barnhart stand to benefit from this subliminal product placement? We can only hope that anytime someone sees a Chrysler vehicle or listens to an Eminem song, this image will flash in their minds:

While you're here, we invite you to peruse Barnhart's inventory of equipment. You might even see some crane service photos that resemble the image above.

Feedwater Heaters and Rotor Replacement

2011-02-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

Market: Nuclear

Location: South Carolina

Problem

Extremely tight quarters and equipment limitations slowed down the project.

Solution

Quick thinking and new basketing devices helped complete the job.

Description

Barnhart was contracted to remove and replace rotors and feedwater heaters. The rotor was railed to site, offloaded with the 44A system, and transported easily to the crane bay.

However, when the old rotor was loaded to a nine-line trailer for transporting to storage, the crane failed at a height of nine feet off of the ground. With engineering approval, we were able to load crane mats (five high) on the trailer and safely rescue the rotor from the inoperable crane.

After that, we quickly finished the remainder of the job.

Moving the feedwater heater challenged us as well. The 4B sat under a floor and we slid it out using a light slide. Furthermore, we inverted both the 4A and 4B to clear surrounding obstructions.

We used the new basketing devices on their maiden voyage and found that they were easy to use, and that they served their purpose well.

Next, we directed them through the legs of the gantry crane, between the MSR's, down a low risk path on the Turbine Deck, and finally to the crane bay.

With the successful nuclear project, four employees gained their "nuclear" badges, making them invaluable help for future nuclear jobs. They will be particularly helpful to speed up our work in case we need faster reaction time.

Major Equipment Used

9 Line PST Goldhofer

Specialized Rigging

Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Services:

Crane Service

Heavy Rigging

Heavy Cargo Logistics

Heavy Lift Cranes

Machinery Moving

Modular Lift Tower

Transportation Solutions

Four Types of Equipment, Seven Bridges, and Forty Miles Add up to Another Barnhart Transport Success

2011-02-14T07:43:00.000-08:00

TEXAS - In August 2010, a customer hired Barnhart Crane & Rigging to transport a demethanizer and absorber from Houston to Sanderson. As they finished an almost identical job a year earlier, the crew not only had all the right equipment for the job but also the best experience to ensure yet another Barnhart success.

"We did this same project a year earlier," project manager James Weston said. "And even though the pieces were heavier, the method was still the same."

The team began at a Houston shop, where they used pull-up gantries to load the pieces on to 26-lines of Goldhofer PSTe. The platform trailers relocated the pieces to the nearest rail spur. From there, rail carts moved the pieces to Sanderson, and Barnhart used pull-up gantries and the slide system to place the pieces on the trailers.

The absorber, however, was much heavier than the demethanizer, which caused Weston and his team to configure a new trailer system: 30-lines THP dollies with a 16-dolly hybrid system. After the configuration was approved, the design eased the absorber's transport over a 40-mile haul, including seven bridges.

Weston noted the weight difference as the only hiccup in the move.

"Weight changes made this project different than its twin project done a year prior," Weston said. "So all the knowledge we thought we had going into the project was short lived with the increase of the piece weight. However, we made the necessary adjustments and were able to have the piece on the road within a week of learning of the new weights."

The weight change hardly set the crew back, as they compensated for the slow-down by promptly communicating with their vendors and pre-staging the equipment.

"We notified all the vendors of the pieces' arrival and coordinated the rail siding prior to vessel departure in Houston," Weston said. "Upon arrival, we were able to pre-stage equipment to ensure a timely off load of rail and transport to the job site."

The demethanizer, on the other hand, was slightly lighter, and the team returned to the railroad to place it on the original 26-lines trailer and 14-dolly hybrid system design.

But what made this project so special? Weston believes that Barnhart has a distinct advantage over its local competitors.

"With the knowledge of the bridges from the last job done a year prior, Barnhart had a leg up on the competition by already knowing the best methods to employ and already knowing what equipment would be necessary to achieve a successful project," Weston said. "And in the Houston Market, we do have some stiff competition with the heavy haulers and heavy lift companies. However Barnhart prides itself with having the necessary equipment, personnel, and expertise to ensure a project runs as planned."

Past experience, specialized personnel, and custom equipment all helped make this a special job, but Weston saw the relationships Barnhart made with the community as the most impressive aspects of this project.

"There are many projects where we are transporting a long distance and then there are times we are stationary in one location for an extended period of time," Weston said. "By being stationary you are able to meet and build relationships with the town's people and become a part of the community."

The small town of Sanderson provided the perfect Petri dish for comradery.

"Sanderson is a small town with about 500 residents," Weston said. "At no time did we go a day without someone asking us about the progress of the job or really being involved in the job itself. The local sheriff's office, the volunteer fire department, and some local businesses supported us in whatever we needed. It is nice to know that we have left a lasting impression in the community and that a lot of friendships have come from that."

James Weston is a project manager at Barnhart’s branch located in Houston, Texas. For contact information, please click here.

Or take a look at some other fantastic services that Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Provide:

Crane Service

Heavy Rigging

Heavy Cargo Logistics

Heavy Lift Cranes

Machinery Moving

Modular Lift Tower

Transportation Solutions

Heavy Industry Reports, Barnhart Ranks in Top 10 North American Companies and Top 25 Internationally

2011-02-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

In June 2010, American Cranes and Transport (ACT) published their annual top 100 Crane and Transport companies for the year. The criteria for this list include the number of company employees and branches, scope of operation, number of mobile and crawler cranes, and a company's largest crane and its capacity.

Although the list intends to survey the heavy industry as a whole, the rankings do provide some idea of the big players in the crane and transport markets. Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company maintained a top 10 position even after the rough economic downturn known as 2009. The 2010 top 10 included the same companies as 2009.

Another crane publication, International Cranes and Specialized Transport (IC), also conducted its own survey over the international market. Although their criteria are similar, they place a heavier emphasis on crane capacity in ranking the top 50 international companies. The IC ranks companies according to an index calculated as the total maximum load moment rating, in "tonne-metres," of all cranes in a companies' fleet.

In the IC report published in August 2010, Barnhart stood impressively at the 24-spot. Other than Barnhart, only seven other U.S. companies made the top 25.

The IC also named the top 12 companies with the largest single cranes, and Barnhart's Demag CC 4000 RL ranked seventh with a capacity of 1,800 tons. The next IC rankings will debut during this quarter of 2011.

The ACT and IC reports are only available through purchase at the KHL website.

For more about Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company, please visit its official website. You may also want to check out Barnhart's available equipment:

Heavy Lift Cranes

Modular Lift Tower

Operated Cranes

Rigging Systems

Transportation Systems

Or you may want to check out Barnhart's available services:

Crane Service

Heavy Rigging

Heavy Cargo Logistics

Heavy Lift Cranes

Machinery Moving

Modular Lift Tower

Transportation Solutions

Building Casks

2011-02-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

Market: Power

Location: Washington

Problem

Special canister required for waste removal project was difficult to maneuver into place.

Solution

The added length of the tipstick hanging from the overhead crane allowed the waste container to be placed in the shipping container.

Description

A nuclear research facility is in the process of demolition and deactivation of buildings. The building was used as a spent-fuel metallurgical test facility. Some of the waste from that process were to be removed from the building to allow demolition and deactivation activities to continue. The high-level waste dose rates and concentrations required removal from the building in a special shipping canister. The truck that hauled this canister could not back into the building far enough for the overhead crane to reach the canister. Barnhart solved the problem by hanging the tipstick from the overhead crane. The added length of the tipstick provided enough distance to allow the waste container to be placed inside the shipping canister. The process involved disassembling the canister, installing the inner waste container, and reassembling the shipping canister. Two canisters were loaded. The waste was then shipped out to the repository onsite for long-term storage.

Major Equipment Used

Tipstick

Blow Down Drum Roll, Please…

2011-01-31T08:33:00.000-08:00

TEXAS – Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company completed yet another heavy machinery relocation in March, 2010. A customer tasked Barnhart and its crews to transport a massive Blow Down Drum measuring a grand 62’6” in length, 23’2” in width, and 22’9” in height.

From Houston, the crew needed to move the drum to a Texas dock, from which the barge would meet another Barnhart team in Detroit. And like most Barnhart projects, time was of the essence for the team.

“The piece was due to meet a barge that was coming in from Mexico that had pieces already on it and all items were then headed to Detroit, Mich.,” said project manager James Weston. “Any delay in shipment could be very costly with the barge and tug waiting.”

To speed up project completion, Barnhart devoted special care to route planning and ensured the quickest possible route between transport sites. The due diligence in route planning reduced the mileage in addition to cutting costs in half. In fact, the route the crew used had never been utilized before, and the customer was surprised and impressed that the load quickly cleared all sharp turns, underpasses, railroads, and bridges.

On top of the time constraints, the customer awarded the project to Barnhart at the last minute. Weston and his team quickly made all the necessary arrangements with vendors to expedite the transport.

“We contacted our vendors in a timely manner,” Weston said. “And with the help of the utility companies and other outside agencies, we were able to mitigate obstacles prior to beginning the haul. That left us only having to deal with a minimum set of obstacles.”

Because of Barnhart’s longtime presence in Texas, they have developed strong relationships with the Department of Transportation and other partner companies. For moving the massive drum, those relationships came in rather handy.

“The majority of those companies take the time to meet with us, run the routes, and often suggest better ways to achieve the ultimate goal,” Weston said. “Having a team mentality betters the overall outcome of a project.”

The relationship with the DOT, in particular, allowed Barnhart to quickly obtain the necessary permit for transport, set up all vendor contracts, and meet the barge on time.

Weston likewise noted that having these strong local relationships really gives the customer great confidence in Barnhart’s work.

“It benefits the customer over time by knowing they have companies that work well together as a team and by understanding everyone is there to achieve the same goal,” Weston said.

Barnhart’s industrious planning, its prompt arrangements, and its commercial partnerships weren’t the only impressive aspects of the project, according to Weston. The project illustrated the efficiency and teamwork that Barnhart’s nationwide company has to offer.

“Barnhart has 23 branches across the county,” Weston said. “And every day we work together to ensure that we are doing what we can to help our brethren branches. This job speaks highly to that. Expediting this shipment enabled our Chicago branch to have a successful kick off to their project at Marathon in Detroit.”

James Weston is a project manager at Barnhart’s branch located in Houston, Texas. For contact information, please click here.

Or take a look at all the fantastic services Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company provide:

· Crane Service

· Heavy Rigging

· Heavy Cargo Logistics

· Heavy Lift Cranes

· Machinery Moving

· Modular Lift Tower

· Transportation Solutions

No Short Circuits for Barnhart in Transformer Replacement at Kansas Power Plant

2011-01-09T13:09:00.000-08:00

Miserable weather and poor conditions did not thwart Barnhart Crane and Rigging's success when installing a massive 500-ton transformer at a Midwest power plant. Although taking the old transformer out posed no problems, installing the new transformer proved to be quite a challenge.

Fortunately for the power plant and customer, Barnhart loves to take on challenging jobs. Project Manager Bob Possel later explained why this project was so exceptional.

"We typically don't change out 500-ton transformers," Possel said. "I would say the typical transformers that we handle on average are approximately 200 tons."

To unload the Transformer from the Schnabel railroad car, Barnhart employed four 300-ton jacks, pull-up gantries, and a slide system. The staff slid the transformer to a ten line double-wide hydraulic platform trailer. At the request of the owner, the crew staged the component on slide beams so the transformer could be partially dressed out prior to the outage.

During the outage time was saved. A second Barnhart crew mobilized to site to slide the transformer across the road during the night for staging. However, the crew ran into a significant hurdle that tested the team.

"The new transformer was significantly heavier than the old one causing ground bearing issues," Possel said.

To overcome this issue, the team strategically placed additional matting to resolve the problem. Timbers, along with an extra truckload of steel crane mats, provided the timely solution.

Barnhart ultimately completed the project safety and in a reasonable amount of time, all to the satisfaction of the customer.

"The customer was pleased with our services," Possel said. "[He] wants us to replace a similar transformer at another plant."

For more information, please visit the official Barnhart Crane and Rigging website. Or you may be interested in their Crane Service, Machinery Moving, or Heavy Rigging pages.

A Christmas Message to You From Barnhart Crane & Rigging Co.

2010-12-23T19:57:00.000-08:00

Hello world!

2010-12-15T18:07:00.000-08:00

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Dirty Job, Barnhart has to do it.

2009-09-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

I was flipping the channels the other night and ran across a rerun of my favorite TV episode: Barnhart on Dirty Jobs. If you haven't seen it, stayed glued to the Discovery Channel until it comes back again, because its a classic. On the show Mike Rowe and his crew head out to Blue Canyon Wind Farm to work with Barnhart and the crew from Horizon Wind Energy. Mike does his usual bang up job, but the real star of the show is the Barnhart crew. Chuck Madgett is his usual unflappable self as he works as a perfect straight man to Rowes antics. Incredible views of the Oklahoma landscape and tales of rattlesnakes in the sky make for a great television.

To buy a copy of that season go to: http://store.discovery.com/detail.php?p=95345&v=discovery_shows_dirty-jobs

Doing The Locomotion

2009-08-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while you get to do one of those jobs that makes a few heads turn and saves the customer a lot of money in the process. Check that. Bringing value and doing the "impossible" is something Barnhart does every day. However, in this case HOW we did this project for the City of Birmingham wasn't as unusual as WHAT we were moving.

Barnhart was asked to move this vintage Frisco steam locomotive from the old Fairgrounds to its new home at the historic Sloss Furnace. Seeing that engine ride on top of 12-axle PSTe Goldhofer and get unloaded to rail was quite a head turner for those lucky enough to see it, but for us it was just another day in the office (we had already done a similar job in Houston several years before). Still, our solution did save the city a good bit of money and some major traffic headaches.

Tight Challenge

2009-08-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

At Barnhart we love a good challenge. Our Mobile branch was recently given an opportunity to prove just how good they were when they were asked to complete a project at a western refinery. On the surface the project seemed simple enough: lift and install 4 heat exchangers weighing around 43k each. However, you can see the difficulty of the lifts by the pictures. The refinery was a "new build", but was running behind a bit with the exchangers arriving four weeks late. So, the team had work smart, but fast. To install the exchangers into the tight confines of the plant the Barnhart Team from Mobile used the cantilever beam with the Tri-Block on a 275 ton crane to slide the pieces into place. In each case we had to use the auxiliary line for the Tri-Block and approximately 34k in counter weight. In the end, the guys from Mobile met the challenge and made it look easy. Way to go guys.

World Record Emergency Replacement

2009-07-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

Hake Rigging in Philadelphia is a division of Barnhart NE, and has been doing great work in that area of the country for over 50 years. Recently they broke all historical speed records (or came pretty close) in completing a main power transformer replacement (MPT) at a nuclear power facility.

To get this work done the Hake team had to mobilize quickly. There wasn't going to be be time to lounge around on this one. In fact, we mobilized all heavy-transport, jacking and sliding equipment in approximately 48 hours! (And that includes bringing in components for the Goldholfer trailer from our facility in in Middletown, Connecticut.)

Even with the extremely tough winter weather conditions the Philadelphia team was able to to replace the MPT in just six days! I don't know if it is a world-record, but it ought to be.

Once again, it just goes to show you that cool tools, innovation and experience do make a difference. It's what I always tell folks: if you want a job done safely, you want it done right, and want it done quickly, you had better call Barnhart.

Barnhart Conveys Good Work

2009-07-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting job we recently completed. This was one of those jigsaw type projects that everything had to fit together perfectly or it wasn't going to work. We were asked to help install a truss/conveyor system that will be used to bring material from a harbor into a plant.

The puzzle was put together something like this:

The conveyors truss was staged atop a 195’x35’ deck barge using (2) 6-line PST-e steer Goldhofer trailers as support. One trailer was placed in front of the truss and another at the rear.

A secondary barge was placed perpendicular to the mooring dolphins that the truss rests between in its final position.

The transport barge carrying the truss and Goldhofer trailers was then maneuvered from its staging position near the pier (see pics) to the north end of the harbor. This was a very delicate maneuver considering the north end of the truss had to be positioned directly between the mooring dolphins. Clearance between the dolphins was approximately 5” on one side, 1” on the other…very tight.

The Goldhofer trailers then moved the truss further northward with the front trailer rolling off from the transport barge the secondary barge. 20’x8’x1” steel plate was used to bridge the gap for all roll-offs.

Once the front Goldhofer was on the secondary barge, a Manitowoc 2250 (with Max-er) positioned on the bank grabbed the front end of the truss, freeing the frontGoldhofer.

The truss continued to move northward with the front end supported by the crane and the rear end still on trailer. As the truss started "uphill" the rear Goldhofer hydraulics stroked to tilt the truss at the proper angle. Maximum tilt angle never exceeded 8 degrees.

The rear Goldhofer then rolled-off from the transport barge to the secondary barge. The transport barge was then removed from the work vicinity.

Our final step was to lower the rear end of the truss to the final working barge. This was done by tilting the conveyor as to lower the rear end, and by ballasting down the secondary barge. The permanent working barge was equipped with rails that supported the roller assembly of the truss. Once the end of the conveyor was on the rails we walked our trailer out from beneath the conveyor and were finished.

One Team

2009-06-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

The Barnhart team serves a lot of different industries. In some markets, such as Wind and Nuclear Power, we do so much work that we have created specialized teams to work in those markets. However, that does not mean that any of our guys are above pitching in to make sure our customer's work gets done.

The Barnhart Wind Division guys just finished assisting our Lubbock Branch in their first CC 2600 lift at a refinery in Sunray TX. However, our Wind Team wasn't the only ones who pitched in to make this happen. Our Memphis Engineering Group jumped in to help "get 'er done" with the last minute lift plans. The two lifts consisted of 110,000 lbs compressor lift and 55,000 lbs module steel structure at a 89' radius with 98'of main boom and 98' of luffer. Both lifts were made in a live unit with close proximity of multiple acid lines.

In some companies "team work" might be just an over used catch phrase, but Barnhart proves every day that we are truly "One Team."