Hoffman Construction, the contracting company overseeing the Roosevelt Station project, brought Omega Morgan’s Seattle Office on board to supply the assist cranes for the disassembly of a massive crane. This 173-foot tall Kroll tower crane, fondly referred to as “Big Red” by the community, played a key role in hauling materials for the light rail construction site. We knew this project needed an experienced team with access to equipment capable of handling this job. We were immediately prepared for the challenge and our crane services team jumped into pulling together the right equipment.

THE CHALLENGE: MASSIVE PICKS WITH AN UNCOMMONLY HIGH PROFILE

Capable of lifting 132,000 pounds at its closest radius, Big Red was a massive piece of equipment. Each segment of the crane far outweighed the average crane, which led to some truly massive picks. For example, the turntable and mast weighed in at 114,000 pounds; typical tower cranes are around 32,000 pounds. While most cranes have hooks weighing in at only a couple thousand pounds, this crane’s hook was 11,000 pounds.

Dealing with heavy picks always requires a careful strategy. The weight was even trickier when paired with an uncommonly high profile. To remove the 114,000-pound turntable, we would have to find a way to reach above 173 feet in a way that was both safe and effective.

THE PROCESS: MONTHS OF PREPARATION, FIVE DAYS OF EXECUTION

Our team firmly believes that upfront planning and thorough strategizing enables success and minimizes risk. We spare no expense when it comes to the safety of our employees, equipment, and civilians. This leads to us taking responsibility for supplying the equipment as well as monitoring its daily operation.

After several months of pre-construction safety meetings, it was finally time for the heavy lifting to begin. We supplied Northwest Tower Crane, the erection crew, with two assist cranes: a 550-ton GMK-7450 and the 160-ton LTM-1130-5.1. To fully ensure safety, we provided a lift director to supervise the assembly, disassembly, and daily use of our mobile cranes.

Northwest Tower Crane’s crew disassembled Big Red by dividing the picks into nine sequences. After a successful dismantle, all of the large equipment segments were loaded and hauled up to Everett with the help of the Nelson Trucking company. Upon arrival, our team jumped in to offload all the equipment. We provided our 275-ton Grove GMK 5220 crane for the job. From disassembly to offloading in Everett, we completed the entire process in five days.

THE RESULT: ONE GIANT STEP FORWARD FOR THE NORTHGATE LINK EXTENSION

With careful planning and safety precautions, we provided essential equipment that allowed the disassembly and relocation to happen. Hoffman Construction, other collaborating partners, and local civilians were able to observe the event knowing they were in good hands every step of the way. It was a pleasure to assist in the dismantling of a crane that signified the end of one phase in the Northgate Link Extension Project and opened the door for the next advancement.