We’ve Got The Power: Moving a 315,500-Pound Transformer From Tacoma To Portland

When Fracht FWO, Inc. needed assistance transporting a 315,500-pound transformer from Tacoma, WA to Portland, OR, they called on Omega Morgan’s Portland specialized transportation division to get the job done right. After receiving the project, the Omega Morgan team began strategizing and planning the complex transport. They quickly determined the project would require multiple stages, careful route planning, and extensive coordination with government and local agencies. It was a massive move with unique challenges, but it is under those circumstances, that Omega Morgan’s specialized transportation team truly excels. They completed the project in nine days, executing the transport safely and efficiently.

NAVIGATING THE CHALLENGES OF A HEAVY EQUIPMENT TRANSPORT

The first thing the specialized transportation services crew needed to consider when planning the transformer move was what the gross size and weight of the load would be once the transformer was secured to the trailer. The team determined that the height would reach 15 feet 10 inches, which was too tall to pass through freeway overpasses. The gross weight of the transformer and truck combined would tip the scales to 620,400 pounds, limiting which roadways and bridges they would be allowed to safely cross. Additionally, with a width of 16 feet and length of nearly 300 feet, turns along the route would also pose a challenge.

The Omega Morgan team worked diligently to design a route plan that considered these criteria. Ultimately, they devised a plan that bypassed most freeways, traveled through the mountains in Washington, passed through Castle Rock and Longview, WA, and finally crossed into Oregon to follow the Columbia River down into Portland.

HEAVY HAUL TRUCKING STEP-BY-STEP

Step one of this project was to receive the transformer at East Blair One Terminal at Port of Tacoma. Using Omega Morgan’s 550-ton hydraulic crane, the Omega Morgan crew lifted the transformer onto a towable 10-line K25 hydraulic trailer. They then hauled the load three miles to Omega Morgan’s Fife storage yard where they stored the transformer temporarily.

Two months later, the transformer was ready for transport and the crew arrived back at the Fife yard and loaded it onto a 160-ton dual-lane transport trailer. The next step was to perform the necessary weight and measure checks required by the state of Washington for loads exceeding 400,000 pounds. Once that was complete, they were ready to move.

Due to the size of this heavy haul, the team decided to transport only at night, over the course of two nights. On the first night, the transport traveled from Fife to Castle Rock, WA. The next night, they went from Castle Rock, through Longview, then into Oregon and traveled along Highway 30 into Portland, arriving at the substation destination the next morning.

The final step was to come back to the substation the following week and, using a jack and slide system, off-load the transformer to its new location.

PROVIDING REAL SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS

The exceptional size and weight of this transport meant the specialized transportation team needed to come up with a number of innovative solutions. Not only did they have to customize route plans, but they also had to call on outside resources for assistance.

The last leg of the transport involved crossing one of Portland’s largest bridges. To accomplish this with a large load, the state of Oregon required that no other traffic be allowed on the bridge at the time of crossing. Omega Morgan’s Portland team hired a local traffic control company to stop traffic on both sides of the bridge while they crossed. Then, once off the bridge, the traffic controllers closed off freeway traffic while the Omega Morgan crew lowered the trailer so that it could crawl under a final overpass. This entire process was completed at night to avoid disrupting daily commuters and was made possible by the seamless coordination of multiple groups of pilots, flaggers, and government and local agencies.

A PROVEN LEADER IN SAFETY AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT TRANSPORT

Omega Morgan’s specialized transportation division not only delivered a transformer on this project, they also delivered the highest standard of success. By providing customized solutions to unique challenges and by working with government and local agencies to complete this transport safely, they’ve proven once again to be a leader in specialized transportation and a benchmark in safe operations.