Every superhero has an origin story. So does ALL Erection & Crane Rental’s “Hulk,” the nickname for its brand new Liebherr LTM 1300-6.3. (The machine’s eye-catching green paintjob earned it the moniker.)
It was late last summer when the Hulk was sent on its first mission, along with a sister crane, to the Southgate Parkway Bridge project in Cambridge, Ohio. The job included tearing down an existing bridge and came with the challenge of being located 400 feet south of the US 40/22 intersection in downtown Cambridge on SR 209, while also spanning Willis Creek and the Genesee & Wyoming Railroad.
“This is a high-profile job requiring thoughtful logistics,” said Rich Randall, general manager of ALL Crane Rental Corp., ALL’s Columbus branch. “Within the space we had to work, and the proximity to the railroad, we were fortunate to have the new Liebherr LTM 1300 in our fleet at just the right time.”
Working close to railroad tracks limited the load chart of any crane coming near the tracks, dictating a machine with a long, strong boom rated for higher weight. The 1300’s 295-feet of boom and 360-ton capacity fit the bill.
The Liebherr LTM 1300-6.3 is a highly versatile crane suitable for many kinds of job sites. With four jib options, when outfitted with full boom and full jib for ‘up and out’ work, it has reach but also an excellent chart for close-up lifting. The three-axle dolly for its boom also comes in handy. Often in this weight class of cranes, the boom has to be removed, but the 1300 enables crews to pull up to the job site, start stacking counterweights, and get right to work.
In Cambridge, the Hulk was set up on one end of the bridge near the abutment, where it was used to remove spans and beams from the old bridge. It was on-site for four days. Meanwhile, on the other end of the bridge, a Liebherr LTM 1450-8.1, also provided by ALL, was set up on the ground below performing similar functions.
ALL’s cranes worked alongside other machines owned by its customer, The Ruhlin Company. In some cases, removal of beams required as many as three cranes to be rigged up to various sections, including the 1300. The cranes each held various bridge components in place so workers could unbolt beams, then the 1300 would hold, lift, and remove the freed section.
Randall credits sales representative Bill Hanners for working closely with The Ruhlin Company to provide the machines they needed. “While it’s common for us to provide every crane at a job site, we’re equally adept at strategically complementing the package our customer is bringing to the site,” said Randall. “ALL is able to invest in a broader range of capacities and crane types than most customers, enabling us to serve specific niches. A jobsite like this one, which brought many special challenges, is another realm in which we thrive.”
ALL returns to the job site in February 2024 to begin building the replacement bridge. For that phase, they will provide a 600-ton capacity Liebherr LTM 1500-8.1 and 770-ton capacity Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1. Interestingly, the 1650 is another relatively new crane with a unique paint job and colorful nickname. It’s cobalt blue and called “the Blue Beast.”
