Some old construction equipment pics

[BobsArmory]

Sat down with my father soon to be 91 years old and we were talking about the family business that my grandfather and his brother started back in the day. He said wait a minute I have some things for you. Came back to the living room with some old photos and magazines and said I want you to have these. . The magazine was from Michigan Road Builders Association. Just a few scans and pics of what he gave me. I'd like to find someone that could clean up the colorized picture someday.

Enjoy.

 

[BobsArmory]

One more pic

 

[IndyIan]

Very interesting equipment, and quite a skill set to work on water like that. I'll have to look up how a line operated equipment works vs hydraulics? I spotted these in a local pit on a bike ride last year. The dozer looks more like it was designed to pull a box blade, than push?

 

[BobsArmory]

Very interesting equipment, and quite a skill set to work on water like that.

It takes a special breed to run a crane floating on a barge. Hook up to your load and start lifting, the barge sinks and sinks and sinks on one side then all of a sudden you reach a buoyancy point and the load shoots up in the air 8 feet. The spuds dropped into the river bottom help a little. As a school kid I remember painting those barge sections with red lead paint and a mop.

 

[Rudy1999 250]

very cool , never heard of Brown Brothers. In lansing couple times a week. It looks like they were around WAY before my time. Thank you for posting these Pics.

 

[Lubener]

I love old pictures like those. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Boomer]

In 1967 when I was in college in central PA, there was a huge train collision and derailment (there were deaths) of two freight trains. A diesel engine ended up in the Juniata River. A log fired steam crane was sent to lift the engine out of the river. What an amazing sight to see. With full torque at zero RPM, its lifting power was unbelievable. I have never forgotten watching that piece of equipment.

 

[BobsArmory]

very cool , never heard of Brown Brothers. In lansing couple times a week. It looks like they were around WAY before my time. Thank you for posting these Pics.

They closed the doors in the late 80's.

 

[Rudy1999 250]

where in Lansing was there operation at

 

[Owen Lucas]

A log fired steam crane was sent to lift the engine out of the river. What an amazing sight to see. With full torque at zero RPM, its lifting power was unbelievable. I have never forgotten watching that piece of equipment.

Log fired? Sounds like 1867 tech lol.

 

[CT Rob]

Awesome

 

[andrew_j]

That’s great ! My first career I was construction engineer for marine work. Some of cranes used on barges were so old they resembled that equipment.

 

[BobsArmory]

where in Lansing was there operation at

The entrance to the property was on St. Joe Street and backed up to I496 Just east of Waverly Rd. National guard now owns the property. You can still see the concrete walls of the aggregate storage area as you drive by on 496 on the south west corner.

 

[Boomer]

The steam crane came with two flat cars stacked with wood to throw in the firebox!!

 

[facility1]

lots of old Northwest pics.modle 6 and a 41 crane and a modle 25 truck mounted,,,the one with a jib may be a old link-belt speeder ,,,one of my favorite subjects,,old cable machines.

 

[facility1]

if anyone is interested in this, look up Historical Construction Equipment association (HECA), has lots of information on this subject and they have annual expos of various pieces of heavy equipment, and some on U-Tube. And Heavy Equipment forums.com (sort of like BITOG).