LR 11000 hoists railway bridge

The bridge was situated in the south of Germany no more than 20km away from the company’s head office in Bietigheim-Bissingen. As a result of the location of the 100 year-old railway bridge in a flora and fauna habitat conservation zone, the crane had to be set up a considerable distance away.

The crawler crane had to work at a radius of around 60m to remove the so-called ‘fish-bellied’ bridge. Fitted with its 96m main boom and a derrick boom, the crane moved the decommissioned lattice construction, weighing around 60t, out of the nature conservation area.

A total of 405t of ballast, 225t of which were on the derrick pallet, ensured that the crawler crane had sufficient counterweight. However, before the load could be placed on the ground, the fish-bellied girder, an arch running under the bridge support, had to be removed using flame cutters. The Wiesbauer team then hoisted in and assembled the parts for a temporary bridge.

The later second phase of the job also had to be included in the planning because a new steel bridge weighing 150t is to be assembled and then hoisted into place in two years time on the large site. This will replace the temporary structure which is currently in position. The complete performance potential of the LR 11000 will be required for this crane job.