7 of the Biggest Things Ever Moved on the Road
It’s not uncommon to see a truck carrying an oversized load on the highway, but the word “oversized” can mean a lot of things. In some cases, you might see a truck carrying something as large as a house, traveling down the interstate with a convoy to warn people to keep the roads clear. However, what’s even more impressive is to witness a humongous load being transported on a regular road.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of watching any massive objects be transported, here are 7 of the biggest things that have ever been moved on the road to give you an idea of what heavy hauling equipment can do.
1. The heaviest load ever moved
As far as weight goes, the heaviest load ever moved was a water desalination unit, which had a weight of more than 4,800 tons. This feat was accomplished in 2012, requiring a Saudi Arabian logistics company to use a tractor-trailer truck with 172 axles. What’s even crazier about this desalination unit is the fact that it was larger than half of a football field.
2. Transforming traffic
The largest item that was ever moved on the road in Britain was a power station transformer, which weighed a whopping 640 tons. The real interesting part is that this transformer had to be moved at a speed of about 4 miles per hour, which led to a massive backup on the road while the transformer was headed to its destination.
3. A rocky transport
A logistics company spent an entire week and a half moving a 340-ton boulder from Riverside County, CA, to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where it was used in an art installation called “Levitating Mass.” With a speed of 10 miles per hour and a truck with 176 wheels, this was definitely one of the more demanding transport jobs.
4. A shuttle for a space shuttle
When the space shuttle Endeavour was retired, it was moved 12 miles from its original location to the California Science Center in 2012. The space shuttle took up an impressive six lanes of traffic, drawing a crowd of thousands of people who waited eagerly to watch the moving of the space shuttle.
5. Hauling is bigger in Texas
In 2010, an 850-ton turbine engine was hauled 250 miles over the course of 25 days. The really interesting part about this haul is the fact that it was handled by the Texas Department of Transportation because of the magnitude of the job. Not only did the department have to create a custom rig to haul this massive turbine engine, but the rig spanned the length of a football field.
6. The long haul
Perkins Specialized Transportation hauling four 400-ton generator parts isn’t the most incredible feat, but it’s pretty astonishing when you consider the distance of the haul. While many of the largest objects ever moved were moved a short distance, these generator parts were moved an incredible 850 miles from California to Utah. This required the help of a custom-built 300-foot trailer with 192 wheels.
7. A delicate job
When the muon g-2 storage ring was transported from Long Island to an area near Chicago, every condition had to be just right. Simply tilting this large electromagnetic ring more than a few degrees or twisting it ever so slightly could lead to irreparable damage to the sensitive wiring inside.
Osage Specialized Transport is Ready to Meet Your Hauling Needs
Just because you don’t need an object the size of a football field moved doesn’t mean you don’t need a transportation and logistics company. Whether you’ve got an oversized load or some other unique hauling needs, Osage Specialized Transport can help meet those needs. Contact Osage today to get a free quote and learn more about the services we offer.
