Awesome Earthmovers

Liebherr R9400 mining excavator making it’s way out of the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center following MINExpo 2024 #liebherr #mining #minexpo #heavyequipment #digger #excavatorlife

In the quiet fields of Schipkau, Germany, the imposing Bagger 1473, affectionately called “The Blue Wonder,” stands as both a testament to human engineering and a symbol of industrial decline. This Type SRs 1500-series bucket-wheel excavator, now abandoned, once played a vital role in the Tagebau Meuro mine from 1965 to 2002. With a staggering length of 171.5 meters and a height of 50 meters, the 3850-ton machine was a marvel of its time, capable of mining up to 5130 cubic meters of lignite per hour using its 12.5-meter-diameter bucket wheel. Its power, delivered through a 6 kV cable, drove a 5555 kW system, enabling precise excavation at impressive speeds. After its retirement, local municipalities worked to preserve this industrial giant, moving it 8.5 kilometers in 2003 to a location near the EuroSpeedway Lausitz. The journey, conducted over industrial roads and railways, turned Bagger 1473 into a monument to the region’s mining heritage. However, the years that followed were unkind. Vandalism, theft, and weather took their toll, leaving the structure unsafe and financially unfeasible to maintain. A plan to scrap the excavator in 2019 was halted when it was officially recognized as a protected historical monument, but its fate remains uncertain. Today, Bagger 1473 stands as a poignant reminder of the area’s mining history and the challenges of preserving such massive relics. Discussions about its future continue, as communities grapple with the balance between honoring their heritage and the financial burden of restoration. For now, “The Blue Wonder” endures, a silent colossus rooted in the past, awaiting its next chapter.

Cat 24 grader on display at MINExpo 2024. The 75 tonne machine is equiped with a 24ft moldboard, hence the 24 model number and is powered by a 535hp diesel engine. #grader #mining #construction #heavyequipment #cat24grader #minexpo2024

Komatsu’s staging yard for MINExpo 2024 with the massive WE2350 wheel loader parked up as an underground mining trucked is reversed into position. #mining #heavyequipment #wheelloader #minexpo #construction #komatsu #komatsumining

The Worlds largest wheel loader, the Komatsu WE2350 on the move following the end of MINExpo 2024 wirj a special guest appearance of @Aaron Witt #mining #komatsu #wheelloader #heavyequipment #heavymachinery

Possibly the most watched man in a blue t-shirt in 2024. Videos walking around this Komatsu PC8000 have accumulated over 200 million views across the AE social platforms. #komatsu #mining #engineering

Calf dozer demonstration at Welland Steam Rally a few tears ago. The Calf dozer was a unique 1940s design intended for small trench backfill jobs. #dozer #bulldozer #construction #heavyequipment

One of Truplant’s Prinoth Panther T-14R dumptrucks in action a few years ago #prinoth #construction #heavyequipment #dumpttruck

Hitachi EX5600 front shovel at MINExpo 2024 #minexpo #mining #heavyequipment #excavator #hitachi

Liebherr’s electric R9400 mining excavator moving out of the Las Vegas Convention Center following MINExpo 2024 #liebherr #mining #liebherrmining #heavyequipment #engineering

Weiacher Cat 988K loading a Volvo A35F at a gravel pit in Switzerland #everhard #weiacher #wheelloader #construction #quarry #crushingandscreening

The monstrous diesel electric drive Komatsu WE2350 at MINExpo 2024 #komatsu #engineering #heavyequipment #mining

530 tonne Hitachi EX5600 moving out of the Las Vegas Convention Center a few days after the end of MINExpo 2024 #mining #hitachi #minexpo #hitachimining #heavyequipment #engineering

Komatsu WE2350 wheel loader and rooe shovel bucket at MINExpo 2024 #mining #komatsu #engineering #komatsumining #minexpo2024

Hitachi EX5600 mining shovel heading to Hitachi’s staging area for MINExpo 2024 to be dismantled and shipped out. #hitachi #excavator #mining

Aveling Barford ASG021 motor grader built between 1980 and 1985 #avelingbarford #grader #heavyequipment #construction

Komatsu D375A dozer ripping at a quarry in Iceland #komatsu #dozer #quarry #iceland #construction #bulldozer

The ripping power of a Komatsu D475A-8 dozer

Triple boom Hitachi EX1200 working alongside a barge mounted Demag excavator on a new port development in Scotland #dredging #engineering #construction #heavyequipment #excavator

International TD-15 dozer and Cat 955 track loader reinstating a dig area at a vintage equipment rally #heavyequipment #bulldozer #construction