C.H. Robinson Project Logistics has handled the delivery of a transformer from the port of Long Beach in California to a substation site near Las Vegas in Nevada.
Weighing 162.5 tonnes and measuring 11.28 m x 3.86 m x 3.89, C.H. Robinson utilised a Goldhofer girder bridge system, including four trailers and three tractor units, to transport the transformer to the project site.
It took almost 12 hours to fully secure the cargo on the specialised trailer, which increased the length of the combination to 95.71 m.
The 280-mile (434.5-km) journey required four patrol escorts, two pilot vehicles, a mechanic truck and a county supervisor vehicle for the road transport to the California-Nevada border.
Along the route, the convoy had to travel at speeds as low as 2.5 mph (4 km/h) while making several stops to allow for the cooling and inspection of axles and brakes. After crossing into Nevada, the Highway Patrol allowed speeds up to 30 - 40 mph (48.2 - 64.4 km/h) on certain short sections of road.
Once at the destination, careful precision was required to manoeuvre the trailer through the narrow gates into the substation as the entrance provided only three inches (7.62 cm) of clearance on either side of the trailer.
The transformer was subsequently disconnected from the trailer and set on the pads at the project site.
C.H. Robinson is a member of the Project Cargo Network (PCN).
