Reynolds Transfer and Storage has used Hydra-Slide hydraulic skidding equipment to remove and replace a transformer in Madison, Wisconsin.
A 237,000-lb (107.5-tonne) transformer, which was originally installed at the utility company’s facilities by Reynolds in 1984, needed to be removed. Reynolds deployed a 300-ton (272.2-tonne) capacity HT300 heavy track hydraulic skidding system and a 500-ton (453.6-tonne) capacity turntable.
Thomas Reynolds, president at Reynolds Transfer and Storage, explained that the old transformer was moved 1,000 ft (304.8 m). “Hydra-Slide track lengths were leap-frogged ahead to provide for continuous movement with less total track length,” added Thomas Reynolds.
The replacement 170,000-lb (77.1-tonne) transformer was subsequently transported from Fond Du Lac to the project site in Madison on an 85-ton (77.1-tonne) capacity trailer.
Thomas Reynolds added: “We needed to take the trailer apart just to get into the substation for unloading. The substation was very congested and energised so we unloaded and slid from the trailer onto the new pad. We also needed to rotate the new unit 90 degrees and then went over the new 4 ft (1.2 m)-deep pit and onto the pad for final placement.”
