Deere is sinking!

[BillG_in_TX]

On the way to work this morning I noticed that the city was digging out a large collection pond with a track hoe.

Things weren't going so well when I went home for lunch. The bank had collapsed and the JD was sinking./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

 

[BillG_in_TX]

On my way back to the office, I noticed that help had arrived. They have been bringing in truckloads of broken concrete and building a ramp.

They're going to hook up cables to all of the dozers, graders, etc. and pull it out. I couldn't stay to watch all the fun, but several neighbors are filling in for me, watching our tax dollars at work./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Miklos]

Did you leave them your camera so you can keep us updated?

 

[BillG_in_TX]

<font color=blue>Did you leave them your camera so you can keep us updated?</font color=blue>

No, but I'll be going by there later today.
If it's gone, they either got it out/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif, or ... it kept sinking!/w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

 

[njrqs]

That would make a good artifical reef !!!!!!!

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Stopped by again on the way home. Things were not getting better. They weretrying to use the loader to lift the back end of the hoe while they pulled with a big winch. Got the loader stuck./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Hooked up the big winch to the loader and got it out./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[BillG_in_TX]

However, I think the JD is still sinking. There's an operator in it, pushing back with the bucket while the tow truck tugs mightily, but to no avail. Talked to a city employee who said "what they need to do is bring the BIG Cat over- it'd be outta there in a minute." Only problem is, they would have to rent a BIG rig to haul it over from the landfill./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

And so it continues. My camera battery went "kaput", so I came home for dinner. I'll head over there later to see if they brought in the big boy.

 

[Will_C]

As Ricky used to say to Lucy, the operator might have some "'splaining" to do!!!

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Man I've had some days like that. But, never with such a large audience!/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Well, the excitement is over. I found him sitting on the bank drying out./w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

 

[BillG_in_TX]

The pond is returning to some degree of normalcy, with the ducks out of hiding and a boy fishing. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

The boy told me that they hooked up 4 winch cables from two trucks and "pulled that sucker out."/w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

 

[Steve_in_Ont]

General rule - When something is stuck... it will take something bigger to get it out.

 

[ejb]

Do you suppose they got a permit from the DEP for working so close to a wetland? I am pretty sure that is a violation of quite a few laws....../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Harv]

<font color=blue>it will take something bigger to get it out</font color=blue>

Or lots of them.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

You're probably right about it being a "wetland". Deferred maintenance of more than a decade has changed this rainwater runoff collection pond into a wildlife refuge of sorts./w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

 

[DarinRay]

Excellent photos you took there and sure am glad that wasn't me. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Darin

 

[Kodiak]

Thats a pretty neat little Cat loader they have there. I didn't know that they had a rear engine track loader model.

 

[Will_C]

Most Cat track loaders have been rear engined for about 12-15 years now. It is an old concept brought back. Many of the earliest track loaders were designed that way for balance.
Cat also brought back the high track idea found on their dozers, D4 and up. The earliest Cletracs were designed that way in the 1920's. The more things change,...

 

[B7500]

Neat, interesting pictures. Makes me think about being a little more careful with my 'Bota.
-Terry