Omega Morgan takes on mountain pass

US heavy transport specialist Omega Morgan attracted a lot of public interest with its latest heavy load, as it moved an 870,000 lb (395 tonne) convoy over the Colorado Mountains.

The job required a 370 ft (112 m) convoy that included Omega Morgan’s high-frame, dual-lane trailer called “Sweet Pea.” One pull truck and three push trucks using 2,000 horsepower moved the 336,000 lb (152 tonne) transformer to the Excel Energy substation in Poncha Springs, Colorado. The entire weight of the transformer and the convoy was 870,000 lb (395 tonne), the maximum width was 20 ft (6 m) and its height was 17 ft (5.2 m).

“We have completed some pretty spectacular moves of all types of machines and equipment so sometimes we do get calls from people who are curious. This recent move got attention in Colorado, not only because of the size, but also because people were fascinated with the 170 tires on the ground moving all of our vehicles,” said John McCalla, Omega Morgan’s president and CEO.

The biggest challenge was transporting the giant transformer up the 9,700-ft (3,000 m) Wolf Creek Pass and then cautiously moving it down the other side at a 6% grade.

The 141-mile journey was completed in over two days.