Looking Back: Cranes From the 1950s

Mon January 27, 2020 - National Edition
HCEA

Construction Equipment Guide takes a lookback at Cranes at work during the 1950's

This story also appears on Crane Equipment Guide.

Pipeline construction often required a host of pipelayers to place long sections of pipe. Eight Cat pipelayers are visible in this Sept. 11, 1954 scene as they hold a 600-ft. section of pipe. They will walk it to the edge of the Niagara River during construction of the first pipeline, a natural gas line for the Tennessee Gas Transmission Company, to cross the river. (Dunbar & Sullivan Dredging Company collection, HCEA Archives)

On August 15, 1959, sixty years ago, Merritt-Chapman & Scott is using a Marion 43-M truck crane to pick a blasting mat during construction of the Niagara Power Project. The hauler is one of some 120 R22 and R27 Euclids and PH95 Payhaulers M-C&S massed to handle nearly 17 million yds. of rock excavation on two contracts to construct the power plant, intake structure and two conduits. The mat is placed over a small blast to contain debris. (Marion Power Shovel Company photo, HCEA Archives)

Stripping overburden in 1957 near Wheatcroft, Ky., the International TD-24 is taking 10 ft.off the top while the Bucyrus-Erie 200W walking dragline removes an additional 25 ft. with its 6-1/2 cu. yd. bucket. (Pit & Quarry Magazine photo, HCEA Archive)

This dragline bucket is getting a lift into an Euclid end dump for a trip to the shop. An early Austin-Western crane does the honors in this shot taken in 1957 at Edward J. Petrillo I (Austin-Western Road Machinery Company collection photo, HCEA Archives)

An Austin-Western hydraulic crane owned by Truck Crane Service Company unloads 32-ft., 1-ton bridge beams during construction of U.S. 65 near Minneapolis, Minn., in 1957. Austin-Western developed the first hydraulic crane, nicknamed the “Anteater,” for military service in World War II, and Grove Manufacturing perfected the industrial hydraulic crane in 1952. (Austin-Western Division of Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton photo, HCEA Archives)

Today's top stories

Construction Market Boosts Economy

Bobcat Company Donates $885,000 in Equipment to Support Salvation Army's Disaster Relief Efforts

VIDEO: KEMROC Expands; Plans to Increase Nationwide Presence

'Machinery Pete' Interviews Jack Lyon On RFD TV

VIDEO: Two Major Roadway Project Contracts Awarded by State Officials in West Virginia

VIDEO: First of Two Sections of NYC's $1.45B East Side Coastal Resiliency Project Is Complete

John Deere Construction Introduces Flexible Customer Training Options

INFRA Grant Moves Ohio's N. Coast Connector Project Steps Closer

Related...

Cranes Historical

Read more about...

Cranes Historical

Our Main Office

Construction Equipment Guide
470 Maryland Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034
800-523-2200

About Us

Construction Equipment Guide covers the nation with its four regional newspapers, offering construction and industry news and information along with new and used construction equipment for sale from dealers in your area. Now we extend those services and information to the internet. Making it as easy as possible to find the news and equipment that you need and want.

Contents Copyrighted 2024, by Construction Equipment Guide, which is a Registered Trademark, registered in the U.S. Patent Office. Registration number 0957323. All rights reserved, nothing may be reprinted or reproduced (including framing) in whole or part without written permission from the publisher. All editorial material, photographs, drawings, letters, and other material will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject to Construction Equipment Guide’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. Contributor articles do not necessarily reflect the policy or opinions of this publication.

Read our privacy policy here.
Mastodon

39.95234 \\ -75.16379 \\ Fort Washington \\ PA