Giant Generator Floated by B&O

Partly by land and partly by sea, a giant generator stator destined for the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company's new Charles P. Crane plant at Chase, Md., was moved through Baltimore on September 30. By special request, the Baltimore and Ohio handled the "naval phase" of the operations, utilizing its float bridge and other well-equipped waterfront facilities to accomplish the feat. With a gross weight of 495,700 pounds, it was the largest single movement floated in Baltimore Harbor in recent years.

Propelled across Baltimore Harbor by B&O tug George M. Shriver, the jumbo generator moves from Locust Point to B&O's Canton slip, for completion of its journey to Baltimore Gas and Electric Company's new Charles P. Crane plant at Chase, Md.

The generator, manufactured by the General Electric Company at its Schenectady, N. Y. plant, had been moved by the Delaware and Hudson, the Pennsylvania and Western Maryland Railroads to Baltimore, in the month of May. Because of its tremendous size (fifteen feet, ten inches in height, by twelve feet, eight inches in width), the shipment posed real clearance problems. It was impossible, for instance, for it to move through the Baltimore Beltline tunnels.

Here is a good view of the generator, measuring 15 feet 10 inches in height by 19 feet 8 inches in width, as it rested on special-duty, eight-axle depressed car. Shipment had gross weight of 495,700 lbs.-a real whopper

To overcome these problems, and also because the Gas and Electric Company's Chase, Md. plant was not yet ready for the installation to be made, the B&O was asked to take over handling of the jumbo generator at McComas Street, Baltimore, for movement to the Gas Company's Cox Creek plant at Curtis Bay for temporary safekeeping. B&O Clearance Engineer C. G. Schanze and his associates, by working closely with the Pennsy and Western Maryland representatives, had perfected an elaborate special movement plan for its handling.

Close-up view of shipment in mid-stream of Baltimore Harbor. Because of its huge size, keen interest was manifest in this unusual movement. Note photographers recording the scene. In later phase of operation, tug pulled alongside float to accomplish move

At the Curtis Bay plant, the transformer was removed from the special heavy-duty, eight-axle, depressed car, Erie 7295, on which it had traveled from Scpenectady, for storage. Destined for Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.'s New Chase, Md. Plant, It was the largest ,shipment floated in Baltimore Harbor in Recent Years.

Here the transformer, which has been placed on a carftoat after passing over float bridge (shown in background) at Locust Point, is ready to be moved out into the harbor. Men aboard tugboat finish the job of securing carfloat

When the Gas and Electric Company's Chase plant was ready to receive the transformer, the giant mechanism was loaded onto another special duty, eight-axle, CNW 48003, and moved from Curtis Bay via B&O rails to Locust Point. There it was placed on our transfer bridge and floated across the harbor to B&O's Canton Branch. It was a busy day for Floatmaster Al Knorr and his associates! They accomplished the intricate job in fine style, overcoming a number of special problems which the gargantuan shipment presented. The transformer was moved up the Canton Branch to Bay View, where it was delivered to the Pennsy for the final leg of its journey to the Charles P. Crane plant at Chase.

This is just another example of how the railroads handle massive shipments for the nation's commerce-shipments which they and they alone are capable of transporting.