Bucyrus Erie 3850-B Power Shovel (Peabody Coal Co. - Sinclair Surface Mine) "Big Hog"

Peabody Coal Company ordered this machine for one purpose and one purpose only, the Tennessee Valley Authority. It was built to supply the (at the time) brand new TVA Paradise Fossil Plant and its 3 MASSIVE coal hungry units. TVA and Paradise Fossil Plant still buy Muhlenberg County coal and Peabody coal to this day! This video just shows the old girl going through some simple cycles in the pit. You do catch a few views of some pit activity and stuff as well! Enjoy.

Some interesting facts about this machine my Grandfather & Aunt used to work on:

-Boom Length: 215 feet
-Overall Height: 220 feet
-Bucket Capacity: 115 cubic yards
-Crawler Size: 40 ft. long by 7.6 ft. wide
-Crawler Height: 10 feet
-Overall Weight: 22 Million lbs.
-Date Started: 1962
-Date Retired:1987 (roughly)
-Location: Outside Central City/Drakesboro in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky (Western Kentucky)

**When this shovel was built, it was easily considered the "World's Largest Machine/Shovel" ever built. It held that title for a relatively short time though unfortunately.

This machine was left somewhat intact, but higher portions were cut off of it when it walked into a hole that it dug for itself. After everything was trimmed off, the Sinclair BE 1260-W Dragline filled the dirt in around the machine and it was literally buried close to the TVA power plant on Peabody Property. That property is now owned by the US Government and trespassing is strictly forbidden.

To this day, the legendary "Big Hog" still resides under a deep number of feet of dirt in Muhlenberg County. The Big Hog was featured in an article in the January 1963 "Science and Mechanics" Magazine. An artistic rendering of this machine graced that issues cover. I'll never forget seeing this machine parked in its own grave that it dug, just waiting for the dirt and cutters torch. I had a grandfather and an aunt that worked around and on this shovel during its life. It will always be part of my family just like the Marion 5960 Shovel across the county at River Queen Mine!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Peabody
• Peabody Coal Company
• Bucyrus Erie
• Bucyrus
• Stripping Shovel
• Power Shovel
• Sinclair Surface Mine
• Sinclair
• TVA
• Tennessee Valley Authority
• Paradise
• Paradise Fossil Plant
• 3850 Shovel
• truck
• engine
• weapons
• vehicle

[AviationPhotogBNA]

Yes, it is buried close to Paradise Fossil Plant in Muhlenberg County, KY.

[AviationPhotogBNA]

Parts were scrapped and other parts were sent to Southern Illinois for work on a twin machine at the time it was shut down. Otherwise, the shovel was buried in a pit dug by the dragline onsite. It was cut down and buried to be exact.

[generationll]

Very impressive machine.Its bucket is not much larger then the 105 yards that the Silver Spade had.Too bad that these units have gone the way of the dinosaur

[AviationPhotogBNA]

@generationll I agree. It's a shame that these are gone. This one is only 80 feet below the ground though. LOL!!

[crossphase1000]

this look like something Jawas would have...

[CVRT16]

My dad took me to see this shovel running back in 1966 when I was ten. I still remember seeing it operate just as this film shows. I was impressed with how quiet it was. It is awesome to see this video. Thanks for posting.

[sneezabonk]

Was there any landmark that shows where the shovel is now

[drisdrisdrisdris]

Why did they bury it instead of scrapping it? Underground its a waste of money.

[drisdrisdrisdris]

@AviationPhotogBNA What do you mean "below the ground", isn`t it scraped?

[chipmunk5510]

Isn't this buried just off the TVA Paradise Fossil Plant site?

[jonnarae111]

Power for 3850 came from T.V.A.

[jonnarae111]

The operator of the 3850 in this video is my late husband,Gerald Woodson.What a wonderful surprise when I heard his name.R.I.P. Gerald