journey to the big bucket wheel excavator (uncut) - part V

this is a rather unusual series of videos about bucket wheel excavators and the open pit ''Garzweiler'', Germany. I went with my bike to the open pit, then I got off the bike and filmed a bucket wheel excavator at work.

There are a lot of other fascinating details of the open pit which I included in the videos. Only a few times I used the tripod because it limits a bit what can be filmed. Most of the time I filmed holding the camcorder in my hand - thus, a bit shaky sometimes. Furthermore I haven't cut out ''low quality'' scenes due to the amount of data which I was not willing to process. But this will give you an idea of how it feels like laying for about 2 hours in clods and having the hot sun shining in the back all the time :D

Finally I found out where the biggest b.w.e. in the world, i.e. no. 288 is located (you'll see it in vid 6). I hope you'll enjoy (and if so, plz rate and comment !). If you don't don't waste your time and enjoy some other shorter b.w.e. clips on youtube - there are plenty of them.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• schaufelradbagger
• open
• pit
• opencast
• mine
• mining
• cast
• garzweiler
• ii
• bagger
• 288
• biggest
• bucket
• wheel
• excavator
• in
• the
• world
• tagebau
• braunkohle
• brown
• coal
• lignite
• rheinbraun
• rwe
• loch
• baggerloch
• grube
• greatest
• huge
• large
• vast
• enormous
• very
• mucho
• mucha
• much
• beaucaup
• exploitation
• ciel
• ouvert
• devastación
• enorme
• caramba
• garrafal
• gigante
• inmenso
• monstruoso
• draga
• excavador
• bucket-wheel
• bwe

[goober239]

6:56 wtf a sprinkler?

[newcome880]

@goober239

yep, could be because of the risk that the coal ignites. I've seen that stuff igniting itself in summer (not burning but fuming). Could cause some damage. Just a thought don't know for sure

[shadovanish]

Yes, I would very much like to see videos you make of the the #293 BWE in the Hambach mine!

I was in Southern Germany (Ramstein AFB) in June 2005 for temporary military duty, but with no personal auto, so my travels were somewhat limited. I did take several tours of the region and enjoyed them much, but would have really enjoyed seeing in person the enormous BWE's in Northern Germany's coal mines. But seeing your videos is almost like being there! Thanks newcome880!

[newcome880]

next year, when it's warm again :D I'm possibly going to the open pit Hambach. That's where the biggest BWE of the world is located. BWE 288 is practically the same size, however 293 is about 10 meters longer and 1360 tons heavier than 288. So with a bit of luck I'm going to film it and you can watch and enjoy it. I'm glad you like my videos :-)

[shadovanish]

Thank you for your reply! As you say, Rheinbraun, O&K, and other companies that produced the BWE's would certainly have archival footage and pictures of the construction of these machines. I think it unlikely that these companies would post such information on Youtube, however. Most of the videos seem to come from individuals acting independently. Thanks again!

[newcome880]

certainly it takes several years to construct a machine of that size. Probably there exist such video(s) but perhaps not on the internet. I guess the companies Rheinbraun or RWE or the construction companies Krupp or MAN or Orenstein & Koppel Fördertechnik AG (many companies involved) will possess them.

[shadovanish]

You're welcome! Many of these large mining machines seem to often be located in remote areas that are not always easy to get to. I commend your efforts in obtaining and posting these videos, allowing myself and others to view these awesome machines in operation. I would be very interested in a video(s) of how these machines were constructed; it must have been challenging indeed to assemble the component pieces of these machines, given the heights and enormous size and weight of the components.

[newcome880]

Thank YOU for this comment :-)

[shadovanish]

Thank you for creating and posting these videos of the BWE's in operation! These machines are staggering in their size and complexity, and are among the largest machines that move on land. I was fortunate enough to see the "Big Brutus" Bucyrus Erie 1850B mining shovel while it was still in operation (in 1969)-I think it would seem rather small if compared with these BWE's. Ever since I have been fascinated with large mining machines.