Day 4: The melter assembly arrives in Washington

The melter assembly arrived at the Washington border today, where it was weighed and inspected. It will arrive at the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant construction site tomorrow.

The trailer carrying the melter assembly sits less than nine inches above the ground. (View larger image.)

The melter assembly measures 30 feet long, 21 feet wide and 13 feet tall. (View larger image.)

Interesting facts:

• The transporter uses two tractors: one in front of the trailer and one in back of the trailer; the one in back pushes the trailer and is especially useful when traveling up and down hills
• The trailer carrying the melter has 80 tires: 48 in the back, behind the melter, and 32 in the front; the tractors each have 14 tires
• The entire melter transporter -- tractors and trailer -- uses a total of 108 tires
• 43 chains, each 20 feet long and each weighing 100 pounds -- more than two tons total -- are used to help secure the melter to the trailer
• The trailer carrying the melter sits less than nine inches above the ground; it can be hydraulically lowered to ground level or raised up to four feet in the air
• Lowering the trailer to ground level, to travel under overpasses, takes just 3 to 5 minutes

(View larger image.)

(View larger image.)

(View larger image.)

Check back later for arrival photos and updates!

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