Giant Earthmovers Make Wide Load on McDowell Road; Caterpillar Trucks on Way to California

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This is our through-the-windshield shot of a gigantic earthmover being escorted by DPS cruisers this morning going west on McDowell Road. The wheels of the vehicle probably needed a wide-load sign themselves.

We caught up to the procession ahead of us to take this shot, observing as the tractor-trailer's driver moved into oncoming lanes (cleared by the state troopers) to avoid taking out the overhanging streetlights. A similarly escorted load had driven by moments earlier.

Robert Bailey, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety had this to say about the load:

It originated in Pinto Valley, Gila County, just outside of Globe.  The ultimate destination of this load is California.  DPS escorted these two units from Pinto Valley to I-10 at Cotton Lane.  

The load was moved by two heavy haul transporters Performance Transport Inc. and Empire Transport.

 The load was a CAT 785 Haul / Truck and a CAT 785C Haul Truck Chassis.

 The first load had a gross weight of 248,725. Length 110' feet, Width 19'11", Height 16'0".  

The second unit gross weight was 246,000, Length 108'0" Width 19'11'', Height 16'1"

Image: www.flickr.com/photos/10484985@N04/2635921127/

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The Caterpillar 785 is typically configured as one of those oversize Tonka-like dump trucks usually seen working open-pit mines. A few minutes more of screwing around on the Internet also turned up a gem of a video for big rig lovers -- a similar Cat 783 taking out a pickup truck: