My "office"

[Rogue]

Hey guys,

Some of you know I finally got my dream job last Nov. Here's what I call my office for 48 hrs/wk. To give you some perspective... when i took this pic, there was actually 3 men standing behind the cab doing diagnostics on the electrical panels. Can't even see them , can ya?:eek:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i178/King-Rick/Wyoming/0825001230.jpg

And here's a link to some pics from work. I'm pretty fortunate to be able to earn a living (and a **** good one) at what some only get to sit at home and watch on TV.
I've been running Hvy Equip. for years, and thought i'd been around some big stuff before, but when i got out here, and started this job, that all went out the window !!

There is NOTHING more cool than operating a $4 million dollar truck that gross weights at over 500 ton !!
http://picasaweb.google.com/english.ra/WyomingCoal#

[Rogue]

Here's a vid for you also

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R0cJlLDslY

Can you tell I Love my job?

[A32Limited]

Those are some pretty cool pictures. The cockpits of those are much more high tech then I thought they were.

[ddc333]

Hi Rick

Do you guys only have electric drive trucks ?? and are they only the dc style ??

Also is that Rio Tinto I saw that owns the mine ??

I also work in an open cut pit in the Hunter Valley (Australia supplying the world's biggest coal export terminal) with the the 830E trucks. The seams in the pit where I am are fairly small compared to the ones you showed.

How big is the mine what other equipment do they run there ?

Just curious to learn more from over the other side


Thanks

[Rogue]

Hi Rick

Do you guys only have electric drive trucks ?? and are they only the dc style ??

Also is that Rio Tinto I saw that owns the mine ??

I also work in an open cut pit in the Hunter Valley (Australia supplying the world's biggest coal export terminal) with the the 830E trucks. The seams in the pit where I am are fairly small compared to the ones you showed.

How big is the mine what other equipment do they run there ?

Just curious to learn more from over the other side


Thanks

ddc333,

We run strictly Komatsus for haul trucks. 33 of them are 830e's, and 5 of the 930ae's. Just found out last week that we have 8 more 930's coming in, and will be in service before then end of the year. They will be replacements for some of our older 830's. The 830's are DC drive, and the 930's are AC. The AC delivers power SOO much more predictably and smoother. The Dynamic braking on the 930's is incredible also.

Rio Tinto owned the mine until last November. We are now owned by this Co.
http://www.cloudpeakenergy.com/operations/antelope-mine

I'm not sure on the size of the mine itself, but we are considered a mid-sized operation compared to some here. We shipped right at 36 million tons last year.

Some of the other equipment we run:

We have one P&H 4100 XPC, and 2 XPB's. Also have 3 P&H 2300's. Three CAT 24H blades take care of the roads, along with a couple more 16H's. Our dozers are all D10& D11R's, and we have close to dozen of those. We only have one dragline, and it's a Marion 8200. The watertrucks are all CAT 789-793's.

Everything has Sirius satellite radio in it.

Probably the most impressive thing on our site is the fact that we just surpassed 5 MILLION man hours w/o a lost time incident !!


What kind of shifts do you guys run? We are on a 4x4 schedule. 12 hr shifts, 4 on, 4 off. 2 sets of days, then 2 sets of nights. And I love it !

Keep in touch. Nice to know someone else out there has an understanding of what this industry is like.

[Stuff]

I have been thinking of a career in this. there is 2 mines around me and 2 power plants. it would be coal hauling though.

http://static.flickr.com/144/323113580_bfe1a8cdf8.jpg

[Rogue]

I have been thinking of a career in this. there is 2 mines around me and 2 power plants. it would be coal hauling though.

http://static.flickr.com/144/323113580_bfe1a8cdf8.jpg

I haul both dirt and coal, but prefer dirt runs. And obviously, there's ALOT more of it to move than coal. Dirt is faster paced, and makes the shift go by faster. I can easily get 80 loads per shift on dirt. Hauling coal on the other hand, some of our runs can be up to 45 minutes for a round trip. And that makes for one slooow shift, especially when your working nights.

[cummingsman29]

Now that is a truck!!!

[dirtpusher9]

Welcome Rick, and nice office. I thought about working in the mines around here but thought it would be the same-ol same-ol, day in day out. No offense.

[RCLogger]

Thanks for the informations and the video. Great to see the truck from the inside..

greg

[Rogue]

Welcome Rick, and nice office. I thought about working in the mines around here but thought it would be the same-ol same-ol, day in day out. No offense.

I hear ya, and no offense taken. Some can't handle the monotony of this job. But they pay me dam good money to do it, along with insurance, benefits, 401, quarterly bonuses, etc.

And in todays job market and economy (or LACK of one), the same ol, same ol is pretty easy to get used to.

I was with my last Co. for 10 years when we went through a ownership change. We got the typical story "Relax, you have nothing to worry about. Everything will be business as usual". 3 months later I was handed my severance check ! A bunch of us found out quick the meaning of the phrase "Just because you're important, doesn't mean you're necessary". That was 2 years ago. I struggled for 14 months trying to find work in an area that was home for 44 years (Portland,OR), before i landed this job out here. A stark contrast to what i'm used to, but when it comes to putting fuel in my truck and my own belly, you've gotta do what you've gotta do.

But for me the biggest satisfaction of this job is knowing that alot of people are jealous of it, and wished they could be doing it too.:p

[ihbuilder]

I hear ya on the econ. Rick . I've been fighting for 2yrs going on 3 . any openings there I'd love to get on an D11 I finally got to see 1 in person . the biggest piece I've been on was a TD 25 dozer and 963 loader .

[Thorsteenster]

One helluva view from your office! All I get is 3 dividers lol.

Welcome Rick, and nice office. I thought about working in the mines around here but thought it would be the same-ol same-ol, day in day out. No offense.

Work any job long enough and it becomes the same-ol same-ol DIDO routine.
;)

[Stuff]

ya that would make the shift go by fast! problem here is they have to truck that coal about 10km to the plants from the pits.

[ddc333]

Hi Rick

We have around 70 trucks now increasing weekly at the moment all 830e's about 20 are the ac drive and yeah they are so much better to drive but far more temperamental and sensitive with the electric drive then the old dc trucks.

They have 5 shovels 2 4100, two a size smaller and one a size bigger. They have 2 drag-lines don't ask what size as I really don't see them. They also have 3 Hitachi 5500's excavators one currently under construction none older then 12 months plus more on the way. Also a Hitachi 3600 all these are for the overburden removal.

For coal there is 3 LeTourne 1850 loaders plus 1 1250 I think to help out and with the chitta

I think in excess of 20 dozers all D11 most R's and T's still a few N's left. They probably have 7 or so 475 Komatsu's left but no one likes them fairly rough to operate.
There is also 2 24 size graders ones a H the other an M I think. Also another 6 16h's. Water carts are all 777's 8 of them I think they have some 785's coming.

We also run 9 rotary drills a few more of them coming as well. That is what I currently operate nice and steady no angry shovel operators dropping loads from a great height.

I read the other day that they have just spent 105 million in the last year on new equipment well a bit longer as the diggers take 2 years to come off the production line.

They mine stretches about 29km from one side to the other ( apparently one of the biggest open cut operations in the southern hemisphere up the road a few km's is the biggest) and they basically run 3 satellite pits within the mine.
We have the one main washery and depending on your location easily an hour round trip when your on the coal. But some of the pits also have 30 to 45 minute round trips on the dirt so its much of a muchness I guess. My personal preference was the coal never as much pressure as some of the shovels.

We work a 4 panel roster all 12 hr shifts and it is basically 7 days out of every 14. Work : Monday, Tuesday day work off till the Friday night working Saturday and Sunday nights as well , then off till the Wednesday Thursday, day work off all weekend till Monday night work Tuesday night as well off then till the Friday day work, working the weekend off then till the Wednesday Thursday night Friday and the weekend off and then back to the beginning.

They also run an 8 and 9 hour crib relief to keep the trucks running for the full 12 hrs and those rosters are divorce rosters.

I hear what your saying about employment as Australia hasn't suffered like every where else in the world in terms of economic down turn but it was only as a result of our resources sector exporting every thing they can to China coal, Iron ore and so forth

By the way I also worked for a Rinker company which was bought by Cemex and then whoever bought them, in a quarry as well.

What a lot of rambling if you want to know anything else just ask I'll do my best to answer

[pugs]

Dang nice office, they should have a ride along program.

[CorbettTrailers]

Thanks Rogue. I went to the link that had all the pictures. That brought back some memories. My brother worked in some coal mines in Kentucky until his Diabetes got out of control in 1998 and he had to move back home. He spent his last days working for an Oil Company until Juvenile Diabetes took him from us in 2005. He Would come home for the holidays and bring tons of pictures, and of course some of the best Moonshine I've ever tasted. I still have the canning jars that it he brought it home in.
Thanks again for sharing. The pictures of the Dragline I could stare at forever. Great picture taking too of them Expoding the earth. Definately Priceless!!

Thanks,
John

[roadranger]

Rick - one of the pics said something about "scale check" - does each of these haul trucks have scales built into them?

Also, you said you were running 80 loads of dirt a shift - how many shovel buckets to load a haul truck?

[Rogue]

Rick - one of the pics said something about "scale check" - does each of these haul trucks have scales built into them?

Also, you said you were running 80 loads of dirt a shift - how many shovel buckets to load a haul truck?

Jim- Yes, every truck has onboard scales through the OEM Komatsu dash mounted display. You can scroll through Payload, the pressure exerted on each individual strut,total loads per shift, inclinometer, on and on.

This is inter - connected with our Modular Mining Solutions display which every piece of equipment is fitted with. This thing is scary cool ! It is under control of the main dispatch in Gillette (80 miles away !) It monitors truck gross weight, GPS locations, cycle times, etc. It actually acts as my "time clock" also. I log on and off from whatever truck i'm assigned to that day, and records hours worked accordingly. The govt. would be envious of this thing.:eek: This system does everything except tell me what I have in my lunchbox for the day:rolleyes:

Aside from the seemingly obvious things, like downtime, it goes way beyond that and gives us every posible option for why we in any given mode.

DOWN - includes equipment problems from elec. to tires, engine, blown hoses, taking a truck to the shop for a PM, or worse case scenario, a MAYDAY , which everything in the mine stops until the MAYDAY is cleared..... Incidently, we have our own fire truck and ambulance on site, with a minimum of 6 ALERT team members on any given shift

DELAY - anything from a bathroom break, to lunch, fueling, weather (which could be blowing dust, blowing snow, lightning, rain), cab cleaning, waiting for the shovel, blasting

Dispatch has the ability to TXT us on the screen, and us back to them. They can assign you to a different run, or area of the mine. In some cases, i get lippy with them in return, and argue their assignment, sometimes I thank them.:p

Everything you do in these trucks is monitored and recorded through this system. Overspeeds, excessive delays, travelling beyond 75' with the bed up, ignoring OEM alarms, overloads. When you log off at the end of shift, your shift report is compiled, and emailed to your shift Super. They review them the next day, and given enough bad reports, they will haul you in, and put you through a review.

It has been kind of tough for me to get used to working under such tight guidelines. I came from the old school where you (and I absolutely HATE this phrase ... "Got r Done"). But this mine just completed 5 MILLION man hours without a lost time accident, so I accept the fact that what they are doing is for everyone's best interest and safety.

To answer your second question, the big shovels are typically good for 110- 155 ton per bucket, depending on material. That's 2 passes for a smaller 240 ton truck, and 3 buckets for the 340 ton trucks. A good shovel operator can make a full pass in 30 seconds. So typically 60 seconds for a small truck, and 90 seconds for a big truck.

OK, my thumbs hurt from typing now........

[Lil Giants]

Was there any classroom time before stepping into the haul trk?

How's it your fault if you're overloaded and how do you rectify the problem?

What's a 'lost time accident'? Truck crashes into another piece or roll over?

Have you had a wet load yet and pulled a wheelie to jerk the load off?
...that just sounds like really filthy talk, eh? butcha know what I mean? :D

All great stuff to read about, thanx for sharing Rick and Daniel, keep the chatter going... someday I'll make it up to Fort McMurray, Alberta to check out the BIG TOYS in the Tar Sands ...maybe even work there someday too.

[Rogue]

Was there any classroom time before stepping into the haul trk?

How's it your fault if you're overloaded and how do you rectify the problem?

What's a 'lost time accident'? Truck crashes into another piece or roll over?

Have you had a wet load yet and pulled a wheelie to jerk the load off?
...that just sounds like really filthy talk, eh? butcha know what I mean? :D

All great stuff to read about, thanx for sharing Rick and Daniel, keep the chatter going... someday I'll make it up to Fort McMurray, Alberta to check out the BIG TOYS in the Tar Sands ...maybe even work there someday too.

Joe,

10-4 on the classroom time. 48 hrs of it !! After signing enough forms and paperwork to make you feel like you just bought a new house, the last four hours are spent ina simulator. And this thing is incredible. It's trailer mounted, and has replaceable cab modules for not only the haul trucks, but blades (graders), dozers, excavators, and letournea loaders. The only one i've been in so far is the haul truck, but it is a actual Komatsu cab that is controlled by a computer program, and scored accordingly. Looking forward from the seat, you see a wrap-around movie screen that replicates your actual field of vision that you would see in a real truck. Even cooler is that the computer generated screen that you watch is a accurate replication of our mine site. Roads, ramps, shovel and hopper locations are all exactly as they are in the mine.When you go through your start-up, the seat vibrates, you have direct steering wheel feedback, everything you would hear and feel as if you were in the real truck. The "Mock" dispatch sends you to different areas to load under different shovels, and in all situations. Along the way, the computer will trick you up by recreating a engine fire, tire blow-outs, oncoming traffic, animals crossing in front of you. Anything and everything that could happen when you're out working. It's the ultimate virtual reality game. I have heard rumors that the simulator cost $3 million, and I have no reason to doubt it.

That's just the first week. 2nd week you ride/drive with a different driver each day, and they report back to the trainer of your progress. Most NOOBs get signed off within that 2nd week, and are turned loose in a truck. Some need a little more help and time. Then when you begin your first night shift, you drive under supervision of a trainer for a couple hours to make sure your equally competent driving in the dark.

About overloads, it's not the drivers fault obviously if it happens. It IS however if you take one more than a certain distance. If one happens, they want it dumped right back in the dig face, which pi$$es off the shovel operator, as you're messing with cycle times and load counts. These trucks go into "Limp Mode" when overloaded,and it limits top speed to 10mph. It's a fail safe to protect the trucks electronics. We recently re-calibrated our trucks , and raised the GVW so overloads don't happen near as often now.

A Lost Time is exactly that. Any incident that keeps you from reporting to work the following day/days. It could be an equipment accident, or something as simple as getting dust in your eyes. Sure we have our share of Boo-boos, both equipment, and personal, but nothing serious enough that we don't show up everyday.

Wet loads !!. Yes, but even worse is a cold load. And they SUCK !!. When it's -22* outside, it's nothing to have up to 35 ton froze in the bottom of the box. Sometimes you can shake them loose, other times not, and the beds need cleaned out.

[Lil Giants]

I'd like to try my hand at the excavator module, see if the 'collective bounce' is as sensitive simulated as it is actual? That small Komatsu hoe how I ran last Fall, I could have made it sing if I were outside of it with a radio control in my hands... being in the cab was quite new experience!

Simulator - animals in the road - if I saw a deer I'd floor it! would that be an automatic FAIL?! I hate them basturds, the amount of destruction they cause on the farm.

Night shift... I use to be a night owl when I was younger, but I get up with the sun now & don't last long after it goes down... flipping your clock every other week, is it something you ever get use to?

Does today's computer systems in these trks keep them from wheelie-ing on a stuck load? How do you clean out a frozen load... excavator?

[ddc333]

Hi Joe


By the sounds of it Rick got it easy!!!!!!

I had 2 full 10 hr day inductions before I could even go on site. Once i started I spent 2 full weeks minimum 10 hr days in the class room doing all the procedures and going through all the rules and regulations. I got two work books about 40mm thick each .......... basically needed to know everything that was in them at the end of 2 weeks. We spent roughly about 4 hrs in a simulator and that was only to simulate emergency braking and if it came to the crunch you knew what you were doing.

After 2 weeks in the class room you then have to spend a minimum of 12 shifts so nearly a month with a trainer sitting next to you or in some cases following in a light vehicle until your deemed competent (At least one person I know took over 33 shifts before someone would pass her out)

After that your on your own till they move you from the 12hr roster to the 8hr and on to the 9 hr before you get back on the 12hr roster which is the best one to be on.

Joe the problem with the simulator is you can't "feel" with it if that makes any sense. I was the only one in the group I went through that had operated before and found the simulator hard because it I couldn't feel the response of the machine. What made it worse was I had come from a mechanical truck back ground to electric drive and there is a fair bit of difference between them.
Joe I reckon you would have no issues with the excavator simulator because of your radio control diggers. You operate without feeling the machine and this is what the simulator lacks. It is good for people that have never operated.

Kangaroos are an issue where we mine and at least one a day is to slow for the trucks. :eek::D:D:D:D

Rick are your trucks speed limited ? Our maximum speed is 50km/hr. As far as i know we don't have an issue with over loads as they aim for 218t maximum payload. This something that Komatsu have put in place as a warranty measure. But that doesn't mean that trucks don't get over loaded just doesn't seem to restrict it's speed.

The emphasis is on the load unit operators not to overload the the trucks. But half the scales don't work properly or there is a problem with the computer systems or they just don't have scales. Also the loading units have scales so they go off those but without the truck scales there is nothing to check their accuracy against. The foreman often tells them throughout a shift how the loads are if they are to heavy or light or to slow turning trucks around and so on.

We use a 35t excavator to scrap out the bodies on the trucks when they get a build up in them or when they have to go to the work shop. Or the cannon of the water cart to blast it out if the little digger is unavailable
They don't like you to shake the trucks to much as it can cause issues and things break but if you have to do it reverse hard till you hit the wind row then break pull the hoist up all at once. :D:D:D

Night shift isn't that bad but all depends on what your doing and when you can have your break.

The computer system basically only records what the operator does so if you got hit the brakes hard it will record it as hard brake application and warnings go to dispatch and the foreman, same deal for over speeds.

[Stuff]

hmmm maybe i should apply at the mines here lol

[Rogue]

........ I was the only one in the group I went through that had operated before and found the simulator hard because it I couldn't feel the response of the machine. What made it worse was I had come from a mechanical truck back ground to electric drive and there is a fair bit of difference between them.

I went through the same learning curve, as I came from a mechanical truck background. I still find myself reaching for that retarder handle sometimes:rolleyes:

Kangaroos are an issue where we mine and at least one a day is to slow for the trucks. :eek::D:D:D:D

Out here where I am at, the **** antelope are what run rampant. They literally out number the human population in this state by 30,000 !!!
We have all sorts of wildlife on our site. Bald and Golden Eagles, antelope, prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, wild turkeys, and these big bull elk.There are 5 total, but you usually only catch these 3 at one time. All 5 together is a treat. The wander free on our reclaimed property. Needless to say, ALL wildlife has the right-of-way. We had to shut down one of our pits back in April, as we within 1 mile of a pair of nesting eagles that had hatchlings.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i178/King-Rick/Wyoming/DSC_0244.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i178/King-Rick/Wyoming/DSC_0383.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i178/King-Rick/Wyoming/DSC_0443.jpg


Rick are your trucks speed limited ? Our maximum speed is 50km/hr. As far as i know we don't have an issue with over loads as they aim for 218t maximum payload. This something that Komatsu have put in place as a warranty measure. But that doesn't mean that trucks don't get over loaded just doesn't seem to restrict it's speed.

Yes, the 830e's are limited to 28mph. The 930ae's are good up to 35mph. While not as fast as the big trucks, the 830's are quicker to build speed, so it's gets to be a pain when they mix the two sizes on a run. The big trucks are slower when loaded and climbing a ramp, yet they all but push the small trucks coming down a ramp empty.
Our 830's are good for 285ton, before they go into limp mode. The 930's are good for 385. The shovel hands on my crew are typically consistent at keeping the trucks right in the 245-260 range.

The emphasis is on the load unit operators not to overload the the trucks. But half the scales don't work properly or there is a problem with the computer systems or they just don't have scales. Also the loading units have scales so they go off those but without the truck scales there is nothing to check their accuracy against. The foreman often tells them throughout a shift how the loads are if they are to heavy or light or to slow turning trucks around and so on.

WOW, our computer system is so stringent its not even funny. The shovel keeps track of loads and tons total per shift, and loads and total tons per each truck that he loaded that shift. The computer in the truck logs total loads, and tons moved per shift. Cycle times are also logged by both the trucks and shovels. We just finished up 3rd quarter, and with the weather conditions being ideal here, our three 4100 shovels averaged 2.6 million tons each per month for the quarter.

We use a 35t excavator to scrap out the bodies on the trucks when they get a build up in them or when they have to go to the work shop. Or the cannon of the water cart to blast it out if the little digger is unavailable
They don't like you to shake the trucks to much as it can cause issues and things break but if you have to do it reverse hard till you hit the wind row then break pull the hoist up all at once. :D:D:D

We too use a small excavator for cleaning beds. We also have a older CAT 988 with a quick-change on it that has a stinger attachment for cleaning beds. We appropriately call this the "Violator". They don't like us "brake-checking" when the boxes are up, but we do it. i've seen trunnions shear off, and hoist cylinder spike into the dirt. Worse yet, one will pierce the floor of the box.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i178/King-Rick/Wyoming/P6220006.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i178/King-Rick/Wyoming/P6210003.jpg

Night shift isn't that bad but all depends on what your doing and when you can have your break.

I usually like to take my break 2/3 through shift. That way you only have 3-4 hours left, and you're done. But we don't always get to make the call, as it's up to dispatch.
The computer system basically only records what the operator does so if you got hit the brakes hard it will record it as hard brake application and warnings go to dispatch and the foreman, same deal for over speeds.

Our system does everything but tell you if your socks don't match, or what's in your lunchbox that day....

[Bigrigger]

I have been thinking of a career in this. there is 2 mines around me and 2 power plants. it would be coal hauling though.

http://static.flickr.com/144/323113580_bfe1a8cdf8.jpg

:eek::eek::eek::confused: Is that some sort of Mars mining truck? I've never seen anything like it!:eek::eek::confused: How can it support so much weight without another axle? Crazy.:confused: Looks cool though.:D

[Cossett]

:eek::eek::eek::confused: Is that some sort of Mars mining truck? I've never seen anything like it!:eek::eek::confused: How can it support so much weight without another axle? Crazy.:confused: Looks cool though.:D

Hi Trucker,

Just finished haveing a read of the Kress 200C II Coal Hauler interesting read
http://www.kresscarrier.com/brochures.php

Cheers Cossett

[Mikemike]

WOW now thats the kind if job i want. LOL

[Stuff]

I'm still waiting for a call back. guys on the inside saying they are shuffling house..

[pigeonfarmboy]

Quite an interesting bit of reading! I have been considering working in this industry myself so anytime I read positive comments on doing it day in day out, it makes the decision more enticing.