A 120-ton rough terrain crane sets the stage for America’s 250th anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C.
W.O. Grubb Crane Rental put a 120-ton Link-Belt 120|RT to work on the National Mall, lifting and positioning storage containers and other event equipment for the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration.
Rough terrain crane on the Mall
Event work rarely gets the attention that heavy industrial lifting does, but it puts its own demands on a crane: confined set-up areas, pedestrian traffic, protected ground and a schedule that will not move. For the 250th anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C., W.O. Grubb Crane Rental of Richmond, Virginia, brought in a 120-ton Link-Belt 120|RT.
The machine was used to lift and place multiple large storage containers along with other equipment needed to build out the site. Photographs from the job show the crane rigged on mats and timber cribbing beside the Mall’s turf, working within temporary fencing and alongside road closures, with the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial in the background.
Why an RT
A rough terrain crane is a natural fit for this kind of work. It travels to site on a low-loader, sets up in a small footprint and can be repositioned quickly between picks without the road permits a truck crane would need. That flexibility counts on a temporary event build where lift points are spread across a large public space.
Link-Belt has not released further detail on the loads, radii or duration of the job. Photographs of the work were provided by W.O. Grubb Crane Rental.
Crane facts
- Model: Link-Belt 120|RT rough terrain crane
- Capacity: 120 US tons
- Crane owner: W.O. Grubb Crane Rental, Richmond, Virginia
Project
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Occasion: United States 250th anniversary celebration
- Scope: Lifting and placing large storage containers and event equipment

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