Big B Crane fields Link-Belt lattice crawler fleet on Texas amphitheatre and interstate bridge projects
Texas rental house Big B Crane has put its Link-Belt lattice crawler fleet to work on two of the state’s bigger construction jobs, pouring a parking garage for the 20,000-seat Sunset Amphitheater in McKinney and tandem-lifting 180 ft steel girders over a major interstate.
Twelve lattice crawlers since 2021
Big B Crane, based in Burleson, Texas, has built up a fleet of twelve Link-Belt lattice boom crawlers since 2021, spanning the 150 US ton 238 HSL through to the 300 US ton 348 Series 2. Division manager Kenneth Green says the machines earn their keep through strong jib charts and low transport effort.
“The lattice boom Link-Belt crawlers are easy to move and efficient to transport.”
— Kenneth Green, division manager, Big B Crane
Concrete work for a 20,000-seat venue
In McKinney, north of Dallas, three of the crawlers — a 298 Series 2, a 248 HSL and a 228 HSL — are handling rebar and formwork on the parking garage for the Sunset Amphitheater, an outdoor live-music venue being built on a 46-acre site. The structure called for 69 elevated slab pours and 45,000 cubic yards of concrete, keeping a crew of 200 busy for 32 weeks from the first pick to the last.
The venue will seat up to 20,000 people at full capacity, and the development is projected to generate USD 3 billion in economic impact over ten years while supporting more than 1,300 direct and indirect jobs, according to the amphitheatre’s operators.
Tandem girder picks over the interstate
Elsewhere in the state, Big B has paired its 300-ton 348 Series 2 with a 250-ton 298 Series 2 on a highway bridge job. The duo set 180 ft steel girders weighing 75,000 lb apiece in single picks, and tandem-lifted girder pairs totalling 145,000 lb across a major interstate.
“With this job demanding a reliable crane to set the steel girders over a major interstate, we felt confident in these two Link-Belts to get the job done. Operation went smoothly while these cranes worked together.”
— Kenneth Green, division manager, Big B Crane
Source: Link-Belt — Photos: Link-Belt
Facts
- Fleet: 12 Link-Belt lattice crawlers acquired since 2021, from 238 HSL (150 t US) to 348 Series 2 (300 t US)
- Amphitheatre job: 298 Series 2, 248 HSL, 228 HSL; 69 elevated slab pours, 45,000 cu yd of concrete, 32 weeks
- Bridge job: 348 Series 2 + 298 Series 2; single girders 75,000 lb, tandem picks 145,000 lb at 180 ft length