Barir's World
Humanity To Others;Knowledge Is Not Ours To Keep Alone;Your Mind Is Your Most Precious Resource
This Is My Job - Operating Engineer
POPULAR MECHANICS's future home is a floor in a 46-story tower rising atop New York's historic Hearst Magazine Building. The skyscraper's shell consists of triangles built with 40-ft. columns. In a first for U.S. buildings, there's not a single vertical exterior beam--which poses problems for elite tower-crane operators like Tim Brogan. "It's the most challenging building I've worked on," he says. Brogan often must work in tandem with another crane operator, dangling beams perilously close to ironworkers, yet outside his own view. As the tower nears completion, he's already thinking about a future project, he says. "We're all dying for the new Jets stadium."Published in the June 2005 issue.
BOOM
Made of tubular steel, this bright orange and white boom can extend 200
ft. in any direction with the push of a lever. Brogan can swing it
through a full 360° by depressing a pedal.
HOISTS
Brogan's main load hoists (1-5/8-in.-thick steel wire rope) can lift up
to 57,000 pounds (generators, a/c units) while his 7/8-in. auxiliary
hoists take on smaller jobs, like 1-ton steel beams.
MACHINE DECK
Besides the cab, the deck houses a 493-hp diesel engine and 750-gal.
fuel tank, plus up to four 23,600-pound counterweights that keep the
crane balanced.
CRANE TOWER
Brogan begins his day at 6:30 am with a climb up the 120-ft. crane
tower (not shown) to reach the cab. He's got the best views in the
house--nice, since he stays up through lunch.