# How do they get large equipment out of the hole? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396 "2010-10-26T12:21:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/21 "2010-10-26T21:38:08Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Tower cranes - [http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/tower-crane4.htm](http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/tower-crane4.htm) Those are more commonly referred to as “Gantry Cranes”, at least around NY state, but that’s how they are assembled. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/22 "2010-10-27T01:04:41Z")
Here is a neat youtube animation of a tower crane [assembling](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB91Sm-kGJ8) itself. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/23 "2010-10-27T01:48:38Z")
Three of the giant tunnel boring machines used to dig the English Channel Tunnel were angled downward and buried, where they remain today. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/24 "2010-10-27T02:22:58Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Three of the giant tunnel boring machines used to dig the English Channel Tunnel were angled downward and buried, where they remain today. The archaeologists of the future certainly have their work cut out for them… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/25 "2010-10-27T02:25:52Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > The archaeologists of the future certainly have their work cut out for them… “And new evidence has been discovered that the Brittanic Peninsula was invaded in the early 21st century by MOLEMEN!” ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/26 "2010-10-28T01:18:51Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Here is a neat youtube animation of a tower crane [assembling](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB91Sm-kGJ8) itself. That is interesting. My understsnding is the operator climbs into the tower at the begining of the day. Hasa to be in the seat at starting time. Has lunch in the cab and only comes down at the end of the day. He is also in the cab when it is being jacked up. As faar as I am considered the job does not pay enough for me to be interested. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/27 "2010-10-28T01:38:11Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > According to an authoritative [reference](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mulligan_and_His_Steam_Shovel) I ran across many years ago, they just leave the equipment there and it becomes part of the new building’s HVAC system. I’ll accept that as authoritative. Because Captain Kangaroo never would have lied to me. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/28 "2010-10-28T03:18:16Z")
Before or after orgasm? ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/29 "2010-10-29T16:34:41Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Three of the giant tunnel boring machines used to dig the English Channel Tunnel were angled downward and buried, where they remain today. Rats. I was just coming in here to post that. I once worked as a temp in the oil lab of the construction company that did that job. It was pretty cool talking to the oil lab techs about the whole thing. The fact that it was cheaper to just bury them then try to back them out is a fabulous fun fact I bring up whenever I get the chance. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396/30 "2010-10-29T17:35:32Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > Rats. I was just coming in here to post that. I once worked as a temp in the oil lab of the construction company that did that job. It was pretty cool talking to the oil lab techs about the whole thing. The fact that it was cheaper to just bury them then try to back them out is a fabulous fun fact I bring up whenever I get the chance. It must be hard to date while in that job. “I’m a boring technician. I run a boring machine as part of a whole crew of boring engineers. Basically, my whole life is boring.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-get-large-equipment-out-of-the-hole/558396.md?page=1)