Here's a little video mash up made at the Pioneer Coal strip mine with an assortment of equipment sped up just a wee bit. Cheerz. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oo72VX-R3M&feature=c4-overview&list=UUBDziNm8KrCQ4j3sv7ozXeA
Thanks, great video but why are the trucks loaded to less than 1/2 capacity ? Steep terrain going out of the pit ?
I'm not involved with the process but the two schools of thought at the time were older rock trucks that may have been restricted in some way and as you mentioned a wet load being carried up a steep grade. Newer trucks with higher capacity (scales on the side) did show up about 6 weeks later but the originals are still on the go.
Looks like a lot of wasted time, money and fuel to me. Not really knowing whats going on there, but didnt see one full bucket, or even anything productive going on. If I sent trucks out like that, I wouldnt have a job. Then again, I have never worked in a mine before.
Looked to be haul road maintenance of some sort, widening perhaps?
Looks like coal bodies. So maybe it was rock they were loading?
I agree, that 1 truck sent out like that is an OOPSY, 2 trucks will get you 2 checks but I also agree that it looks like the main loading area is down below and it looks like there cleaning up the road that appears to have washed from above......I had a super that would tell you once," they don't have 1/2 pay for 1/2 full trucks, so fill it up or there are plenty of people that can!" He would stand there and toss rocks on a loaded truck passing by and lord help you if it didn't roll off n hit the ground......I saw more than 1 operator move from loading unit operator to truck driver or worse, like 390eric said waste of time, money and fuel......