I'm trying to find info about a LeTourneau triple electric scraper. My dad, Corky, ran the first one in the late '60s in the northwest. He's just passed away and didn't leave any details about it. The attached image isn't the right one but the two images below are correct.
The top machine is a Letorneau L-90 scraper, it carried 30 tons per bowl. I did read somewhere there was one working in Idaho/Montana in 1967. The second machine is Letourneau's LT 360 experimental machine, a total prototype with no buyers. It did work on an interstate project in Texas, however. And just for the fun of it the bottom machine is a Euclid TS-SS 40. A total of 5 were built for Western Contracting to wok a large irrigation project in California.
Thanks I appreciate the response! Do you know any dimensions of the first one; I think that must have been the one my father operated. Height, width, length, horsepower, etc.
Here is a Letourneau L90 in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahH7B5-O8Vc R.G. had some weird machines, but these look great and function well in my opinion. I'd like to have been able to run one.
There is a person that posts here or used to..... tournadude, he is relative of the Letourneau family and has one of the most extensive collections of Letourneau videos that I have ever seen. I also worked with an operator that was working on the Interstate project that RZucker mentioned, when that scraper was brought out. He said they actually had 3 different scrapers there at the same time, said it was really impressive to watch but they weighed so much that they were very limited where they could operate. But he did say that they shamed their Cat/Johnson 621's and Terex's when they were there!
I have to dig for some books, I will add more when I have the info, Somewhere I still have the construction magazine from 1967 that has the article with the L-90 in Idaho. If I remember correctly the L-90 was available with 3 or 4 12V71 Detroit Diesel engines, depending on the buyers preference. At 475 hp apiece, that's quite a bit of power. It was totally electrically controlled and driven by electric wheel motors. I like the idea of no hydraulic leaks etc. But I have also maintained the Letourneau electric motor brakes too. Lots of moving parts and wiring to keep up and working.
The L 360 was one of a kind . Must have an article about the work it did . Have to scan it and you will read it within some days . johan7
I didn't mind the brakes. What I hated were the cables working the ejectors and the limit switches that mostly didn't work.
And motor heat switches that didn't open 'til the motor was on fire... and the early fall influx of flies that hid out in the contactors?
What is it that draws flies to them, is it a smell or a vibration? Of course, there's the same problem with fire ants being drawn to the contacts in home air conditioning units. Just curious if anyone knew...
I think the flies just want a cozy place to try to survive the winter. But they sure gum things up.
Hello , here is the article about that L 360 . I scanned it from the mag Construction Methods from the 60-ies . It was the great scraper era with almost no limits . I can't remember another article of the L 360 , so I think this was the only job it did . For the L 90 , you can watch the film L 90 in Germany , a film I transferred many years ago from video to DVD . If you want more details about this scraper , let me know , I have a lot in my files . There is also an interesting film about Le Tourneau of Liberia . I once met a Frenchman who was chief mechanic on that job . He told me a lot of stories and this man has met RG several times . There was one word you should not use when RG was around : HYDRAULICS . If you did , he knocked the table . Have a nice day , johan7