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COLUMBIA, LANCASTER COUNTY -
So far, the sloth-like trek of the new steam generators bound for TMI has been through the scenic rural byways of southern Lancaster County.
On Friday, things got a little trickier.
The crews and transports toting the 24-foot-high, 73-foot-long, 825-ton behemoths negotiated two 90-degree turns and narrow streets in the riverside community of Columbia.
Also, special care was taken so underground infrastructure, such as sewer and water lines, were not damaged.
"Everybody else may have been worried, but the engineers knew exactly what was going to happen," said Denise Woernle, a spokeswoman with AREVA Inc., the company that built the two generators.
Hundreds of people from all over Central Pennsylvania crowded the sidewalks along 2nd Street in the western Lancaster County borough for an up-close look at the generators and their diesel-powered crawler transports.
"Just the logistics to move something that big, it's incredible," Dennis Devoe of Fawn Grove said. "It's kind of neat to see. I'm glad I brought my family out to see it."
Friday's historic move was not the first time Columbia resident Wendy Arter had been up close with one of TMI's massive generators.
Arter did cleanup work at the plant for 10 years after its legendary accident in 1979.
"I just think it's fascinating to see them go through the streets like this," she said.
Arter is glad these pieces of nuclear power history are getting plenty of attention.
"It's a great thing," she said. "It brings everbody in town together again."
Some things had to be taken apart for the generators' arrival.
A few phone and power lines were disconnedted to give the generators clearance.
"We're trying to disconnect and reconnect people as quickly as possible," Woernle said.
The generators move on 26-axel crawlers at only a pace of 3 miles per hour.
The French-built behemoths started their journey on September 9 from Port Deposit, Md.
"So far, we've made it as far as we've needed to go every day," Woernle said. "Sometimes, we've arrived early, which is good."
The generators will cross Route 30 just north of Columbia on Saturday night.
They are scheduled to arrive at TMI on Wednesday.
On Friday, things got a little trickier.
The crews and transports toting the 24-foot-high, 73-foot-long, 825-ton behemoths negotiated two 90-degree turns and narrow streets in the riverside community of Columbia.
Also, special care was taken so underground infrastructure, such as sewer and water lines, were not damaged.
"Everybody else may have been worried, but the engineers knew exactly what was going to happen," said Denise Woernle, a spokeswoman with AREVA Inc., the company that built the two generators.
Hundreds of people from all over Central Pennsylvania crowded the sidewalks along 2nd Street in the western Lancaster County borough for an up-close look at the generators and their diesel-powered crawler transports.
"Just the logistics to move something that big, it's incredible," Dennis Devoe of Fawn Grove said. "It's kind of neat to see. I'm glad I brought my family out to see it."
Friday's historic move was not the first time Columbia resident Wendy Arter had been up close with one of TMI's massive generators.
Arter did cleanup work at the plant for 10 years after its legendary accident in 1979.
"I just think it's fascinating to see them go through the streets like this," she said.
Arter is glad these pieces of nuclear power history are getting plenty of attention.
"It's a great thing," she said. "It brings everbody in town together again."
Some things had to be taken apart for the generators' arrival.
A few phone and power lines were disconnedted to give the generators clearance.
"We're trying to disconnect and reconnect people as quickly as possible," Woernle said.
The generators move on 26-axel crawlers at only a pace of 3 miles per hour.
The French-built behemoths started their journey on September 9 from Port Deposit, Md.
"So far, we've made it as far as we've needed to go every day," Woernle said. "Sometimes, we've arrived early, which is good."
The generators will cross Route 30 just north of Columbia on Saturday night.
They are scheduled to arrive at TMI on Wednesday.
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