Austria-headquartered Felbermayr has delivered the second of two 140-tonne transformers for the Kühtai 2 pumped storage hydropower plant in Tyrol, Austria, calling on a trailer configuration from Goldhofer for the move.
TIWAG is developing the 190 MW pumped hydro project in Austria. The transformer was carried by rail to Zirl, where it was transferred to a THP/FT-L FT series trailer from Goldhofer. The trailer had a 15-axle combination, with a six-axle self-propelled ADDrive heavy-duty transport module and a two-axle FT Series module at the front, along with a 3+4 combination at the rear. In between, a scissor lift bridge carried the transformer mounted on a turntable. A tractor unit and pusher truck were called on to handle the steep inclines on the mountainous road.
“With projects of this complexity, the ability to configure modules with maximum flexibility and even combine them with self-propelled transporters such as the ADDrive is a decisive advantage,” explained Erwin Uebel, the Goldhofer service engineer who accompanied the transport. “The differences in height between the modules are not a problem; the FT Series is designed for maximum adaptability.”
The ADDrive’s hybrid capability was called upon chiefly over the last few kilometres of the route to the construction site, which sits at an altitude of over 2,000 m, with the 55 m-long combination overcoming gradients of over 16 percent.
“On the steep sections, the extra power provided by the ADDrive was worth its weight in gold,” added Uebel. “The combination of tractor assistance and towed module within the overall train makes it the ideal solution for challenging terrain.”
Felbermayr had to navigate narrow tunnels towards the end of the journey, with millimetre precision required to ensure of a safe delivery.
In October, HLPFI reported that Felbermayr had relocated tunnel boring machine (TBM) parts within Vienna. The following month, Edwards Moving and Rigging acquired ADDrive modules from Goldhofer.
