Completed in 1967 by Bucyrus-Erie, The GEM of Egypt was one of only two mammoth Model 1950-B power shovels, the sister machine being The Silver Spade. Built in 1965, the “Spade” had a bucket capacity of 105 cubic yards of earth and rock, while the GEM’s bucket moved a whopping 130 cubic yards (200 tons a bite). Even at that, the Hanna Coal Co. strip-mining era in Ohio’s Belmont and Harrison counties, where the two machines were deployed, consumed nearly a quarter-century. Both earth-movers were of a design called “knee-action crowd,” licensed to Bucyrus-Erie by the designer and owner of the patent, Marion Power Shovel. In the deal, Marion was permitted to use Bucyrus’ “cable-crowd” system.I located these photos at: GEM of Egypt (www.midwestlost.com/locations/ohio/belmont/GEM.html).

Completed in 1967 by Bucyrus-Erie, The GEM of Egypt was one of only two mammoth Model 1950-B power shovels, the sister machine being The Silver Spade. Built in 1965, the “Spade” had a bucket capacity of 105 cubic yards of earth and rock, while the GEM’s bucket moved a whopping 130 cubic yards (200 tons a bite).

Even at that, the Hanna Coal Co. strip-mining era in Ohio’s Belmont and Harrison counties, where the two machines were deployed, consumed nearly a quarter-century. Both earth-movers were of a design called “knee-action crowd,” licensed to Bucyrus-Erie by the designer and owner of the patent, Marion Power Shovel. In the deal, Marion was permitted to use Bucyrus’ “cable-crowd” system.

I located these photos at: GEM of Egypt (www.midwestlost.com/locations/ohio/belmont/GEM.html).

Posted on: Jul 16, 2012 at 9:44 AM