Dragline Hauling Services
Draglines rank among the heaviest and most complex pieces of equipment ever moved by highway. A mid-size walking dragline — such as a Bucyrus 1570-W or Marion 7820 — can weigh 2,000 to 4,000 tons when fully assembled, making road transport feasible only by disassembling the machine into its major components: the tub and frame, machinery house, boom sections, drag and hoist drums, walking mechanism, and counterweight assemblies.
R&RM LLC has been coordinating industrial equipment transport and oversize loads since 2011. Dragline moves require the same core capabilities we apply to every heavy haul assignment: precise route analysis, multi-state permit packages, specialized trailer selection, and close coordination with the disassembly and rigging crews on site. We handle the highway transport leg so rigging contractors can focus on what they do best.
Dragline Types We Transport
Walking Draglines
Walking draglines are the dominant machine type at large surface coal mines, phosphate operations, and open-pit mining sites throughout the United States. They are distinguished by the eccentric walking mechanism that moves the machine on base plates rather than tracks, allowing them to position themselves across a mine bench without requiring a haul road. Common walking draglines include:
- Bucyrus-Erie / Cat: 1370-W, 1570-W, 2570-W, 8200, 8750
- Marion: 7800, 7820, 8050, 8750
- Page: 736, 752, 757
- Ransomes & Rapier / Rapier: W1400, W1800
Walking draglines are almost never relocated as a complete unit. The typical move sequence involves a specialized dismantling contractor reducing the machine to sub-loads of manageable weight — usually 150,000 to 250,000 pounds per trailer load — for highway transport. R&RM LLC coordinates with the rigging firm and the mine's project manager to sequence loads so that the receiving site's assembly can begin as soon as the first major components arrive.
Electric Cable Shovels
Rope shovels — also called electric cable shovels or power shovels — are used for primary rock loading in copper, iron ore, oil sands, and coal mines. Models commonly transported include:
- Cat (formerly Bucyrus) 7495: Operating weight approximately 1,800,000 lb
- Komatsu PC8000: Operating weight approximately 1,760,000 lb
- P&H 4100XPB: Operating weight approximately 2,300,000 lb
- Liebherr R 9800: Operating weight approximately 1,580,000 lb
Like walking draglines, electric rope shovels require complete disassembly for highway transport. The upperstructure, boom, dipper handle assembly, carbody, and undercarriage travel as separate loads. Crawler assemblies from large rope shovels can weigh 200,000 to 400,000 pounds individually, requiring multi-axle trailer combinations and superload permits in every state on the route.
Large Hydraulic Mining Excavators
Hydraulic mining excavators in the 100-to-800-tonne class — including the Liebherr R 9800, Komatsu PC8000, and Hitachi EX8000 — are smaller than walking draglines but still require multi-load, multi-axle transport with oversize permits. The undercarriage, upperstructure, boom, arm, and counterweight typically travel on separate loads, with total component count ranging from 4 to 12 loads depending on machine size and disassembly approach. We transport these as part of our broader mining equipment hauling services.
Trailer Configurations for Dragline Components
No single trailer handles every dragline component. Our team selects trailer configurations based on the dimensions and weight of each individual sub-load:
Multi-Axle Lowboy and RGN Trailers
Components weighing 80,000 to 150,000 pounds and fitting within standard oversize permit dimensions typically move on conventional multi-axle RGN or lowboy trailers. For RGN hauling, the detachable neck allows drive-on loading of tracked crawler components that cannot be crane-loaded. Axle counts from 5 to 13 spread the load to satisfy per-axle weight limits in each state on the route.
Hydraulic Platform Trailers
Extremely heavy components — carbody frames, machinery house sections, or tub assemblies exceeding 200,000 pounds — travel on hydraulic platform trailers (also called Goldhofer, Scheuerle, or Nicolas platforms). These modular trailers connect in tandem to distribute weight across 16, 20, 24 or more axle lines. The hydraulic suspension compensates for road irregularities and keeps the load level on grades and curves. Self-propelled modular transporters (SPMT) are used for the heaviest and most dimension-constrained components.
Specialized Beam Trailers and Extendable Configurations
Boom sections from large draglines can be 150 to 300 feet long when assembled. For transport, booms are broken into sections — typically 40 to 80 feet each — that fit on extendable flatbeds or beam trailers with rear steerable dollies. Each section requires an overlength permit and in most states at least one pilot car for lengths exceeding 75 feet.
Permitting for Dragline Component Moves
Dragline transport almost always qualifies as a superload in at least some states on the route. A superload is any load that exceeds standard oversize permit dimensions — typically defined as wider than 16 feet, taller than 16 feet, longer than 150 feet, or heavier than 200,000 pounds gross, though thresholds vary by state. Superload permits require engineering analysis, route surveys, and in many states a fee and processing time that can extend from one to four weeks.
Key states with significant dragline transport activity — Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas — each have their own superload permit process. Wyoming requires an engineered route study for loads over 200,000 pounds. West Virginia mandates bridge analysis documentation for loads exceeding posted bridge ratings. Our permit team handles each state's application, coordinates with state bridge engineers when required, and tracks permit validity windows to make sure each load arrives within the authorized travel dates.
Pilot Car and Escort Requirements
Dragline component moves typically require two to four pilot cars per load, plus law enforcement escorts through many jurisdictions. Front pilot cars warn oncoming traffic and check clearances; rear pilot cars protect against rear-end collisions and assist at intersections. For loads wider than 18 feet, most states require at least one pole car in front to measure and signal low overhead clearances. Our dispatch team coordinates all escort logistics, including pre-arranged law enforcement escorts through counties and cities that require them along the route.
Route Planning and Utility Coordination
Moving a wide dragline component often requires lifting or rerouting overhead utility lines — power distribution lines, transmission lines, and telecommunications cables — along portions of the route. Utility coordination is arranged in advance through each relevant utility company and can take two to six weeks depending on the utility's scheduling calendar. We factor utility coordination lead times into the overall project schedule and confirm lift arrangements before the transport date so there are no day-of delays.
Route surveys for dragline moves involve more than just bridge weight analysis. The team checks turning radii at intersections for long loads, verifies overhead clearance at every structure along the route, identifies segments where opposing traffic must be stopped or diverted, and confirms that pavement strength is adequate at any soft shoulder or rural county road sections. Detailed route survey reports are provided to the mine's project manager before the move begins.
Industries That Rely on Dragline Transport
Surface Coal Mining
Draglines are the primary overburden removal machine at surface coal mines in Wyoming's Powder River Basin, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Illinois. Mine openings, expansions, mine-to-mine machine transfers, and decommissioning all generate dragline transport demand. R&RM LLC serves coal operators throughout the major Appalachian and Western US coal basins.
Phosphate Mining
Florida's phosphate industry operates some of the largest walking draglines in the world, using them to uncover phosphate matrix for fertilizer production. Transport of these machines between mine cuts or to refurbishment shops in central Florida involves navigating narrow rural roads and coordinating with phosphate mine permitting offices. We transport dragline components throughout Florida's phosphate region and to service facilities nationwide.
Oil Sands and Copper Mining
Oil sands operations in Montana and North Dakota and copper mines in Arizona and New Mexico use large rope shovels and hydraulic mining excavators that require the same disassembly and multi-load transport approach as walking draglines. We work with mine operators across the Rocky Mountain and Southwest regions on these large-machine moves.
What to Provide When Requesting a Quote
Dragline transport quotes require more information upfront than standard heavy equipment moves. To provide an accurate price, we need:
- Machine make, model, and serial number (or year of manufacture)
- List of planned sub-loads with approximate weight and dimensions for each
- Pickup and delivery addresses (including GPS coordinates for remote mine sites)
- Planned move dates and any project schedule constraints
- Disassembly contractor contact (if already engaged) for coordination
- Any known route restrictions or site access limitations
The more detail you provide upfront, the faster we can put together a complete quote covering every load, permits, and escort requirements. Call us at (404) 987-6225 or use the form below to get started.
Related Equipment and Services
Dragline moves often occur alongside transport of other mining equipment — blast hole drills, haul trucks, hydraulic shovels, and support machinery. If your project involves moving multiple machine types, we can coordinate all the loads under a single project plan to minimize site disruption and permit processing time. See also our guides on superload permits and multi-state permit coordination for background on how the permitting process works for moves of this complexity.