Marion 7800

[Miningpower]

This Marion 7800 walking dragline was put into service in 1961. It has a 225ft boom and carries a 35yd bucket. The drag weighs in at around 1,500 ton and is the 4th largest dragline in the anthracite field of PA.

This is probably my favorite video I ever shot of it digging through hard rock on a cold November day.
YouTube - Marion 7800 Digging off Solid Rock

 

[slagpot]

Yet another incredible machine. Whats the life of this dragline ? Do mine owners simply run the machine till its dead or are parts still around ?

 

[Miningpower]

Yet another incredible machine. Whats the life of this dragline ? Do mine owners simply run the machine till its dead or are parts still around ?

It's an old timer; been on many jobs. They have a bunch of parts for their two 7800's including new tubs for them. Draglines will last forever if their properly taken care of. This one was just repainted a few years ago.

 

[tdozer]

Is that one of Jeddo Coal's drags? You also stated that it is the 4th largest in the nepa region. Which drags are larger and who operates them? If you dont mind me asking.
Jim

 

[Miningpower]

Is that one of Jeddo Coal's drags? You also stated that it is the 4th largest in the nepa region. Which drags are larger and who operates them? If you dont mind me asking.
Jim

No Jeddo doesn't own a 7800. The largest to smallest is as follows:

Marion 8700
Bucyrus Erie 1450W
Bucyrus Erie 1250W
Marion 7800
Marion 7500
Marion 7400
Bucyrus Monighan 9W

 

[Lexy]

This Marion 7800 walking dragline was put into service in 1961. It has a 225ft boom and carries a 35yd bucket. The drag weighs in at around 1,500 ton and is the 4th largest dragline in the anthracite field of PA.

This is probably my favorite video I ever shot of it digging through hard rock on a cold November day.
YouTube - Marion 7800 Digging off Solid Rock

Let me say, I have seen your videos on YouTube and enjoy them a great deal. You do fantastic work keeping the lens on some old draglines. Down here in the coal fields of Western Kentucky, all the old draglines are gone or buried. Great stuff and keep it up!!!

 

[Miningpower]

Let me say, I have seen your videos on YouTube and enjoy them a great deal. You do fantastic work keeping the lens on some old draglines. Down here in the coal fields of Western Kentucky, all the old draglines are gone or buried. Great stuff and keep it up!!!

Well thank you! That means a lot to me!

Just got word on the location of a Bucyrus 5W...:drinkup

 

[Lexy]

Well thank you! That means a lot to me!

Just got word on the location of a Bucyrus 5W...:drinkup

My pleasure! I would love to make it BACK up your way for a mine tour! Down here, there are two parked draglines and three running with more in Indiana just a short drive away. It's starting to slowly come back, the demand for our "dirty" coal that is. I hope it keeps coming back. That "dirty" coal is what put food on my table as a kid when my dad was working for Peabody Coal Company.

 

[Miningpower]

My pleasure! I would love to make it BACK up your way for a mine tour! Down here, there are two parked draglines and three running with more in Indiana just a short drive away. It's starting to slowly come back, the demand for our "dirty" coal that is. I hope it keeps coming back. That "dirty" coal is what put food on my table as a kid when my dad was working for Peabody Coal Company.

Well I'm glad you have a positive attitude toward coal mining. Many people these days hate it. Yeah the soft coal market is slowly creeping up again; the anthracite market is still down though.

 

[Lexy]

Well I'm glad you have a positive attitude toward coal mining. Many people these days hate it. Yeah the soft coal market is slowly creeping up again; the anthracite market is still down though.

Hey you know, it's like growing up in PA, you HAVE to have a positive outlook on it because there's a good chance it put food on your table growing up you know! LOL!! It did in my case. I've told folks before there is probably over 150 combined years of coal mining in my family. One of my granfathers and my aunt worked at Peabody's Sinclair Surface Mine with the "Big Hog" Power Shovel. My dad worked at Peabody's River Queen Surface Mine alongside the "Big Digger". That was a Marion 5960 Power Shovel (my avatar). And my other grandfather was part of some of the earliest "organized" mining in my hometown. He was doing underground mining in the 1940's up till his retirement.

So you see where I am coming from. When the soft market hit bottom in the late 80's and 90's, it killed my home. Literally. Like you said, it is coming back and part of that is really because power companies are installing FGD Scrubbers which really help clean the emissions up. You guys with Anthracite, I have alot of admiration for you all!!! That's an interesting way to mine coal I have to say and your videos have helped me understand it a bit more. That market is as fluid as the Bituminous market is, if not more. Also, let's face it, seeing a Marion 7400 is never a bad thing. Especially when it's as good looking as the one you've featured!! I'd come to PA just to see & take pictures of those working!!

My picture gallery in case you'd like to see some of my pictures, etc.: www.flickr.com/photos/perspectivephotography

 

[Miningpower]

Hey you know, it's like growing up in PA, you HAVE to have a positive outlook on it because there's a good chance it put food on your table growing up you know! LOL!! It did in my case. I've told folks before there is probably over 150 combined years of coal mining in my family. One of my granfathers and my aunt worked at Peabody's Sinclair Surface Mine with the "Big Hog" Power Shovel. My dad worked at Peabody's River Queen Surface Mine alongside the "Big Digger". That was a Marion 5960 Power Shovel (my avatar). And my other grandfather was part of some of the earliest "organized" mining in my hometown. He was doing underground mining in the 1940's up till his retirement.

So you see where I am coming from. When the soft market hit bottom in the late 80's and 90's, it killed my home. Literally. Like you said, it is coming back and part of that is really because power companies are installing FGD Scrubbers which really help clean the emissions up. You guys with Anthracite, I have alot of admiration for you all!!! That's an interesting way to mine coal I have to say and your videos have helped me understand it a bit more. That market is as fluid as the Bituminous market is, if not more. Also, let's face it, seeing a Marion 7400 is never a bad thing. Especially when it's as good looking as the one you've featured!! I'd come to PA just to see & take pictures of those working!!

My picture gallery in case you'd like to see some of my pictures, etc.: www.flickr.com/photos/perspectivephotography

That's just awesome! I've visited a few bituminous mines here in PA. In fact, my Cat 5230 Backhoe videos (I'm sure you've seen them), were filmed in the bituminous region of PA.

The equipment is PA anthracite is small compared to what you'll find out west, but that's because the veins are smaller. As I said, anthracite mining is unlike any other type of mining operations. 7400's are perfect sized drags to work in the applications over here.

Cool gallery by the way!

 

[poclainshovel]

Great post. I use to live right by the Wadesville Strip about 10 years ago until I moved out.

 

[ktmsprocket]

 

[jmartin]

Need a dead machine or parts for a 7800

Does anyone know here there are parts for a 7800 Marion need them quickly

 

[alco]

The Highvale coal mine has a 7800 they parked a couple of years ago. You may want to contact them, as they may have parts on hand still.

If you call the main switchboard, they could most likely route your call as needed. This is TransAlta's head office number, not a direct number to the mine, as I don't believe the assets management department is at the mine.

General Switchboard
(403) 267-7110

Address
TransAlta Corporation 110 – 12th Avenue SW PO Box 1900, Station “M” Calgary, AB T2P 2M1

Brian

 

[westham]

Thank you for the info

Thanks for the info

The Highvale coal mine has a 7800 they parked a couple of years ago. You may want to contact them, as they may have parts on hand still.

If you call the main switchboard, they could most likely route your call as needed. This is TransAlta's head office number, not a direct number to the mine, as I don't believe the assets management department is at the mine.

General Switchboard
(403) 267-7110

Address
TransAlta Corporation 110 – 12th Avenue SW PO Box 1900, Station “M” Calgary, AB T2P 2M1

Brian

 

[gostr8r]

Here's a link to a few pics I took when wifey and I visited thee biggest of the biggest. 'Big Muskie' in Ohio on Christmas Day in '98. It has 4 hoists ropes and 4 drag ropes that are 5" in diameter each, a 220 CY bucket, a 310 boom that weighs 2000 tons and is 110' wide at the base and 55' wide at the head. It has 4 massive hyd' cylinders that lift the tub off the ground and then the 4 other massive hyd' cylinders push the monster back a step. It was a tourist attraction from '91 when they shut it down [after 32 years of 24/7 shifts] until the summer of 99 when they sold it for 8 cents a pound as scrap metal. Other walking tub machines have come out with longer booms, but never a bigger bucket than this one. You really have to look close to see our little white car in some of the pics! http://s1029.photobucket.com/albums... life with my wife Kimberly/#!cpZZ12QQtppZZ16

 

[Harry]

We have a marion 8200 over here. It was on a coal mine in Minto NB. She it has shut down now for a couple of years. Its has a 75yard bucket on her. She is called the maid marion.

 

[motorguy]

Thanks for the info

Did you locate spares westham? I think the Highvale 7800 was sold but I believe there was a 7800 at Boundary Dam/Bienfait Mine in Saskatchewan which was also decommissioned a few years back, maybe they retained some useful spares?

 

[motorguy]

We have a marion 8200 over here. It was on a coal mine in Minto NB. She it has shut down now for a couple of years. Its has a 75yard bucket on her. She is called the maid marion.

Hey Harry, do you know what electrical motor & generators were on Maid Marion? I believe they were Westinghouse. I see she's been sold and relocated now. I wonder what the new owner will do about the electrical equipment? Maybe go to an AC upgrade perhaps?