I was out and about a few days ago, and I saw the strangest thing: a train of nothing but windmill blades! Â This was taken down where the tracks go behind Applebee’s on River Road and 4th Avenue South.
(All photos: Nikon Coolpix P7100)
One of the blades is longer than two locomotives!
They ran behind all of the industrial buildings along River Road by Broadwater Bay.
They look kind of like killer whales…
The string of flatcars goes under 10th Avenue South…
…and out past the Water Treatment Plant.
WAY out past the Water Treatment Plant.
It ends well over half a mile further down Upper River Road. Â As you can see in this last photo the round end that attaches to a windmill hub is hooked to a frame. Â I don’t know if the frame pivots or the connection is loose. Â The other end sits on a sling on the half-sized flatcar. Â This allows the blade to move as the train goes around curves. Â If it was fixed it would be too long and could hit things beside the tracks that the train cars miss.
You don’t see these on train cars too often. Â Usually it is a string of trucks hauling them. Â Note they are on a flatcar-and-a-half. Â That is a lot of windmills, even when you use three blades for each one.
You can see all kinds of things on trains if you keep your eyes open, even in Great Falls!
~Curtis in /\/\onTana! {!-{>
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