Hunter's Point, 630 ton crane

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Rocket-testing tower

Hunter's Point, 630 ton crane by Telstar Logistics.

Easily visible as you drive from San Francisco International Airport to downtown San Francisco, this crane was built in 1947. A news clipping written at the time describes its intended purpose:

"WORLD'S LARGEST overhead traveling crane, capable of lifting battleship gun turrets and other huge sections weighing as much as a million pounds, is shown being erected by U. S. Steel's American Bridge Company in the San Francisco Naval Shipyard at Hunter's Point, California. Completion of the giant lift will make Uncle Sam fastest on the draw among the nations in the replacing of battleship guns. These large caliber weapons wear down their rifling in a comparatively few rounds. Then the guns and their turrets are exchanged for new ones or for those which have been reconditioned. Swifter repair service for fighting ships also will be made possible by the twin cranes that will operate singly or in tandem atop a bridge type runway 207 feet high. The 730-foot runway spans a pier 405 feet wide, extending 162 1/2 feet over the water on each side. Total of 8,400 tons of steel went into the runway structure and cranes."

The triangular tower atop the crane was added for Polaris rocket testing during the late 1950s. (The following photo in this set shows a rocket test in progress)

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Comments

ericrodenbeck says:

I had lunch on the top of this crane in 1996, with Zach Coffin and Jennifer Lynch. Spinach quiche, as I recall.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

misterken says:

Wondered what this crane was for. Have seen it several times over the years and didn't know until now. Thankx. - Mister Ken
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken with a Kodak DC4800 Zoom.
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Taken on January 19, 2002

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Hunter's Point, 630 ton crane

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ericrodenbeck says:

misterken says:

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Telstar Logistics' photostream

Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (Pool)

Modern Military Ruins of San Francisco (Set)

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