Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 Helps Complete Three-Crane Bridge Lift at Hummel Park
30-Second Takeaway
Central Rent-A-Crane and Beaty Construction have installed a refurbished historic truss bridge at Hummel Park near Plainfield, Indiana, using three cranes and a carefully coordinated load transfer. The approximately 190 ft steel structure weighs just under 150,000 lb and now spans White Lick Creek. Two Liebherr All Terrain cranes worked with Beaty’s Link-Belt 218 HSL crawler, overcoming restrictions imposed by the creek, trees and park trails. The lifting operation took approximately two hours, with the work completed ahead of the township’s Fourth of July celebrations.
Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1
A historic steel bridge has gained a new role as a pedestrian crossing following a staged lifting operation involving Central Rent-A-Crane and Beaty Construction. Central, part of the ALL Family of Companies, supplied a Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 and an LTM 1450-8.1. Beaty provided its own Link-Belt 218 HSL lattice boom crawler crane.
The Liebherr cranes have US capacity ratings of 770 and 550 tons respectively. These figures are US short tons, rather than metric tonnes. The project required the team to move the assembled bridge from the east side of White Lick Creek into its final position between the park’s two banks. Restricted access meant the structure had to pass between different crane combinations during installation.
Site Constraints Shape the Lifting Plan
The bridge measured approximately 190 ft long and weighed just under 150,000 lb. Its length, combined with the surrounding trees, trails and creek, restricted crane positioning and the available path for the load.The solution combined the crawler’s ability to travel with a suspended load with the Liebherr cranes’ reach from fixed positions. Temporary support allowed the team to change lifting arrangements before completing the final placement.
Central Rent-A-Crane estimator Dathon Lawler said:
“The park itself dictated the need for a lift with a hand-off.”
Crawler Travel and the First Dual Pick
The first stage paired the LTM 1450-8.1 with Beaty’s Link-Belt 218 HSL. Both cranes connected to the bridge while it rested on the east side of the creek. The crawler then walked its end approximately 100 ft forward as the Liebherr swung the opposite end across the water.
For this stage, the LTM 1450-8.1 was configured with 122 ft of main boom and 295,000 lb of counterweight. Once the bridge reached the transfer position, the crawler’s end was lowered onto temporary blocking while the opposite end remained suspended.
Load Transfer to the Two Liebherr Cranes
The LTM 1650-8.1 was positioned on the west bank with 133 ft of main boom and 363,800 lb of counterweight. It reached across the creek and connected to the suspended end of the bridge. With that end transferred to the larger crane, the LTM 1450-8.1 disconnected and swung towards the temporarily supported end. It then connected there, establishing the second dual-crane lifting arrangement. The two Liebherr cranes lifted the bridge clear and lowered it onto its concrete abutments, allowing Beaty’s crew to begin securing the structure.
Historic Steelwork Retained for a New Crossing
The bridge is estimated to date from around 1905. Refurbishment retained much of its original steelwork, with new floor beams and stringers added before installation.
Its new position links the east and west sides of Hummel Park. Although intended primarily for pedestrians, the approximately 14 ft width also accommodates park vehicles and equipment.
The lifting operation took approximately two hours. The installation and subsequent crane removal had to fit around preparations for the township’s Fourth of July celebrations.
The project gave the early-20th-century structure a new use while requiring the lifting team to coordinate crawler travel, slewing, temporary support and load transfer within a constrained park setting.
About Central Rent-A-Crane
Central Rent-A-Crane is an Indiana crane rental business within the ALL Family of Companies. Its origins date to 1949, when George Carlson established the operation to serve refinery and steel mill activity following work for Standard Oil of Indiana in Whiting. The Hammond operation joined the ALL Family in 1977.
Central’s Indiana locations include Hammond, Fort Wayne, Elkhart and Indianapolis. The Indianapolis branch opened in 2016, extending the group’s service coverage across central and southern Indiana and the wider Ohio Valley.
The wider ALL organisation provides crane rental and sales through businesses operating under the ALL, Central, Dawes, Jeffers and ALT names. Its services include assistance with crane selection and lift planning, helping customers assess configurations and site obstructions.
Official website: www.allcrane.com
About Beaty Construction
Beaty Construction was founded in 1965 by Leon Beaty and is based in Boggstown, Indiana. The company developed from a family bridge construction business into a contractor serving Indiana and surrounding states.
Its work includes bridge and roadway construction, deep foundations, earth retention, demolition, underpinning, pedestrian trails and environmental remediation. Customers include public authorities and private-sector organisations.
Beaty combines construction delivery with in-house engineering, supporting preconstruction planning, design-build work and value engineering. That combination allows the company to undertake civil projects involving restricted access, difficult ground conditions and specialised construction methods.
Official website: www.beatyinc.com
About Liebherr
Founded by Hans Liebherr in 1949, Liebherr is a family-owned manufacturer serving construction, lifting, mining, material handling and other industrial markets. Its crane portfolio includes mobile and crawler cranes, tower cranes and maritime cranes.
The mobile and crawler crane business supplies equipment for applications ranging from routine construction lifts to large infrastructure and industrial projects. Its All Terrain range includes the LTM 1450-8.1 and LTM 1650-8.1 used at Hummel Park.
Alongside crane manufacturing, Liebherr provides technical support and operator training. Its lifting equipment forms part of a wider product portfolio that also includes earthmoving machinery, components and industrial technologies.
Official website: www.liebherr.com
About Link-Belt Cranes
Link-Belt Cranes designs and manufactures telescopic boom and lattice boom cranes from its headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. Its history traces back to William Dana Ewart’s detachable link-belt invention in 1874, with the modern crane business now a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Heavy Industries.
The manufacturer’s range covers Rough Terrain, truck, All Terrain, telescopic crawler and lattice boom crawler cranes. Its crawler equipment includes the 218 HSL used by Beaty Construction during the first stage of the Hummel Park installation. The business serves construction customers internationally through its crane manufacturing and support activities.
Official website: www.linkbelt.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cranes installed the Hummel Park bridge?
Central supplied a Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 and LTM 1450-8.1, working alongside Beaty Construction’s Link-Belt 218 HSL crawler crane.
Why did the lift require three cranes?
The creek, trees and nearby trails restricted positioning and load movement. A staged transfer allowed different crane combinations to move and place the bridge.
How large was the bridge?
The steel bridge is approximately 190 ft long and weighs just under 150,000 lb.
How long did the lifting operation take?
The lifting operation took approximately two hours, with installation completed ahead of the township’s Fourth of July celebrations.
What will the refurbished bridge be used for?
It provides a pedestrian crossing over White Lick Creek between the east and west sides of Hummel Park.
