A Liebherr Model 81K fast-erecting crane is helping build a new UP Express train station at Union Station in downtown Toronto, Ontario.
When train service begins in the spring of 2015, express trains will whisk an estimated 5,000 riders a day to and from the new UP Express station downtown and Toronto Pearson International Airport. The ride will take 25 minutes in either direction. The Liebherr 81K self-erecting crane has been on site since September 2013, and it will stay on the job until the new building is complete later this year. General contractor EllisDon Corp., Mississauga, Ontario, leased the 13,230-lb. capacity fast-erector from Morrow Equipment in Salem, Ore.
The EllisDon selected the Liebherr for its capacity, reach, operating features, fast self-setup and small footprint. The fast erection and small footprint were important because the crane sits in a tight construction area on the street just north of the Union Station’s York West Teamway. The erection crew set up the Liebherr 81K crane in just six hours, starting at 11:00 p.m. one night and finishing at 5:00 a.m. the next morning, while traffic was at a minimum.
During a year of work on the UP Express station, the Liebherr 81K has lifted structural steel, masonry, lumber, scaffolding, rebar, metal decking, ductwork, drywall, rigid conduit, and other construction materials. It has also placed concrete with a bucket.
The Liebherr 81K is equipped with a 147'6" boom and can lift 3,080 lbs. at its 147'1" maximum radius. Its winch can provide line speeds to 39 fpm. when lifting the 13,230-lb. maximum capacity, or up to 230 fpm. with a load of 880 lbs.
