Posted on 12/26/2013 5:02:00 PM PST by Windflier
Bertha, the world's largest tunneling machine, churning through the rock and mud beneath Seattle, has hit a mysterious roadblock—so mysterious, it is only known for now as "the object."
The New York Times reports that the machine—300 feet long and 5 stories tall—has ground to a halt. Built precisely not to be stopped by, well, just about anything, Bertha has apparently met her match. But what exactly is it? "Something unknown, engineers say—and all the more intriguing to many residents for being unknown—has blocked the progress of the biggest-diameter tunnel-boring machine in use on the planet," the NYT writes.
It is something the managers on site "still simply refer to as 'the object.'"
Some hypothesize a colossal ice age boulder or two, locked down in the sediments beneath the city. Others think it might be "buried train engines."
Whether it's ice age super-rocks, buried trains, a lost city—or even a UFO—engineers might have to work "at atmospheric pressures similar to what a diver would experience," the New York Times adds, and even spend "time in a decompression chamber" on their way back up to the surface, to find out.
So what is it? What is "the object" blocking Bertha's path? Just look at the size of the tunnels it's been digging; whatever's in the way has got to be one tough mother.
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/12/highway-99-tunnel-machine-stuck-since-friday-night/
The above link has some scenarios for fixing it (excavating from above, or jack-hammering it out from below). Sounds like the cutting heads that are replaced are fairly small (2 to 3 feet around) with a whole bunch of them on the face of the cutting head. So not sure how much of that face can be easily removed to allow workers and equipment through.
The construction company is partially owned by Diane Fienstein’s husband. I sure any losses will be covered by the democrates in Washington.
Is that Rosie O’Donnell’s “boyfriend”?
On a machine like this, there has got to be a way to take a *core* sample from what's in front of the head, much like what is used in oilfield work (Explosive charge core gun or a mechanical coring tool used in hard rock country).
Heck, even a small shape charge used in perforating guns on a well could be used to blast out a sample.
Can't see them building such a sophisticated machine without that capability.
I don’t generally consider myself a mean-spiritied person, and don’t make fun of people’s anatomy in general, but...there is something about that bad-tempered, America-hating, intrusive, lecturing, hectoring busybody of a grifter that makes my teeth grit and hair stand on end.
Thank goodness we can laugh about some of it!
That's because they don't want to admit that they drilled into the foundation of the "Space Needle".
There are numerous erratics - the largest I saw is near Chincum, WA about 40 miles northwest of Seattle. Not as big, I guess, as that at Lake Sevens but very big.
Right - couldn’t be anything else!LOL!
FWIW the spoils are going to Mats Mats near Port Ludlow to fill the quary there - another bright idea from the Farside King County liberal community.
Love that word “purchase”. Thanks.
From what I’ve been reading, they have to back the machine up a few feet to allow a crew to examine the cutting face. Apparently, it’s rough work. They have to don special gear, and work in a very confined space. I suppose they carry the tools to take samples and so-forth.
I think millions of Americans agree with you. Mrs. Obama is the most ill suited person to hold the title of First Lady in my lifetime. Like her husband, she's a complete embarrassment to this nation, its people, its traditions, and its history.
Agreed. Laura Bush turned out to be more liberal than I liked, even for a first lady, but she conducted herself with dignity and down to earth grace.
Michelle Obama is anything but dignified and down to earth.
What is it about liberals. I was reading about the Clintons going on their first overseas tour after he took office, and they stole towels and silverware from the stupid hotel. It is as if they had never been out on their own before and acted like a bunch of ill-behaved 14 year olds on a trip.
It was embarrassing to read.
Sir Alexander Dane: Could they be the miners? Fred Kwan: Sure, they're like three years old. Sir Alexander Dane: MINERS, not MINORS. Fred Kwan: You lost me.
What a difference, eh?
Folks like to post that image of George Bush with the slogan, "Miss Me Yet?" I'd like to see one of Laura with the same slogan!
It seems like an eternity has passed since adults were in charge of this country.
It feels like we have been, and are being ruled by snotty-nosed egg-headed liberal butt-wipes who were the despised class politicians in high school.
It sure does feel like an eternity. And it's just jaw dropping what these spoiled children have been allowed to do to our once great country since they've been in charge.
I just want to know one thing. When are Mom and Dad going to blow their stacks and take those rotten kids to the woodshed?
I once had faith in the democratic processes in this country. It seems naive, I know, but I had some faith in the American electorate. After Obama was elected for a second time, I realized that something had changed.
Perhaps it is that we have finally reached that much-discussed tipping point where the people voting for benefits outstrip those who supply them.
They are going to kill the golden goose, and they don’t care. They think they can abscond with the money, but...they are mistaken. There are only a small number who will do that.
We will live amongst the rest of them who thought they could pillage the wealth of this nation and live the rest of their lives on the entrails.
And they are going to hate us, and view us as somehow responsible for their poverty because they will have finally destroyed our ability to work and pay taxes, and we will be blamed for it.
Sigh. If you can’t tell, I am feeling extremely pessimistic today. I apologize.
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