All-Terrain Cranes Work in the Wild

Mountain Crane Service used three Liebherr all-terrain cranes to dismantle the original Yellowstone River Bridge.

Removing a bridge that had stood for more than 60 years in Yellowstone National Park required a carefully staged operation. Near Tower Junction along the Northeast Entrance Road, crews worked to dismantle the original Yellowstone River Bridge after a new crossing was completed and opened to traffic.

Mountain Crane Service provided lifting and rigging support for RLW Construction, bringing three Liebherr all-terrain cranes to the project: an LTM 1650-8.1, an LTM 1400-7.1, and an LTM 1110-5.1.

The cranes were used throughout the demolition as crews worked through the structure piece by piece. The operation began with the concrete deck before moving to the bridge’s steel and concrete support elements. Working in the steep canyon terrain meant the equipment had to handle the different lifting requirements as the demolition progressed.

At the center of the operation was the eight-axle LTM 1650-8.1, which is rated in the 770-U.S.-ton class. The seven-axle LTM 1400-7.1 has a maximum lifting capacity of 500 U.S. tons, while the LTM 1110-5.1 was also part of the crane fleet supporting the work.

The LTM 1650-8.1 offers multiple setup configurations, while the LTM 1400-7.1 can be equipped with different boom configurations and features an adjustable counterweight radius. Those capabilities gave the crew different equipment options as the bridge came apart in stages.

The demolition also had an environmental component. Work was planned around the Yellowstone River ecosystem, with the surrounding corridor scheduled for restoration after the old bridge was removed. That work included former roadway sections and nearby wetlands, along with returning portions of Lost Creek to a more natural channel.

With the bridge dismantled, the crane operation marked an important step in completing the infrastructure work around the new Yellowstone River crossing. The three Liebherr cranes provided the lifting equipment needed to take apart the old structure in a controlled, phased operation within Yellowstone’s challenging landscape.