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An overhead view of the pellet load out loading cab. In the center bottom of the photo you can see the train tracks where the ore train travels underneath the loading chute. This loading system is capable of loading one - 100 tonne capacity ore car in less than a minute.
The pellet load out belt 554BC-4 is used to take pellets from the pellet bowl and dump it into the loading silo. This belt is 5 feet wide (1½ m) and over a quarter mile (½ km) long.
Because of the great weight a fluid coupling (basically a clutch), is used to give the belt a soft start.
These fluid couplings are filled with oil which needs to be routinely changed.
A tragedy occurred when a mechanic put cold oil in a hot fluid coupling then replaced the coupling plug.
As the oil warmed, it expanded and eventually the fluid coupling exploded, killing the mechanic.
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His death still serves as a safety reminder.
Eventually if a problem occurred in the loadout that could not be explained, it was blamed on "Load Out Charlie."
During their first night shift, new employees to that area were told some very wild and amazing stories attached to the legend of Load Out Charlie.
Invariably, after all these stories, the new employee was asked to go check out Belt 554-BC4 for start-up. You have to understand it was very dusty, and the dim lighting was hardly enough to light your way as you made your check of the belt.
Visibility was usually not more then three or four feet (1 to 1¼ m).
Once the new employee had entered the conveyer gallery, one of the storytellers would follow him into the gallery and hide underneath the belt.
When the unsuspecting employee returned to the exit, he was grabbed by the ankle.
There were no washrooms handy for clean-up.
Fortunately, neither Gary nor any of his co-workers had any hidden heart problems, or they most certainly would have had a heart attack.
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Carol Lake
