Freeman on the move – not on standard gauge rails but on sturdy steel beams that will move the structure from its resting place.

By John Mellow

BURLINGTON, ON April 22, 2013.  On Friday April 19th, a crew headed up by Jeremy McCulloch from our building mover contractor, Laurie McCulloch Building Movers, delivered the steel beams necessary to move our 1906 former Grand Trunk Railway Burlington Junction/Freeman Station.

Two of the four steel beams that will be placed underneath the Freeman Station are laid out ready to be moved into position.  The structure is going to be moved less than 200 yards – directly behind the man in the orange vest and to the right on a concrete pad where it will sit while restoration work is done.

Two long 66 foot steel I-beams capable of transporting the building for the move arrived on site. These were placed beside the station ready to be placed under the building very soon, subject to co-ordination with the Burlington Fire Department as some staff vehicles will need to be temporarily parked elsewhere during this process.

This is the first real action taken toward the eventual move which is expected to occur in a few weeks’ time. Building of the foundation and restoration of the station will begin once at the new location on the property of Ashland Water Technologies on the east side of the BFD headquarters.

Blocks will be used with the steel beams to transfer the weight of the structure onto the truck where it will get moved less than 200 yards.

The following pictures show the steel arriving on the truck, the blocking being unloaded by tow truck driver Brian, the next two are of the steel being unloaded, and finally the two pieces sitting in position ready to be moved under the building.

Our thanks go to Jeremy, Terry, Brian and the remainder of the crew, for their efforts on a cold windy and sometimes rainy day. They were done and gone in one hour. Well done!

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