Two 64-ton cranes at Loyalhanna Dam get overhaul after 84 years

Two 64-ton cranes that have operated for over 80 years atop the Loyalhanna Dam in Pennsylvania are undergoing a major rehabilitation. The dam began operating in 1942, during World War II, and has since prevented more than $658 million in flood damage. The cranes move steel gates that manage the reservoir, but decades of weather and corrosion have taken a toll.

The project involves removing lead-based paint, asbestos floor panels, and aging electrical systems. An unexpected complication was pigeons nesting in the machinery, which the US Army Corps of Engineers addressed by adding barriers. Sievert Electric received the rehabilitation contract in December 2024 and began work in April 2026, focusing first on Crane 2.

The overhaul includes new control panels, epoxy coating, steel flooring, and closed-circuit TV for better operator visibility. The original brake manufacturer is no longer in business, making replacement parts harder to source. The cranes will remain on their rails, still movable by hand when brakes are disengaged.