DVIDS – News – Maintenance Support Team, Lock engineers tackle tough jobs

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GRAND RIVERS, Ky. (March 10, 2023) – Nashville District Servicing Assist Workforce and engineers from Kentucky Lock and Barkley Lock onboard the Motor Vessel Iroquois fixed a mooring cell by replacing damaged and out-of-date components this week just upstream of Kentucky Lock on the Tennessee River in Grand Rivers, Kentucky.

The MST and Kentucky Lock upkeep personnel labored aspect by facet to cling signs, fix mooring cells, and weld new metallic tie off rings utilised by vessels waiting around to lock by way of Kentucky Lock. With help from the MST, staff at the lock can complete tougher repairs that require special equipment or supplemental employees.

The touring MST is a 3-person crew assigned to the Iroquois. The learn pilot is Herbert Thomasson, Darryl Henry is the crane operator, and Wayne Hart serves as the main engineer. The Iroquois and MST navigate the Tennessee River and Cumberland River to offer routine maintenance and maintenance to Corps projects and have frequented Kentucky Lock several situations around the last few many years.

Thomasson is in cost of navigating the boat to the expected areas and positioning it to attain repair work. Thomasson claimed he enjoys his position and touring the rivers, aiding engineers make repairs they could not do formerly.

“I enjoy functioning for the Corps. I’ve worked on the river for 46 many years this June, I’ve been a licensed pilot for 40 many years and I’ve worked for the Corps for 12 a long time. I experience like I have been close to long ample to have seen a great deal of this things done and I can give my professional guidance when desired,” mentioned Thomasson.

Ross Cunningham, Lake Barkley Lock and Dam Devices supervisor, selected the important welders, electricians, crane operators, and engineers from Lake Barkley Lock and Kentucky Lock to execute the vigorous work.

“It’s my obligation to assemble maintenance team from Kentucky and Barkley Locks who can execute work that acquire a small bit extra manpower and a very little bit additional products capabilities than what we previously have at the lock undertaking. We’re happy to have so numerous expert staff to select from. It helps make developing these groups a great deal less complicated,” mentioned Cunningham.
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Cunningham mentioned careers the MST has provided assist for are unlimited.

“There’s a great deal the MST can do inside of their abilities. The Iroquois carries a crane with a 110-ton compacity which allows us get accessibility to sites like Barkley Lock’s riverwall and Kentucky Locks lower land wall.”

Cunningham stated the camaraderie and the people that he is effective with are his beloved element of the task. “They’re very particular people and they all have a whole lot of skills. It’s an honor remaining the leader of this staff and I believe that there is certainly absolutely nothing that we cannot complete.”

In the course of this stop by, the MST centered on fixing mooring cells harmed by commercial towing boats and privately owned vessels.

Kentucky Lock and Dam Operator and Maintenance Mechanic Adam Halcom said repairing these rings is an crucial task since vessels touring by way of Kentucky Lock have to have to moor their boat though they wait for the lock gates to open.

“We experienced to remove the damaged rings in get to weld new rings to the mooring cell. We also used basic safety shackles. These are essential cells vacationers will need entry to when navigating the Tennessee River,” claimed Halcom.

Halcom claimed there are work opportunities along the river that engineers just can’t achieve with out the help of the MST so coming collectively to get the job accomplished often feels like a terrific accomplishment.

“It’s very good when we can crew up since it is one of the number of instances, we all get to operate alongside one another. It’s a terrific atmosphere and I know I can attain new information,” reported Halcom.

Final 12 months, Kentucky Lock gates were ruined when a vessel barreled right into the closed gates, almost breaking entirely through to the other aspect. The Iroquois pulled up to the lock gates offering effortless obtain for the MST to quickly make the repairs.

“The gates are quite big, and so was the problems. The MST offered added fingers and gear we wanted to make the pores and skin plates and valve stem repairs so we could get the gates fixed and Kentucky Lock operational as rapidly as doable,” mentioned Cunningham.

The Tennessee River is 653 miles lengthy with the farthest lock remaining Fort Loudoun Lock in the vicinity of mile 602. Because of to the great length of the lake and restricted access to areas of the land encompassing the locks, Thomasson reported the MST’s get the job done is even more crucial.

“The locks on the East Tennessee River are solitary barge locks which really don’t generally have access to the far aspect of the lock. Engineers at these locations may perhaps have to have support with repairs as basic as putting up a flagpole or location a bulkhead functioning gate fixed. They have no accessibility to these locations but we do, so the MST is a incredibly important asset to the total river system particularly on the East Tennessee conclusion,” explained Thomasson.

It does not choose any further instruction to be a section of the MST or to do the job with them. Staff members are usually engineers from the Corps spot needing the supplemental assistance, but engineers from other Nashville District spots or USACE districts might supply added help.

“I’ve been to other places with Thomasson on the Iroquois to maintenance their services. We really don’t want any essential coaching. We by now have training from working at the lock as a upkeep mechanic. We do get some instruction on the boat, but it is really straight forward, “said Halcom.

The Nashville District routinely advertises its job opportunities on USAJobs.gov, and also posts them on its community LinkedIn web site. The community is inspired to follow the LinkedIn webpage for the most current Nashville District employment and contracting chances at https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-military-corps-of-engineers-nashville-district.

The general public can also receive news, updates and data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s web page at www.lrn.usace.military.mil, on Fb at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. The community can also adhere to Kentucky Lock on Fb at www.facebook.com/kentuckylock.