Archaeo-HistoriesJan 11

In 1959, a cement mixer with a full load of cement, wrecked near Winganon, Oklahoma 🇺🇸

By the time a tow truck came to haul it away, all of cement had hardened inside of mixer. Tow truck was not able to remove all wreckage at same time because of weight, and decided to haul only cab/frame and would come back for detached mixer later, which never happened.

Today, 67 years later, it still sits where it fell. Locals have painted it and added "rocket thrusters" to make it look like a space capsule.

Show threadDave VolekJan 11

@archaeohistories

Cute, but a big hazard if a vehicle has to leave the road. I would move this thing off.

Or at least further away from the road. A crane could do this in less than four hours. Much cheaper than having a vehicle plow into it.

Show threadskrykingJan 11
@davevolek it's a really small town population of about 500 and it's not even in town...probably a lot of other things than that to worry about causing a car accident. Looking at the map, might be a struggle to get a crane out there cheeply.
Show threadDave VolekJan 11

@skryking

The photo looks like a rural highway to me. This means fairly high speeds. If a car "hits the ditch," a bumpy ride turns into a fatal accident.

I suspect the jurisdiction belongs to whoever owns the highway. It could be the state or it could be the county.

A couple of heavy tow wreckers could move this machine. Less than $5000.

But there may be political pressure to keep the machine in place. It does look cute.

Show threadskrykingJan 11
@davevolek based on Google maps image I things crushed oiled gravel.
Show threadDave VolekJan 12

@skryking

There may indeed be more to the story.

I come from a rural background. Many people drive 80 kph (50 mph) on these roads. And they hit the ditch more often.

There might be some weight restrictions that prohibit big trucks on this road. The pavement in the photo (or oily gravel) looks a little on the weak side to me.

Anyways, we need more info to know why this thing has remained in the ditch for 67 years.

Show threadBob Jonkman

@davevolek

> Cute, but a big hazard if a vehicle has to leave the road.

It's been 67 years, presumably all of them with no roadside accident.

Depending on one's grasp of statistics, an accident is either unlikely to happen at all, or there's one due any day now.

@skryking

Jan 16 at 5:20amWeb