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| This DVD is by Keith Haddock and is a Region 2,4 PAL video in English.
The first in the Massive Machines series covers mining equipment at the Belle Ayr coal mine in Gillette, Wyoming and Beener Coal at Barton, Maryland. Both of these are opencast coal mines.
The machinery filmed is impressive, including the two largest shovels, the Bucyrus 495HR and P&H 4100XPC. A large variety of supporting equipment is filmed too such as Caterpillar and Unit Rig haul trucks, and the Caterpillar 24H motor grader and 654G rubber-tyred dozer. Less often seen machines that appear are a Drilltech D555P drill and a diesel-powered Bucyrus 295B II shovel, and the large Komatsu D575A dozer is included.
All machines are filmed working and with good sound recording the full experience of the machines is captured well. There are a number of views filmed from the cabs, however it might have been interesting to hear from the operators too.
The commentary is authoritative, with plenty of facts and figures about the machines and mines. It also gives some good insights to the operation of the mines and their organisation and planning.
A DVD extra is a few minutes about the Cam-Plex mining museum near Gillete.
It is very difficult for most people to see big mining machines in action and so this DVD fills the gap and provides good close-up footage of work in a real mine. It is highly recommended.
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