Molson Beer Vats Toronto Hamilton

The long journey of six giant beer vats to Toronto

In addition to the TTC fare hike theatrics we witnessed earlier this week, another kind of drama was unfolding along the highways between Hamilton and Toronto. For the last few days, six giant beer vats have slowly plodded their wayt through the last 108 kilometres of a journey that started in Burgstadt, Germany and that will end sometime tonight or early tomorrow morning at the Molson Coors Brewery on Carlingview Drive. The vats were originally supposed to arrive early today, but cold weather and difficulties with hydro wires that needed to be taken down to accommodate the over-sized vehicles have led to a slight delay.

Here are a few of the somewhat staggering statistics related to the journey:

  • $24 million (cost for the tanks and the move)
  • 40+ support vehicle convoy (police cars, utility vehicles)
  • 35 police officers (to guide the trucks and control traffic)
  • 250 traffic lights taken down and put back up
  • 1600+ Hydro wires lifted or taken down to accommodate the vats)
  • More than five and a half million bottles of beer can fit in the tanks

And here's what it has looked like out on the roads (lead photo by BigBrotherBear) :

2011116-beer_vat5.jpg

Photo by jwvraets.

2011116-beer_vat4.jpg

Also by jwvraets.

2011116-beer_vats6.jpg

Photo by JDB Photos.

2011116-beer_vat7.jpg

Also by JDB Photos.

2011116-beer_vat2.jpg

Photo by Dieseltheque.

2011116-beer_vat3.jpg

Photo by Louis Tam.


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