Big Brutus: The Largest Electric Shovel in the World - West Mineral, Kansas

The Bucyrus-Erie model 1850B electric shovel once ran around the clock, digging out house-sized chunks of ground looking for coal. Each bucket scooped up was enough to fill three train cars. Big Brutus, at 16 stories high and 11 million pounds operated on 15,000 horsepower. It operated until 1974, when it became uneconomical to mine coal at the site. Locals rallied to have him declared a state landmark and turned into a museum. Postcards of Brutus were mailed far and wide. The big-muscled earthmover would not be forgotten.
Visitors can now go inside and climb five stories to the innards of Big Brutus. A 48-star flag still hangs in the motor room. Come on in and look around the beast with Trim and Head on this week's episode of X-Plore Nation!