Diplodocus carnegii Archives

Back to Dinosaurs in Their Time page

The specimen forming most of the reconstructed skeleton on exhibit was discovered in 1899 and was vital in establishing Carnegie Museum's place in the collection and study of dinosaurs. Andrew Carnegie was so delighted with "Dippy" that he presented plaster casts of the skeleton to major museums around the world, and these casts of Diplodocus currently stand in museums on four continents. In Dinosaurs in Their Time, Dippy was remounted in a posture that is line with current scientific thought.

Time-lapse Webcams

Click on dates to view video in a new window.

July 14, 2005 (2.2 Mb .avi file, 15 seconds)
Last Day! Larry dismantles the old exhibit platform and Brian prepares the sacrum for shipping in its special crate. As Diplodocus moves on to the next stage of restoration in New Jersey, the work effort shifts to T. rex.

July 13, 2005 (3.4 Mb .avi file, 25 seconds)
Brian takes the working platform apart. Once that is out of the way, Larry and Paul remove the last of the steel support structure from the original mounting.

July 11-12, 2005 (3.7 Mb .avi file, 27 seconds)
While waiting for the special shipping crate, the crew prepares T. rex for disassembly. Now that the steel container has arrived, we can finish this job. As T. rex looks on, the crew custom-fits the crate and removes the last fossil bone from Diplodocus.

June 27, 2005 (3.8 Mb .avi file, 28 seconds)
It's a busy day. Brian extends the work platform again so that the last three vertebrae can be removed along with the pubis and ischia. The crew’s work on Diplodocus is suspended for about two weeks while they wait for a specially designed container to support the sacrum.

June 24, 2005 (2.8 Mb .avi file, 21 seconds)
Three more vertebrae are removed and packed up; Brian extends the work platform beyond the sacrum (pelvic bone). Notice how each bone is put directly into its shipping crate, which is then closed up right there on the platform.

June 23, 2005 (4.1 Mb .avi file, 30 seconds)
The steel supports that held the ribs can now be removed and once this is out of the way, the crew begins taking off the vertebrae. They manage to remove and crate four today. The white, pillow-looking objects that appear halfway through the day are bags of styrofoam peanuts.

June 22, 2005 (3.5 Mb .avi file, 26 seconds)
The left scapula is removed; later the work platform is extended to provide room for the crew to work on the rest of the dinosaur. In the background, note the shipping crates lining up for tomorrow's and Friday's work removing the vertebrae.

June 21, 2005 (3.9 Mb .avi file, 28 seconds)
Phil's crew removes and crates two leg bones (left humerus, right femur), and the right shoulder blade (scapula).

June 20, 2005 (4.0 Mb .avi file, 29 seconds)
Diplodocus moves to center stage. Phil's crew successfully braces the platform and steel support frame to handle the stress of the move. Now they begin the difficult work required to disassemble the heavier fossil bones.

June 16-17, 2005 (3.7 Mb .avi file, 27 seconds)
While in the process of removing the lower leg bones, the crew are visited by local media who take some pictures. The last of the bones that can safely be removed without the crane are now packed away.

June 15, 2005 (3.2 Mb .avi file, 24 seconds)
Work resumes on Diplodocus. Larry and Paul remove the back feet and strengthen the existing framework supporting the body. They remove the lighter fossil bones and then, as with Apatosaurus, move Diplodocus to the middle of the room, where the crane can help lift the heavier pieces.

April 26, 2005 (2.7 Mb .avi file, 19 seconds)
The rest of the tail is removed. The disarticulation is halted at this point, and work begins on Apatosaurus.

April 20-22, 2005 (2.9 Mb .avi file, 22 seconds)
A crane is erected to handle the weight of the heavier bones in our largest dinosaurs, Diplodocus and Apatosaurus.

April 13, 2005 (3.9 Mb .avi file, 28 seconds)
Larry and Paul remove the ribs.

April 12, 2005 (4.1 Mb .avi file, 29 seconds)
The cast steel that supported Diplodocus' head and neck is removed as well as more of the tail.

April 8-11, 2005 (4.0 Mb .avi file, 30 seconds)
The rest of the neck and part of the tail are removed.

April 6-7, 2005(3.9 Mb .avi file, 29 seconds)
Bones are removed from the head to the first half of the neck.