I've always thought it was cool that, despite their size and miles of electrical wiring and computer chips and dips, that the shovels we have at work are not all that different from Mike Mulligan's steam shovel. In fact the first steam shovel was invented in 1839, and the design which we essentially still use today originated in the 1870s.
Check out this video of a vintage 1921 steamshovel, still running in a museum or something:



And a rather shaky video of a 1924 shovel- looks like it is about to tip over several times but that is just the cameraman!
I love that the operator had to yank on the trip cable. So much nicer having a little button! But otherwise, exactly the same principle.
Next week when I go back to work I will no longer be a shovel oiler. I was asked to step up and take one of the open shovel operator bids and I turned them down. Politely, but firmly. It is too hard on my back to operate those full-time. So it looks like I will have to go back to driving truck. Or else they will promote me anyways. We'll see I guess.