Now when they did the 42 inch pipe past us here last summer.  They did not weld the joints with a stick.  They would set the pipe up on a series of 4 x 4 blocks, set up a tent or shell and clamp on 2 rings and I assume used some sort of wire welder that would go 360 degrees around the pipe. 

I would sometimes see a stick welder running, I think it was on joints that did not pass inspection and the main group of welders and Cats had moved on.