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Pylons/electric towers

Started by TheGrassGuy, March 06, 2020, 08:12:42 AM

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ErmineNotyours

City of Seattle tower lines through Renton and Skyway were replaced with metal poles in 1972 to add capacity to the right of way.  At the end of the rebuild by a substation: square frame pole towers.


TheGrassGuy

Quote from: jmd41280 on April 01, 2020, 03:35:23 PM
Quote from: ixnay on March 31, 2020, 05:06:33 PM
Quote from: Mr_Northside on March 06, 2020, 10:00:48 AM
I'd probably go with the term "unique" over "weird" - But I don't think I've ever seen a design quite like some Duquesne Light transmission lines scattered about their territory.

https://goo.gl/maps/GSScn9JcNDmdYHwM7

I had the pleasure of following that line of towers through Plum on my way to the Pro Football and R&R Halls of Fame in 1999, when the PA Tpk was much cheaper.


ixnay

The power lines w/ those towers actually form a complete circle around Pittsburgh.

I-79 near Carnegie
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.3846316,-80.0966674,3a,17.7y,349.43h,95.14t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spi2oOhTIVNx3zKQD3reZ_w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

PA 88 in Castle Shannon
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.3761719,-80.0045971,3a,75y,19.22h,98.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-R5xi8jQl20O3GoIRB3vuQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Along US 19 Truck in Ross Township
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.53686,-80.0109144,3a,75y,329.36h,94.07t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTDl5c14HN1RBrIJjLMOpqQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Kind of interesting how there are two towers on some parts (e.g. the first one), but only one on others.
If you ever feel useless, remember that CR 504 exists.

lepidopteran

Quote from: Mr_Northside on March 06, 2020, 10:00:48 AM
I'd probably go with the term "unique" over "weird" - But I don't think I've ever seen a design quite like some Duquesne Light transmission lines scattered about their territory.
I've noticed those too.  The two unique features are (1) that very unusual, band-like cross-arm structure (made of wood?), and (2) the pointy "crown" structure on top for the lone grounding wire.

The grounding wire is the thinner wire found at the top, above the current conductors.  As they are harder to spot, this is where those "basketballs" are placed.  The purpose of the wire is to protect against lightning.

Actually, pointy tops used to be more common than they are now.  This is because, over the past 50 years or so, the practice was to have twin grounding wires on double-circuit towers, rather than just one in the center, perhaps to provide better lightning protection.  It might also have to do with channeling induced current in those wires.

You might still find some power lines with a "flat" top for a lone grounder, but most have been retrofitted or replaced with a hat-like structure or even "horns" for twin grounding wires.  This one in the Toledo area has a pointy top, but when the line turns left at the Michigan state line, they are replaced with double-circuit structures that have conductors on only one side, including where they cross US-23.  A decommissioned tower can be seen here, if you look carefully among the trees.  This line, which ran along a now-abandoned short-line railroad, was evidently shut down in favor of a monopole-based route to the north.  Another one on that route may be found here, but only in the 2007 view; anything later and the tower vanishes.

lepidopteran

Quote from: catch22 on March 06, 2020, 12:16:46 PM
These are somewhat unusual.  When newer, they were a much more vivid blue and yellow but are now somewhat faded.  I've never seen any quite like these, which run near the Ohio Turnpike south of Cleveland.

https://goo.gl/maps/gMVfFfySWu9Hdw4EA
For the record, those were strung in 1977 and presumably constructed just before then.  We were on a family trip to Sea World, and I noticed the spools on some of the structures.

jmd41280

These pylons are on a power line that runs between the US Steel sites south of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River.

"Increase the Flash Gordon noise and put more science stuff around!"

TheGrassGuy

#55
Quote from: jmd41280 on April 05, 2020, 12:19:57 PM
These pylons are on a power line that runs between the US Steel sites south of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River.
Tall, but not in the same sense of my Wilmington example. But you ain't seen nothing yet! https://www.google.com/maps/@31.5873597,130.5252104,3a,59.1y,168.8h,106.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSsJobsjRh0bJv8Vke7BvHw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
If you ever feel useless, remember that CR 504 exists.

thenetwork

ISTR some real weird-looking electrical towers going across or near the NY Thruway south of Buffalo.  Never saw anything like them anywhere else.  Must have been real old transmission lines going to the old industrial factories along the lake by Lackawanna. 

TheGrassGuy

Quote from: thenetwork on April 05, 2020, 11:51:09 PM
ISTR some real weird-looking electrical towers going across or near the NY Thruway south of Buffalo.  Never saw anything like them anywhere else.  Must have been real old transmission lines going to the old industrial factories along the lake by Lackawanna.
GSV?
If you ever feel useless, remember that CR 504 exists.

TheGrassGuy

Also of interest are towers with little levels attached to them. Here's a six-level tower in western Japan, three big and three little: https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5164787,130.6356603,3a,18.9y,62.7h,96.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1seJ6KUWiIOjrcrU7-oMpJ8A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
If you ever feel useless, remember that CR 504 exists.

Henry

Quote from: TheGrassGuy on April 06, 2020, 10:04:05 AM
Quote from: thenetwork on April 05, 2020, 11:51:09 PM
ISTR some real weird-looking electrical towers going across or near the NY Thruway south of Buffalo.  Never saw anything like them anywhere else.  Must have been real old transmission lines going to the old industrial factories along the lake by Lackawanna.
GSV?
This is the closest I could get to your location:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.8200394,-78.7913944,3a,75y,245.77h,103.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3W2yro7eqpKnJCrYSSBc7g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

thenetwork

Quote from: Henry on April 06, 2020, 11:45:30 AM
Quote from: TheGrassGuy on April 06, 2020, 10:04:05 AM
Quote from: thenetwork on April 05, 2020, 11:51:09 PM
ISTR some real weird-looking electrical towers going across or near the NY Thruway south of Buffalo.  Never saw anything like them anywhere else.  Must have been real old transmission lines going to the old industrial factories along the lake by Lackawanna.
GSV?
This is the closest I could get to your location:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.8200394,-78.7913944,3a,75y,245.77h,103.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3W2yro7eqpKnJCrYSSBc7g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Couldn't find it the location on GSV, but here is an example of one.  In the photo, it is the tower on the right.
https://www.r-infinity.com/Niagara/Photos/NiagaraTowers1.jpg

amroad17

Quote from: thenetwork on April 06, 2020, 12:23:17 PM
Quote from: Henry on April 06, 2020, 11:45:30 AM
Quote from: TheGrassGuy on April 06, 2020, 10:04:05 AM
Quote from: thenetwork on April 05, 2020, 11:51:09 PM
ISTR some real weird-looking electrical towers going across or near the NY Thruway south of Buffalo.  Never saw anything like them anywhere else.  Must have been real old transmission lines going to the old industrial factories along the lake by Lackawanna.
GSV?
This is the closest I could get to your location:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.8200394,-78.7913944,3a,75y,245.77h,103.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3W2yro7eqpKnJCrYSSBc7g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Couldn't find it the location on GSV, but here is an example of one.  In the photo, it is the tower on the right.
https://www.r-infinity.com/Niagara/Photos/NiagaraTowers1.jpg
These pylons are on a line from the Solvay/Fairmount area to Auburn.  They used to go as far as a spot west of NY 34 and east of Centerpoint Road north of Auburn where the line split--one heading south toward Auburn and the other heading west toward Montezuma.  Now those pylons end just east of Hamilton Road west of Elbridge.  Reason?  There is a line heading to Skaneateles from that point (which has been around at least since the 1950's) and, with the new line that was recently finished from the substation off Kester Road east of Elbridge to supply more power to Auburn, the line west of there was considered redundant.

From what I have heard and read, these NiMo lines have been around since 1914.

Observing the photo, it looks like it was taken on the hill that overlooks the intersection of Warners Road (NY 173) and Hinsdale Road in the Town of Camillus.

https://goo.gl/maps/B5V1Ney5Hesocm5W6
I don't need a GPS.  I AM the GPS! (for family and friends)

ErmineNotyours

When I rented a car and drove between Washington DC and Harper's Ferry, I saw these warning guards attached below the lines above a construction zone.

Mr. Matté

Quote from: ErmineNotyours on April 06, 2020, 06:22:22 PM
When I rented a car and drove between Washington DC and Harper's Ferry, I saw these warning guards attached below the lines above a construction zone.

For those in the know with active construction around electrical lines, am I correct in assuming that these drops are insulated from the energized lines above? What was captured along the Northeast Extension by GSV shows a similar attachment, though much closer to the ground, traffic, and along higher-voltage lines.

Henry

#64
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!


cjk374

Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

GenExpwy


TheGrassGuy

PSE&G will be replacing 90-year-old transmission towers with monopoles

Old article. But saw the pylons being replaced in Bridgewater right as I speak.
If you ever feel useless, remember that CR 504 exists.

MCRoads

I think this speaks for itself:
https://goo.gl/maps/qgRYZxLojLhjRrM97

This design is fairly common in lattice towers, but I have never seen one made of pipes:
https://goo.gl/maps/eA2w8qzoBa1yFUU97

And finally, this is something else. I don't even know the purpose of such a complex structure:
https://goo.gl/maps/NQZ82DTCJuU8y8cb6
I build roads on Minecraft. Like, really good roads.
Interstates traveled:
4/5/10*/11**/12**/15/25*/29*/35(E/W[TX])/40*/44**/49(LA**)/55*/64**/65/66*/70°/71*76(PA*,CO*)/78*°/80*/95°/99(PA**,NY**)

*/** indicates a terminus/termini being traveled
° Indicates a gap (I.E Breezwood, PA.)

more room plz

mgk920

Quote from: MCRoads on April 16, 2021, 02:12:02 PM
I think this speaks for itself:
https://goo.gl/maps/qgRYZxLojLhjRrM97

Likely due to the current NEC not allowing power lines to be strung over buildings.

QuoteThis design is fairly common in lattice towers, but I have never seen one made of pipes:
https://goo.gl/maps/eA2w8qzoBa1yFUU97

That looks to me to allow the end of a straight run of a line without needing guy wires.

QuoteAnd finally, this is something else. I don't even know the purpose of such a complex structure:
https://goo.gl/maps/NQZ82DTCJuU8y8cb6

Those are switches.  The lines can be turned on and off at that point as needed.

Mike

jeffandnicole

Quote from: TheGrassGuy on April 13, 2021, 04:24:36 PM
PSE&G will be replacing 90-year-old transmission towers with monopoles

Old article. But saw the pylons being replaced in Bridgewater right as I speak.

They have replaced many of these in South Jersey as well.  One area of high visibility is where the lines cross over I-295 and the NJ Turnpike NJ/PA Extension...as of a few weeks ago the old lattice structures were half de-constructed, sitting on the ground next to the new monopoles.

TheGrassGuy

Quote from: jeffandnicole on April 17, 2021, 06:27:55 AM
Quote from: TheGrassGuy on April 13, 2021, 04:24:36 PM
PSE&G will be replacing 90-year-old transmission towers with monopoles

Old article. But saw the pylons being replaced in Bridgewater right as I speak.

They have replaced many of these in South Jersey as well.  One area of high visibility is where the lines cross over I-295 and the NJ Turnpike NJ/PA Extension...as of a few weeks ago the old lattice structures were half de-constructed, sitting on the ground next to the new monopoles.
Oh yeah, those. There was one set of wires that ran from Scotch Plains - Watchung - Berkeley Heights - Chatham - Livingston - East Hanover - Parsippany, or something like that, with almost the exact same replacement (I think it was due to Sandy damage, idk), except the original lattice towers had elongated middle rows.
If you ever feel useless, remember that CR 504 exists.

jmd41280

Came across these in Morgantown, WV today.
"Increase the Flash Gordon noise and put more science stuff around!"

Dirt Roads

Quote from: ErmineNotyours on April 06, 2020, 06:22:22 PM
When I rented a car and drove between Washington DC and Harper's Ferry, I saw these warning guards attached below the lines above a construction zone.

Quote from: Mr. Matté on April 06, 2020, 06:32:56 PM
For those in the know with active construction around electrical lines, am I correct in assuming that these drops are insulated from the energized lines above? What was captured along the Northeast Extension by GSV shows a similar attachment, though much closer to the ground, traffic, and along higher-voltage lines.

Indeed, not only is the connector insulated but the drop wires should also be non-conductive.  The bottom rails do need to be metallic to create a sharp resonance when they are struck.  However, it is a tad creepy that they were mounted on all three phases.  I'd be concerned that they could all get wrapped together and pull a couple of phase wires closer than they ought to be. 



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