Yeah; and the city's inability to maintain this archaic system has led to the install of the ubiquitous orange stacks. These are put in place so that steam leaking from the pipes is vented overhead and does not impair visibility. Steam explosions area also a part of the landscape in the Rotten Apple. My dad used to work in a building just off of Wall St. One day he heard an explosion. Next thing he knew, a manhole cover was flying up past his office window... on the 20th floor... Once it succumbed to gravity it ended up permanently taking out a pedestrian... ..You can KEEP NYC...
Wow! Didn't know they flew so high! Years ago I use to go into NYC about once a month - haven't been there since 9/11 and have absolutely no desire to either. Sad, as there are so many wonderful things to see there.
I worked for Baltimore Gas and Electric for over 40 years. They also had a district steam system supplying downtown buildings. They sold it off to Trigen back at the end of the last century. They did a better job of maintaining it than NY but it had its issues.
Oh, yeah; steam and hot water heat is still REALLY common on the East Coast. The boilers are oil-fired now, but steam or hot water is still the heat vehicle.
Yeah; and the city's inability to maintain this archaic system has led to the install of the ubiquitous orange stacks. These are put in place so that steam leaking from the pipes is vented overhead and does not impair visibility. Steam explosions area also a part of the landscape in the Rotten Apple. My dad used to work in a building just off of Wall St. One day he heard an explosion. Next thing he knew, a manhole cover was flying up past his office window... on the 20th floor... Once it succumbed to gravity it ended up permanently taking out a pedestrian... ..You can KEEP NYC...
ReplyDeleteWow! Didn't know they flew so high!
ReplyDeleteYears ago I use to go into NYC about once a month - haven't been there since 9/11 and have absolutely no desire to either. Sad, as there are so many wonderful things to see there.
I worked for Baltimore Gas and Electric for over 40 years. They also had a district steam system supplying downtown buildings. They sold it off to Trigen back at the end of the last century. They did a better job of maintaining it than NY but it had its issues.
ReplyDeleteSteam is wonderful but dangerous- we had steam radiators fired by a coal furnace when I was little - saw a valve blow off - hot water everywhere!
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah; steam and hot water heat is still REALLY common on the East Coast. The boilers are oil-fired now, but steam or hot water is still the heat vehicle.
DeleteBack in the mid sixties I used to dry my kids diapers on the radiators in the Winter - no disposables back then!
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