Birmingham History - Republic Steel Thomas Plant. Dial up Destruction, new pics P7/8


You misunderstood (or I failed to communicate ;) ), the operator of the larry car was in the center... As for the radioactiove symbol, where do you think they kept the plutonium pits? :D Seriously, it is a radiation symbol but no one seems to know why it was there.
 
Meh, I re-read that, I guess I mis-read it. Dang what a job, wonder how the pay was for that job!?
 
grande man said:
... As for the radioactiove symbol, where do you think they kept the plutonium pits? :D Seriously, it is a radiation symbol but no one seems to know why it was there.
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IIRC, when I was a young 'un, those signs were placed at locations that were to serve as fallout shelters in case we got nuked by the Russians :)eek: )
 
grande man said:
You misunderstood (or I failed to communicate ;) ), the operator of the larry car was in the center... As for the radioactiove symbol, where do you think they kept the plutonium pits? :D Seriously, it is a radiation symbol but no one seems to know why it was there.
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I don't know whether the radiation was in the coal or some how was a byproduct of the coking process. The radiation signs were all along the path that the coke moved through the plant in Gadsden. Working around the coke plant seemed to be a potential cause of cancer. I went into the areas were the coke was accumulated before dumping in the skip cars to go to the top of the blast furnace on many occassions to catch coke samples. I guess I'm lucky I don't glow in the dark!:eek:

The radiation threat was bad enough that the people working at the coke plant had to have annual x-rays (chest if I remember correctly). By the early to mid-80's, anyone working at the coke plant was required to wear disposable uniforms, eat only in designated areas, and wear respirators.

Should have asked for a tour of the top of the coke batteries in 76-77 before all the rules were enacted. After the rules were implemented, casual tours were not allowed!
 
Believe it or not, the burning of coal does produce radiation in some considerable amounts. One source states "Older coal-fired power plants without effective fly ash capture are one of the largest sources of human-caused background radiation exposure. When coal is burned, uranium, thorium and all the uranium daughters accumulated by disintegration — radium, radon, polonium — are released. The release of nuclear components from coal combustion far exceeds the entire U.S. consumption of nuclear fuels in nuclear generating plants." I think this case is overstated but steel mills had big problems designing and installing fly ash catchers that would remove most of these radioactive products. One of the reasons that so many older steel plants closed down was the cost of installig fly ash catchers in coking facilities, which tend to concentrate the radioactive particles.
 
Hi everyone.

I shot some more photos at the Republic Steel Thomas site today and thought ya'll might get some enjoyment from them. This is such a facinating place that I just can't seem to get it off my mind. Even after several trips, I haven't seen it all! There must be a million great camera angles... and there's certainly much industrial history. Thankfully, the good folks at Wade Sand and Gravel have been fantastic in allowing me access. Robin, I very much appreciate your hospitality! :cool:

BTW, I've been advised by "someone in the know" to watermark my images. This is a first in my history photos and, hopefully, has been done in an undistracting manner. Ya'll please bear with me in this...

Smokestack
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Coke wharf
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Spare oven door
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Oven top view
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Industrial Epitaph. This was spray painted on a door at shutdown.
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Reflections on our industrial heritage
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Boiler House Details. The photos can't begin to do this building justice. It's incredible!
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Large scale industry tends to make one feel quite small... :D
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Coke transfer car. This was used between the ovens and quench car.
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Coal hopper as viewed from the gas manifold atop the ovens.
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I can't help but think of the sunset on US heavy industry...
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Former Frisco rail with Wade Sand and Gravel quarry equipment in the background
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UP2CSX said:
Wow! Great pictures and very evocative of another time in our history. That epitaph say it all. :(
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Thanks for hanging with the thread Jim. I walked right past that door the first time I went in the control room it's located in. When I saw it today, I had to get a shot. It said so much that it couldn't be passed up. My 550EX flashgun brought out the wording for us...
 
GrandeMan: awesome, awesome ,awesome pictures!!some of them are looking surrealistic! Thanks you post them!

Jos
 
Josh, The tracks in question are active BNSF. Back "in the day", this area was a hotbed of rail activity with Frisco and Central of Georgia operating out of the nearby East Thomas Yard. There were two roundhouses at East Thomas and an operational turntable remains today. Of course, being BNSF, that's no man's land for railfans. :(

SRR had it's Findley Yard just north of the Frisco yard and operated there until the move to Irondale in the early 50s. The old SRR roundhouse remains today and is used by a trucking company. I'd like to give it a good going over but would probably need a full SWAT team escort.

Jos, Thanks for your kind comments on the photos. I was operating as a lone wolf. While I love to go with other folks to industrial sites, I'm always aware of the fact that they are inconvenienced while waiting for me to "get the shot". It's said that every photo tells a story. Yesterday was a beautiful day and I had time to "see" the stories before me. Hopefully, the photos have succeeded in telling a small part of the important story about what took place at the Thomas Works.
 
Keep taking those photos, Eric. I know what you mean about liking to do some of this one your own when you're trying to get that shot just right but I sure wouldn't mind prowling around up there with you some day if you're up for it. I love the way all those old mills look but have no idea what most of the stuff did so it would be nice to be with someone who actually understands these things. Since I'm a retired cop, I'll be your SWAT team while you take the photos...some of those areas of Birmingham are a little scary. :eek:
 
UP2CSX said:
Keep taking those photos, Eric. I know what you mean about liking to do some of this one your own when you're trying to get that shot just right but I sure wouldn't mind prowling around up there with you some day if you're up for it. I love the way all those old mills look but have no idea what most of the stuff did so it would be nice to be with someone who actually understands these things. Since I'm a retired cop, I'll be your SWAT team while you take the photos...some of those areas of Birmingham are a little scary. :eek:
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Actually, I can get pretty absorbed in getting the pictures but typically have pretty good situational awareness. That's very necessary in many areas with industrial ruins around Birmingham. Fortunately, Thomas is a one of the kinder, gentler sites I've been to as far as security goes since it's still an active business with employees all around. Ensley, now that's Apache territory...:D

Shoot me a PM as I plan on spending some time on Red Mountain this winter.
 
Yes, very nice pictures Eric, ya'll getting good with that camera, If that was England the Pikeys would have stolen all the metal and cashed it in at the local scrap merchants
 
As usual Eric, your photos are world-class! I had to look at the first shot a few times before I noticed what it really is (a stack) :D , didn't think to read the caption...
 
Josh, You're right, this would be a great place to get some train shots! The crews are taking it slow due to the proximity to the East Thomas yard and there is a nice variety of older geeps working the yard that can be seen there too. :cool:

Steve, Things are the same here with regard to copper thieves. They have pretty much stripped anything copper they could get to at many industrial sites. The Thomas site is no exception. :(

Paul, Ken, Thankyou. I'm glad you got a kick out of the photos and thanks for checking back in on this thread.
 
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