1944 Trolley Stop in OR. Old 11kV Switches/Deadends

By Mike Parker; posted August 11, 2008

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Here is a (badly scratched) 1944 photo of an electric trolley line and way station near Portland, Oregon. Some interesting power lines are shown. Such as the former 33,000 volt substation power line from Cazadero Dam, now downgraded to 11,000 volts. Three old style "rocker" type 3 phase line switches on multipart insulators are shown. These are also called "Frankenstein" switches by collectors. To see one of these sets in service [id=223151149] The switch set in the foreground is still standing in service today! The one by the track west of the crossing has been replaced, as well as the one along the road north of the crossing. Note the triple "Johnny Ball" strain insulators used as dead-ends on the north switch. This was common practice on older PGE lines in the area. Maybe they were too cheap to buy standard dead-end units, or wanted their linemen to work extra hard? The steel tower line is a 57,000 volt 2 circuit line from River Mill Dam to Portland, built in 1911 and also still standing! Photo taken from a trolley front window by the late Ed Belknap, operator of the car.

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