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Do you think there is enough poles, towers, wires, insulators, AC feeders, DC feeders, rails, trolley wire and supports in this picture? Taken in 1944 by Ed Belknap of Indiana, a trolley operator, looking north as the interurban trolley heads into town past the yards in southeast Portland, Oregon. The Southern Pacific R.R. joins the fray coming from the right of the photo adding to the congestion. The power plant, Station L of the P.G.E. Co. is just out of the photo to the left and the reason for even more congestion with power lines radiating all directions. There are incoming and outgoing 57kV lines on towers and wooden poles, 11 kV lines, 4160, 2400. 600. and 220 volt lines and telephone wires. Three crossarms of heavy 600 volt DC cables on poles march across the tracks from the plant to various locations for service to streetcars, trackless trolley busses and elevators. And also a 4 crossarm open wire line along the S.P. railroad! Even an old street light that lowers on a pulley. Is this enough to boggle the mind?? The area looks similar today only with way less track, and utility poles. The rail lines are scaled down to a simple junction and a siding. The trolley wires are gone. The power plant does not exist now and the former building houses the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The last open wire along the railroad just was removed this last year due to road/viaduct remodeling. It looks sooo much nicer now, but I wouldn't wanna be there at night without a cop! |