 |
|
|
UER Store
|
|
order your copy of Access All Areas today!
|
|
|
 elkinstatehospital
Location: VA-WV
Gender: Male
 |  |  | Abandoned Radar Station
< on 4/2/2011 5:36 AM >
|  | | | Or more properly, a gap filler array. Built in the late 1950s as part of the SAGE air defense system GFAs were constructed to cover areas where the big stations couldn't; namely mountainous or isolated regions. Using a primitive form of the internet, the stations transmitted video of the radar signals gathered hundreds of miles away to controlling Air Force Stations. In this case, one in Oakdale, PA. This particular station was built on the very top of Backbone Mountain between Parsons and Thomas, WV. Known to the Air Force as the Thomas GFA it was a totally automated station, humans only being present for weekly maintenance checks. It was taken out of service in about 1968. Since then it's remained unoccupied, though still probably owned by the government, and a gate was up to block vehicle traffic until at least 2000.
Probably not a very good first trip/post; I first read about this place on an Air Force veterans website and decided to go check it out to satisfy my curiosity. Access wise, it's pretty easy to get to and there's no real security to speak of. The road up's probably more dangerous.
Property from the access road; visible is the fence of the current radio tower and the peeled back security fence from the Air Force property. Center is, of course, the body of the radar building.
Entrance to the main room of the station building. The boxes contain core samples from the Corps of Engineer's construction of Jennings Randolph Lake (completed in 1981).
Just to the right inside the outside door is what was called the 'RF Screen Room'. If the station had been manned, it would've held the living quarters of the two man radar crew. Instead it just has some trash and this phone hanging inside the door.
RF Screen Room ventilator.
Exposed equipment rack, directly across from the door but shielded by boxes.
Metal communications gear racks, including the exposed rack just to the left. RF Screen Room corner at the right.
Insides of the first cabinet, closest the door.
Far cabinet, closest generator room wall.
Middle cabinet, You have to climb over the boxes to get back here; it was kind of icy since the ventilators on the roof are by and large open.
Westinghouse 'Lifeliner' emergency generator control panels. Located on the wall behind the communications cabinets.
Back of the building, showing off the 'L' shape of the building. Right is the main room to the left is the generator room. To the right out of frame lays the foundations of the radar tower.
Tower foundations.
Inside the generator room, long sans generator
End of the roof of the main building away from the gate. The ladder's still bolted and braced at the top. The bottom is kind of loose though.
Closeup of one of the many ventilator units.
Mound thing off the generator room towards the gate side of the fence. It appears to be dirt covered stone/concrete with a poured concrete cistern/vault sort of thing on top. I've seen pictures of other stations and I'm not quite sure what it's original purpose was.
Down the hatch. Those pipes point towards the station building.
Interior of a shed near the far back left corner of the compound. Has a sign nailed inside stating all equipment should be returned to the Western Electric company in Alexandria, VA.
Electrical box outside the shed.
Please don't be too rough on the noob!
[last edit 4/2/2011 9:10 PM by elkinstatehospital - edited 1 times]
The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad. |
|
etyb
Location: Maryland
Gender: Male
No.
| | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 1 on 4/2/2011 6:55 AM >
| | | | Love the shots of the old cabinets with the remaining old circuitry and wiring. Neat stuff.
|
|
elkinstatehospital
Location: VA-WV
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 2 on 4/2/2011 8:28 AM >
| | | | I've got close in shots of everything; you can still read penciled notes on some parts of it.
The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad. |
|
germs
   
Location: Great Barrington, MA
Gender: Male
the coolest koala on uer.
| |  |  | | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 3 on 4/2/2011 8:40 AM >
| | | | Looks like you had a fun time exploring. Cool pictures, if it was anywhere near me I would definitely check it out.
|
|
Avius
Location: Washington DC / NOVA
Gender: Male
Wow you guys!
| |  | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 4 on 4/2/2011 4:22 PM >
| | | | Neat! Fantastic first post! Interesting spot for sure.
In places forgotten, tread where you will. -=- http://www.flickr.com/photos/avius/ |
|
elkinstatehospital
Location: VA-WV
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 5 on 4/2/2011 9:28 PM >
| | | | Thanks. It really is a cool place to stop, and in surprisingly good condition for being open to the harsh environment at the top of the mountain for forty years.
The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad. |
|
/-/ooligan
 
Location: Las Vegas area
Gender: Male
When in danger, when in doubt, RUN IN CIRCLES, SCREAM AND SHOUT!
| | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 6 on 4/2/2011 10:13 PM >
| | | | Wow, I've been to a probably two-dozen old Gap Filler Annexes, and that one you hit is one of the better ones, in terms of equipment remains.
The underground thing would have been the underground fuel storage tank for the site's generators. The site would have normally run on commercial power, but they'd switch to generators during a state of alert or of course if commercial power failed for some reason.
Just for reference, here's a couple photos of an old GFA in Michigan with the tower & radome intact:
/-/ooligan
There are no stupid questions, just stupid people. |
|
elkinstatehospital
Location: VA-WV
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 7 on 4/2/2011 10:46 PM >
| | | | That's what I thought fuel or the like. Thanks for filling me in.
Wow, that is a nice tower! I can't imagine there are too many towers with the dome not blown off or removed. Is that from the Emory station?
The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad. |
|
Eschaton
Location: Western NC
Gender: Male
Entry: Eschaton (es-kuh-tawn) noun | end of time, climax of history | Etymology: Greek for 'last'
| | | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 8 on 4/3/2011 6:14 PM >
| | | | You should drop into that hole and see if you can get that hatch open
Ars Gratia Adventuris |
|
vov35
 
Location: Maryland
Gender: Male
| | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 9 on 4/3/2011 7:03 PM >
|  | | | no graffiti. mind = blown.
Looks like a nice place to start. 
"Only sheep need a shepherd." -- Voltaire |
|
elkinstatehospital
Location: VA-WV
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Abandoned Radar Station
<Reply # 10 on 4/4/2011 3:02 AM >
| | | | That lid is rust/bolted down pretty tight, and all I had was a screwdriver. Otherwise I'd have at least given it a try (to see the empty fuel bunker).
It's way up in the middle of nowhere at the end of a road you wouldn't really know lead to anything interesting. Even though it's within hearing distance of the road. That and the 'No Trespassing' signs on one side delineating where a local hunt club's property meets the former/current government reservation may deter most would be taggers.
[last edit 4/4/2011 3:10 AM by elkinstatehospital - edited 2 times]
The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad. |
|
|
|
All content and images copyright © 2002-2024 UER.CA and respective creators. Graphical Design by Crossfire.
To contact webmaster, or click to email with problems or other questions about this site:
UER CONTACT
View Terms of Service |
View Privacy Policy |
Server colocation provided by Beanfield
This page was generated for you in 203 milliseconds. Since June 23, 2002, a total of 739872057 pages have been generated.
|
|
