Infrastructure Tour at Bagnell Dam

In this tour, it's worth noticing the fine craftsmanship and the technical and aesthetic beauty of power equipment as it was in the day. Since the dam was completed in 1932, its many American-made components have stood the test of 77 years of continuous duty and still faithfully supply the local population's power requirements.

High voltahe lines exit Bagnell Dam's transformer deck. Note the means used to reduce the chance of damage by lightning.

The guages are one thing, originals from the 1930's, but note the valves below. Part of the beauty of Bagnell Dam is the craftsmanship that went into every small part, and the shaped and polished handles of these simple ball valves show the peak of beautiful American craftsmanship. Maybe you could find a new offshore-made valve as nice looking as this, but would it's actual quality be more fit as a yuppie's watering hose garden ornament or as a safety device in a power plant?

Throttle vane actuator hydraulic pump motor for a main generating unit. The 3-phase motor, original equipment still running perfectly 77 years later. How many cheaply made offshore/outsource motors will claim this life span? Not only is this of the highest quality, but the appearance is pleasing, instead of an all-too-modern and uninteresting gray cylinder as we see today.

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