This Adventure:

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    Intro/Rant

    Part 01

    Part 02

    Part 03

    Part 04

    Part 05

    Part 06

    Part 07

    Part 08

    Part 09

    Part 10

    Part 11

    Part 12

    Part 13

    Part 14

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    Main Page

 

Intro/Rant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

 


Temple of Dome

Delving into the dark dome of the power house

Delving into the dark dome of the power house

The landscape of the power house, quite familiar to me from my time in 724-C, was very alien at first glimpse of this site.  Clearly this site was very different from what I had become used to seeing.

The power house dome opened wide above me as I entered-- too wide in fact.  I looked up to see that the mezzanine level, which would normally be about 10 feet above my head, was completely gone.

From somewhere beneath my feet, the babble of hidden running water sounded with its tantalizing song and as I surveyed the landscape, I saw a very, very barren space.

Some of the few remaining features on the top level of the power house.

Some of the few remaining features on the top level of the power house.

The largest open space in the entire complex, even my beloved Streamlight could do little to abate the stygian cloak of the power house dome with its 130-foot diameter and 50-foot height.

My camera struggled to gather enough photons to reveal the width and breadth of the once great hall of diesel-generated power.  Dust further obscured and confounded my photographic efforts with reflected light that manifested as multifarious glowing orbs dotting the images like a hundred Glindas* appearing before me.

* Glinda, the Good Witch of the North from The Wizard of OZ.  Glinda first appeared to Dorothy in the film as a translucent orb from which the witch resolved before her very eyes.

Where yard gnomes come from? - Tiny houses nestled in the power house.

Where yard gnomes come from? - Tiny houses nestled in the power house.

Smurf Village

Looking across the expanse, I discerned in the dark a harsh geometry of concrete hills and valleys dominating the central space where all the heavy equipment had been.  Monoliths of steel-reinforced cement stood where once there had been great roaring motors, chillers, ice banks and other cacophonous machinery.  Between these monuments ran yawning canyons filled with fiberglass insulation, asbestos and other menacing debris.

In some areas, the raised areas resembled bunkers or concrete fortifications and even small dwellings as though we'd stumbled on a subterranean village of gnomes, dwarves or perhaps even some decidedly gloomy smurfs.

A wasteland of fiberglass insulation and asbestos awaits you in the power house.  Pretty typical really.

A wasteland of fiberglass insulation and asbestos awaits you in the power house.  Pretty typical really.

Surrounding this quiet "settlement" was an area level with the rooflines of the concrete "homes" enclosing a considerable amount of open space below a raised cement floor.  This raised area ran around the perimeter of the power house dome with the smurf village in the center next to the pads for the four diesel generators (in absentia).

At one time, the valleys were covered with steel gratings that made the floor of the power house a continuous surface running between the power and HVAC equipment.  With the removal of the gratings by scrappers, this rather intricate, multi-layered wilderness was revealed: the mysterious sub-space of the power house floor.

The narrow streets of the underground troll/smurf/dwarf village.

The narrow streets of the underground troll/smurf/dwarf village.

Visible through cracks and gaps in the floor, it was clear that below the smurf village that there was another entire level below the two I could see.

Left to my own devices once again by the others, they had gotten to the power house before I had.  Although I couldn't see hide nor hair of them, I could hear their muffled voices caroming about inside the dome.  I knew right away where they must be.

Descent into Unterland

From below the huge concrete slabs, faint lights peeked out intermittently accompanied by muffled and disembodied voices.  I moved toward them trying to catch up and then the lights vanished.  Moments later they appeared from another gap in the floor some distance away.

Barren generator and switchgear pads with the entrance in the background.

Barren generator and switchgear pads with the entrance in the background.

There they were!  Under there!  Now how the hell did they get there?

I looked about for a way down into Fiberglass Valley but didn't see any steps or other means of descent short of jumping down there.  With my lights and cameras in tow, I wanted to avoid jostling about too much lest I damage them.

Skirting around the holes and hazards, I followed the periphery of the dome looking for access to the hidden world below.  There had to be access to the lower areas around there somewhere!

I encountered one hole that had been designated as the local waste bin and which contained some rather large refuse: a heavy duty cart, an axle with rims, large pipe fittings and lengths of steel I-beams, a small motorized vehicle-- upturned into the pit.  Beer cans and bottles lay all about the pit and around it all flowed some of the water I was hearing.

Through the cracks, another underground world is visible below.

Through the cracks, another underground world is visible below.

Following along the wall, I suddenly spotted what had to be the way down into the hidden sub-levels below.  There was an opening in the floor with railings around two sides and a short ladder going down.  At the bottom of the ladder there was a 2nd ladder that went down even further.

Aha!

The opening clearly had once been covered by an access panel providing for maintenance and was marked with yellow caution stripes around it.  I could imagine some airman climbing down there with a checklist and a grease pencil in one hand to inspect a series of pipes and such for problems.

There was a lot space down there from the looks of it, and not a little water as well.  There was not much headroom however; the space appeared to be only about 4 feet tall.  What mysteries could there be down there?

A trench full of junk - that pipe you see at the upper left is 16 inches in diameter by the way.

A trench full of junk - that pipe you see at the upper left is 16 inches in diameter by the way.

Juggling my cameras and lights to free up my hands, I started down the ladder into the cramped, wet and dark space below.

The first level down was at the same level as the doors to the smurfs' modest, graffiti-tarnished homes and aside from heaps of pipe insulation and trash, didn't have anything very interesting to offer.

Back at the junk pits, there was some intriguing garbage and the inverted "Mouse Mobile" which hung there abandoned over the pit.  How sad that "Ol' 931" was discarded like so much junk after it was no longer needed.

More discarded junk left behind in the underbelly of the power house.

More discarded junk left behind in the underbelly of the power house.

Ducking low, I stepped onto a thick bed of dirt and powdered fiberglass that covered the floor all around me.  Neat rows of concrete pillars ran off into the darkness in all directions.

I looked about but there was still no sign of the others in the vast darkness of Unterland.

Had they left me behind once again?

Damn, I was really going to have to get my ass in gear if I was ever going to catch up to the others.

Keeping my head down I followed along the sloping wall of the dome and searched for the others.

The gateway to Unterland

The gateway to Unterland

Water dripped down from the floor above making patterns in the accumulated sand covering the floor.  The sound of water was even louder down there and I had to find where it was going.  Sticking to the edge of the room, I headed toward the sound of the flowing stream.

Nope, this photo is not upside-down, the poor "Mouse Mobile" has been upturned into the pit and abandoned for some reason.

Nope, this photo is not upside-down, the poor "Mouse Mobile" has been upturned into the pit and abandoned for some reason.

 

The pillared vaults of Unterland-- a space about 5 feet high.

The pillared vaults of Unterland-- a space about 5 feet high.

Peering between the forest of concrete pillars, I could see in the distance some very large pipes laying on the floor.  Moving toward them, the sound of water grew louder.  I was closing in on Titan Creek!

A sump well (hole at left) and large pipes and other structures in the background.

A sump well (hole at left) and large pipes and other structures in the background.

 

Giant water pipes: someone thought some of this piping was worth taking.  Titan Creek flows right out of one of them!

Giant water pipes: someone thought some of this piping was worth taking.  Titan Creek flows right out of one of them!

In the above photo, I first glimpsed the hidden flow once again as it emerged from very large pipes into the power house.  These large pipes once supplied raw water to the water treatment system-- an imposing collection of giant tanks housing sulfuric acid, caustic lye (aka: Sodium Hydroxide) and other hazardous industrial agents employed in the treatment and de-mineralization of the raw water for use in the chillers and ice banks.

A closer look at the giant water pipes and the water flowing through.

A closer look at the giant water pipes and the water flowing through.

The missing sections of pipe left open on the other side of the entrance were channeling the water into the power house where it spilled onto the concrete slab.  Still, it flowed off into the darkness once again.  This time however, I had a pretty good idea where it must be going.

The wall of the power house dome just beneath the entrance showing some smaller piping and more water.

The wall of the power house dome just beneath the entrance showing some smaller piping and more water.

Looking closer, there were actually several smaller flows coming from smaller pipes and I was surprised to see that the 16-inch flexible connection was exposed after all the years, its braided stainless steel covering completely eroded away by relentless corrosive forces and acidic ground water.

A closer look at the pipes under the power house floor showing some smaller trickles joining the larger flow through the structure.

A closer look at the pipes under the power house floor showing some smaller trickles joining the larger flow through the structure.

 

The flexible connection to one of the 16-inch water lines showing the eroded stainless steel braiding.

The flexible connection to one of the 16-inch water lines showing the eroded stainless steel braiding.

The water that flowed from the end of the giant pipe appeared crystal clear as it flowed off into the darkness.  Not that I would take a swig mind you, but you'd expect something down there to bear the same characteristic nastiness imparted onto everything else in the complex.

Titan Creek flowing out the open end of the water main.  Water Slide!  You can see the very clear water heading off between the pillars to somewhere unseen.

Titan Creek flowing out the open end of the water main.  You can see the very clear (looking) water heading off between the pillars to somewhere unseen.

As I marveled at this underground flume, I wondered what it was like after a heavy rain hit the area.  Does Royal City even have a rainy season?  It's pretty damn dry there in July and the whole area is pretty heavily irrigated, so I just don't know.  The water table seemed pretty close to the surface I would later discover, so perhaps storm clouds really did venture into the area.  Either that or lake What's-It's-Name was to blame.

Looking at the wall where the pipes and conduit pass through from tunnel junction #10.

Looking at the wall where the pipes and conduit pass through from tunnel junction #10.

 

There is a surprising array of penetrations coming through that wall.  The power house was one busy place!

There is a surprising array of penetrations coming through that wall.  The power house was one busy place!

Ever Deeper

After some searching it was clear that Walter and the lads from Undersea Adventures had left the power house or descended to a deeper level beneath my feet.  I had seen a 2nd ladder leading down from the level I was currently on so I looked around for another maintenance access.  It wasn't long before I found one:

Another ladder down leading to the lowest level of Unterland.

Another ladder down leading to the lowest level of Unterland.  

Descending ever deeper, I wondered what could be under this 2nd sub-floor.  As I set foot on this next and deeper level, once again I was struck by the stunning enormity and complexity of the structure.  The Lowry site had certainly been much simpler in design than this place.

This lower level enclosed a surprisingly large space; it was about 5 feet high and instead of coil springs or some other method of shock absorption, it had used a series of large spring beams to support and protect the intricate concrete layer cake which comprised the power house floor.

Spring beams were a rather ingenious way to spread out load and shock over a series of pedestals upon which were mounted very stout, hinged steel hangers from which the beams were suspended.  At each end of these beams were supports that rose up to carry the slab above.

(Click here for blueprint details on spring beams and their design.  The image shows a similar design used in the Lowry sites at the bottom level of the equipment terminals.  The detail shows a pedestal with 2 hangers and the beams attached which are in cross-section.)

The weight of the suspended floors kept the beams under constant spring tension which would flex in response to vertical shock and sway along the hinged joints in the event of lateral motion.

However, it was immediately obvious to me that the beams were long gone.

How could that be?  They had supported the tremendous weight of thousands of tons of concrete, steel and equipment.  What was holding this whole affair up now that they were gone?

Titan Shrugged

Closer inspection revealed that at each pedestal, salvage workers had apparently gone to each spring beam assembly and most likely used heavy jacks to take the weight off of the supporting structure.  Once relieved of the weight of the floor slab, a short chunk of steel was inserted atop the pedestals as a shim.

One of the spring beam pedestals.  There used to be two large steel beams suspended from each one of these.  You can see the chunk of steel on top acting as a shim to hold up the floor above.

One of the spring beam pedestals.  There used to be two large steel beams suspended from each one of these.  You can see the chunk of steel on top acting as a shim to hold up the floor above.

With the weight resting on the shim, the spring beams could be disconnected at the hinges and removed.  Scores of these small hunks of steel were apparently all that was holding the entire power house floor aloft!

I have no idea how the bloody hell they got the beams, which were probably 20 feet long, out of that enclosed space.  Perhaps some poor sucker spent his day down there with a cutting torch making them into smaller chunks.  Not my idea of fun.

The view at the lowest level beneath the power house showing the silt collected there and the constant dripping of water from above.  In the distance you can see more pedestals from the missing spring beams and a pipe which I believe was to one of the wells supplying the complex.

The view at the lowest level beneath the power house showing the silt collected there and the constant dripping of water from above.  In the distance you can see more pedestals from the missing spring beams and a pipe which I believe was to one of the wells supplying the complex.

The very bottom slab looked rather like a lake bed with sand and silt covering it in a heavy layer.  Crouching low I ventured under the low concrete ceiling where I found myself bedampened by an incessant aerial attack from water dripping off the ceiling.  Still seeing no one and with my shoes slipping in sandy muck, I retreated to the periphery where my camera gear was in less danger of getting wet.

Another look at the lowest level of Unterland.  This was the typical view down there.  There were a few pipes, sump wells and access ladders, but otherwise it was a rather an eerie and empty place.

Another look at the lowest level of Unterland.  This was the typical view down there.  There were a few pipes, sump wells and access ladders, but otherwise it was a rather an eerie and empty place.

As I hadn't seen or heard the others in some time, I felt a renewed sense of urgency to catch up as well as to find a place where I could stand up straight again!

Back on top of the power house floor, the generator motor mounts set empty and alone in the dark.

Back on top of the power house floor, the generator motor mounts set empty and alone in the dark.

I returned to the ladder and exited Unterland, leaving its angular concrete topology and diminutive denizens (along with their rude graffiti) behind.  

Back in tunnel junction #10, I finally rejoined the group which was assembled at the entrance to the launcher tunnels, watching the water flow past.

One last look at Smurf Village.  This particular "home" was host to some fireworks set alight on its roof.  I can't help wondering how long it takes smoke to clear in such a place.

One last look at Smurf Village.  This particular "home" was host to some fireworks set alight on its roof.  I can't help wondering how long it takes smoke to clear in such a place.

I asked them what they'd seen down in Unterland:

"We saw where all the water goes."

"Where?"

"Down one of the wells."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Very interesting.  The same thing was happening out at Lowry 724-C."

After some discussion about the clean and pure appearance of the water, we decided to head down the launcher tunnels next and maybe I'd see where all this water was coming from.  I hadn't yet seen the water disappearing down the open well, but we agreed that we'd head back down later and take another look.  That never happened.

Lesson #1 of visiting a Titan I site:

The Titan I underground complex is huge.  You can easily spend 12 hours looking around and still not see everything.  Because of this, if you are limited by time, you will have to make a compromise between how much of the complex you want to see, and how much time you want to spend looking at any given area you visit.

If, for example, you spend too long looking at the power house and control center, you may well run out of time to visit all 3 launchers and their associated terminals.

On the other hand, if you rush through the entire complex, you may well be able to visit just about every area but you may overlook a lot of interesting details as you breeze on through.

In my case, I figured I'd just get a photo of the well when I came back through the power house.  Well, we did come back through the power house, but never went back down underneath the floor.  And so the pictures of the well never happened-- something I regret now, but at the time I was tired from hours of walking and in fact forgot to head back down there.

Stepping carefully in single file, we followed the narrow strip of remaining flooring into the launcher tunnels and toward the fuel terminal accompanied by the soothing sounds of a gentle stream...

 

Tune in soon for the next installment:

Part Four - Oil and Water

Intro/Rant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14