[OT] Centralia, PA

[LabattBlue]

Interesting(and sad) story that I had not come across before this morning...

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100205/ap_on_re_us/us_centralia_s_final_days

[BuffalOhio]

Very sad. Seems like a huge, smoldering fire. I wonder how it could be extinguished. We're wasting a natural resource will all that coal that's burning.

[FormerFreddie]

This town was featured on an episode of the show Life After People.

[darksabre]

Very sad. Seems like a huge, smoldering fire. I wonder how it could be extinguished. We're wasting a natural resource will all that coal that's burning.

 

It can't be put out. They've talked about doing it before but it would simply be impossible to dig up every vein of coal under the ground.

 

Centralia is a little bit of an art student destination. If you dig around the internet you'll find all sorts of photo albums people have taken of the place. It really is rather interesting.

 

I just can't believe people have stuck around there that long. I suppose some like the seclusion.

[cdexchange]

I remember reading about this place a few years ago. Utterly fascinating.

[wonderbread]

That place was the basis for the town in the movie Silent Hill. I have a friend who went there he said it was really bizarre. It smells bad from the fumes and they were warned that they could fall into a sink hole.

[MattPie]

I've ridden through there a few times, it's right on PA 61. Some guys I ride with rode up there a few years ago (I missed it), written up here:

http://www.bmwmoa.org/features/centralia.htm

(The story is rather motorcycle-heavy, so it may not be everyone's cup of tea)

 

The town is kinda strange, you come down into a valley and there's a stop-sign with nothing around. When you look around more, you see there's streets laid out and whatnot, but only a couple buildings.

[NUeagles2011]

this town was the basis for the movie nothing but troble

[spndnchz]

For us bloggers:

 

Lots of pics of the town.

 

Centralia

 

and from "offroaders" some cool stuff

 

Offroaders Centralia site

[LabattBlue]

For us bloggers:

 

Lots of pics of the town.

 

Centralia

Thx for the link!

[nobody]

Why don't they build a steam plant or something in the area so they can use all that heat created by the burning coal.

[spndnchz]

Why don't they build a steam plant or something in the area so they can use all that heat created by the burning coal.

 

Probably because the :censored: gov't dude in charge wants to get a big kickback from the :censored: coal company that will take it over once everyone is gone so he can make a :censored: bundle of dough on it.

[shrader]

Why don't they build a steam plant or something in the area so they can use all that heat created by the burning coal.

 

I'm guessing they'd be slightly worried about the steam plant falling into the ground.

[darksabre]

I'm guessing they'd be slightly worried about the steam plant falling into the ground.

 

Yeah, that whole lack of a stable land base is sort of a big deal.

[SwampD]

Yeah, that whole lack of a stable land base is sort of a big deal.

Let's not forget about those noxious fumes.

[Stoner]

Probably because the :censored: gov't dude in charge wants to get a big kickback from the :censored: coal company that will take it over once everyone is gone so he can make a :censored: bundle of dough on it.

 

You are so worldly and cynical for such a young lass!

[nobody]

I'm pretty sure the technology exists to drill support pylons below the below ground area that has the burning coal. I'm also pretty sure there are things called air filters and oxygen tanks. Plus if there are still some people living in the area...

 

Now would it be profitable? That is the question that would need to be determined.

[shrader]

I'm pretty sure the technology exists to drill support pylons below the below ground area that has the burning coal. I'm also pretty sure there are things called air filters and oxygen tanks. Plus if there are still some people living in the area...

 

Now would it be profitable? That is the question that would need to be determined.

 

Digging into a fire and inserting something that wouldn't be damaged by that fire? I'm no engineer, but that sounds pretty tough to me.

[nobody]

Digging into a fire and inserting something that wouldn't be damaged by that fire? I'm no engineer, but that sounds pretty tough to me.

 

 

Well, I'm no chemist but coal burns for a specific amount of time and then all of the combustible materials get used up and the fire goes out in that area but continues further down the vein.

 

Plus there are probably plenty of metals that can stand the heat, otherwise for example your furnace would melt.

[FogBat]

Interesting(and sad) story that I had not come across before this morning...

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100205/ap_on_re_us/us_centralia_s_final_days

I can't remember when I first read about it, but it is indeed a tragic story. I don't ever see this fire being put out until Christ's Second Coming.

[Stoner]

I can't remember when I first read about it, but it is indeed a tragic story. I don't ever see this fire being put out until Christ's Second Coming.

When Miller comes back from Vancouver?

[SwampD]

When Miller comes back from Vancouver?

:lol:

[blugold43]

this thing has been burning for how many decades and we're going to find a solution here on the sabres message board? :rolleyes:

 

i've driven through there many times. it's very creepy and steamy and stinky. but i don't have much sympathy left for the people holding out. its sad and tragic that a town died, but at some point common sense ought to take over. it's not as though they'd have to leave the area.

[Stoner]

this thing has been burning for how many decades and we're going to find a solution here on the sabres message board? :rolleyes:

 

i've driven through there many times. it's very creepy and steamy and stinky. but i don't have much sympathy left for the people holding out. its sad and tragic that a town died, but at some point common sense ought to take over. it's not as though they'd have to leave the area.

 

The day after we posters put that fire out, we're going to finally get the Sabres that Cup!

[PromoTheRobot]

Probably because the :censored: gov't dude in charge wants to get a big kickback from the :censored: coal company that will take it over once everyone is gone so he can make a :censored: bundle of dough on it.

Funny you should start blaming the government. Way back when when the fire started it would have only cost a few grand to put the fire out. But locals felt it was a waste of their tax dollars. Some even said the fire was a hoax or that it would just burn out on its own so government action was unnecessary. Those same people now scream for the federal government to save them from their own stupidity.

 

PTR