Comments on: The Smoldering Ruins of Centralia http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/ A collection of Damn Interesting things Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:49:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: appledude http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-26836 appledude Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:42:12 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-26836 It would still be great to bring Centralia back - it is so disgusting that our government would have let this happen, when the amount of money spent to try to combat this would have been a very worthwhile investment - look at what this is costing over time - relocating people, the amount of coal destroyed, the potential for harm this fire still holds for the future - I always loved the movie "nothing but trouble" which is the first time I had learned about coal mine fires burning underground - what about the possibility of getting a special version of this, and maybe other movies that have this vein in them (pardon the pun) - and have a bit about Centralia before the movie, with an action plan to bring the town back? I just don't see the logic in "letting this burn itself out" - It would still be great to bring Centralia back – it is so disgusting that our government would have let this happen, when the amount of money spent to try to combat this would have been a very worthwhile investment – look at what this is costing over time – relocating people, the amount of coal destroyed, the potential for harm this fire still holds for the future –
I always loved the movie “nothing but trouble” which is the first time I had learned about coal mine fires burning underground – what about the possibility of getting a special version of this, and maybe other movies that have this vein in them (pardon the pun) – and have a bit about Centralia before the movie, with an action plan to bring the town back?
I just don’t see the logic in “letting this burn itself out” -

]]> By: Liverpool Pete http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-26616 Liverpool Pete Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:16:08 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-26616 Camertaonself above mentioned about Ashland being in danger. We actually visited the mine tour in Ashland before visiting Centalia ( great place to visit by the way ) and asked the tour guide if Ashland was in any danger . He said that it wasn't as it's at a lower elevation than Centralia and that there was no chance of it reaching Ashland as it was lower than the water table. Camertaonself above mentioned about Ashland being in danger.

We actually visited the mine tour in Ashland before visiting Centalia ( great place to visit by the way ) and asked the tour guide if Ashland was in any danger . He said that it wasn’t as it’s at a lower elevation than Centralia and that there was no chance of it reaching Ashland as it was lower than the water table.

]]> By: Liverpool Pete http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-26615 Liverpool Pete Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:10:05 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-26615 Been interested in this place ever since I found out about the place . Although from the UK , we were in the U.S. in August to visit family in NY . We travelled down to the area to visit Knoebels and took the opportunity to visit Centralia while we were in the area . Interesting place. Pity the abandoned highway is covered in juvenile graffiti but still interesting to see. Still a couple of hot spots on the highway. The town itself is pretty much abandoned apart from a few remaining houses . Strange to see all the roads still in place but without any houses which they used to serve .Some of the streets still have the street signs on them. Next to the cemetery ( adjacent the abandoned highway ) is the area which is still showing signs of the underground fire . Although it was pushing 90 degrees when we were there , there were still a couple of spots in the slag heaps that were venting smoke / vapour . Could only spend a short time while there , but will try and get back there in the future. Been interested in this place ever since I found out about the place . Although from the UK , we were in the U.S. in August to visit family in NY . We travelled down to the area to visit Knoebels and took the opportunity to visit Centralia while we were in the area .

Interesting place. Pity the abandoned highway is covered in juvenile graffiti but still interesting to see. Still a couple of hot spots on the highway. The town itself is pretty much abandoned apart from a few remaining houses . Strange to see all the roads still in place but without any houses which they used to serve .Some of the streets still have the street signs on them.

Next to the cemetery ( adjacent the abandoned highway ) is the area which is still showing signs of the underground fire . Although it was pushing 90 degrees when we were there , there were still a couple of spots in the slag heaps that were venting smoke / vapour .

Could only spend a short time while there , but will try and get back there in the future.

]]> By: UnseenThings http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-26178 UnseenThings Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:09:13 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-26178 I cannot wait to visit and I will make sure to be respectful. I know it won't be like the Silent Hill games, but it will still be interesting. I love learning about old ghost towns and such. I would love to know more ghost towns and places that might interest me. Also, would love to hear more stories like this that exist. I cannot wait to visit and I will make sure to be respectful. I know it won’t be like the Silent Hill games, but it
will still be interesting. I love learning about old ghost towns and such. I would love to know more ghost towns and places that might interest me. Also, would love to hear more stories like this that exist.

]]> By: andyboy http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-26080 andyboy Mon, 21 Jun 2010 02:50:15 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-26080 We just visited Centralia today after reading this and other blogs. I was surprised that you could drive right through it. The closed portion of highway 61 seems to be outside of the village of Centalia proper. One good decision we made was to bring bikes so it is easy to quickly roam around and get around barriers (mounds of dirt). There was nothing to see today and only a little to smell in the way of a coal fire. I am guessing the air temperature was near 90 F so it was hard to detect hot ground. There were a few dozen people there just wandering around as if it were a local park. They were there for the same reason as us, to check out Centralia. Some had been there many times before. It was very peaceful and casual. Some locals said the time to visit is during the rain so you can see water evaporating on the hot ground. It was our opinion that coming in the winter months would be advisable because the foliage would be down and visibility would be much improved. Vegetation is thriving and some of the trees are decades old. Between that and underbrush it is hard to tell there was ever a thriving town there except for the paved streets. The closed portion of 61 is interesting but would have been more so if it were still smoking. Most of the road is tagged with practically all references being to sex and hell. Drawings of penises outnumber breasts (pairs) about 10:1. Overall my opinion, and that of some old time locals we met, is that this fire seems to be going out! We just visited Centralia today after reading this and other blogs. I was surprised that you could drive right through it. The closed portion of highway 61 seems to be outside of the village of Centalia proper. One good decision we made was to bring bikes so it is easy to quickly roam around and get around barriers (mounds of dirt). There was nothing to see today and only a little to smell in the way of a coal fire. I am guessing the air temperature was near 90 F so it was hard to detect hot ground. There were a few dozen people there just wandering around as if it were a local park. They were there for the same reason as us, to check out Centralia. Some had been there many times before. It was very peaceful and casual. Some locals said the time to visit is during the rain so you can see water evaporating on the hot ground. It was our opinion that coming in the winter months would be advisable because the foliage would be down and visibility would be much improved. Vegetation is thriving and some of the trees are decades old. Between that and underbrush it is hard to tell there was ever a thriving town there except for the paved streets.
The closed portion of 61 is interesting but would have been more so if it were still smoking. Most of the road is tagged with practically all references being to sex and hell. Drawings of penises outnumber breasts (pairs) about 10:1.
Overall my opinion, and that of some old time locals we met, is that this fire seems to be going out!

]]> By: cameraonself http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-25677 cameraonself Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:39:25 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-25677 Its quite an interesting place... I would love to visit there someday before it become too dangerous. Ive heard Ashland is getting nervous about the fire heading primarily in their direction. Very cool. Its quite an interesting place… I would love to visit there someday before it become too dangerous. Ive heard Ashland is getting nervous about the fire heading primarily in their direction. Very cool.

]]> By: DeLuzional http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-25501 DeLuzional Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:42:52 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-25501 [quote]zxx said: "I wouldn’t be suprised if it has something to do with a phrase uttered in 1961 of “burn in hell” by a ruthless person mad at somebody else or the pure hatred or thought of the town at that moment. I’d research all of the people who used to live in the town and attempt to either sell this script to the ‘X-files’ or locate any profile fits and de-demonize them. (nothin better ta do)"[/quote] Sorry.......LOL!.....again sorry. [quote]zxx said: “I wouldn’t be suprised if it has something to do with a phrase uttered in 1961 of “burn in hell” by a ruthless person mad at somebody else or the pure hatred or thought of the town at that moment. I’d research all of the people who used to live in the town and attempt to either sell this script to the ‘X-files’ or locate any profile fits and de-demonize them. (nothin better ta do)”[/quote]

Sorry…….LOL!…..again sorry.

]]> By: zxx http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-25500 zxx Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:26:00 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-25500 I wouldn't be suprised if it has something to do with a phrase uttered in 1961 of "burn in hell" by a ruthless person mad at somebody else or the pure hatred or thought of the town at that moment. I'd research all of the people who used to live in the town and attempt to either sell this script to the 'X-files' or locate any profile fits and de-demonize them. (nothin better ta do) I wouldn’t be suprised if it has something to do with a phrase uttered in 1961 of “burn in hell” by a ruthless person mad at somebody else or the pure hatred or thought of the town at that moment. I’d research all of the people who used to live in the town and attempt to either sell this script to the ‘X-files’ or locate any profile fits and de-demonize them. (nothin better ta do)

]]> By: CarmenL http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-25139 CarmenL Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:34:09 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-25139 This site interested me from the time I read it. I was born and raised in the Throgs Neck projects in the Bronx, New York. By the Whitestone Bridge. There too from back in the late 60's up to the 90's, the same situation took place. I remember as a child playing in the large fields that is at least 2 sqare miles large. And jumping over the smoking holes. I remember hearing people talk and saying nothing could be built there cause it's sinking. Large, deep holes would sometimes appear that were'nt there the day before. Every day we played there. Now as an adult I have several health problems and my eldest son was born with some issues too. Can this have affected me? Why didn't my parents move out of there? I would never know. This site interested me from the time I read it. I was born and raised in the Throgs Neck projects in the Bronx, New York. By the Whitestone Bridge. There too from back in the late 60′s up to the 90′s, the same situation took place. I remember as a child playing in the large fields that is at least 2 sqare miles large. And jumping over the smoking holes. I remember hearing people talk and saying nothing could be built there cause it’s sinking. Large, deep holes would sometimes appear that were’nt there the day before. Every day we played there. Now as an adult I have several health problems and my eldest son was born with some issues too. Can this have affected me? Why didn’t my parents move out of there? I would never know.

]]> By: Radiatidon http://www.damninteresting.com/the-smoldering-ruins-of-centralia/#comment-23523 Radiatidon Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:19:17 +0000 http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=479#comment-23523 [quote]ValiantDefender said: “couldn't this be used as some sort of energy generation? All that coal burning can generate a lot of heat which is the key factor in many power plants.[/quote] It would be great if the heat could be tapped. The problem is that your heat exchanger (pipes with a fluid) needs to be fairly close, if not in the heat source. With the burning coal, your heat source is actually moving, so as the coal burns the pipes are left behind. Second is distance from plant to heat exchanger. The steam turbine needs to be fairly close to the heat exchanger because the greater the distance, the larger the pump to move the fluid. Also the greater the distance the more heat loss before it reaches the turbine. Finally how do you get the piping to the burning coal? Cutting any holes to run the pipes just gives the coal another fresh air source to burn even hotter. [quote]"Also, you'd think if they evacuated the town that they could tear it up and extract the unburnt coal. I know the article says it would cost X billion dollars to dig a trench, but, what about just mining the unburnt stuff? Thats a profitable industry in many places. Take away the fuel, the fire dies, right?"[/quote] To do this is taking a risk, a very big risk. You have the possibility of methane leaks, and also coal dust to contend with. Both are very combustion worthy, and with those underground fires you could have some explosions as you dig out the coal. The other problem is that you have no idea how stable the ground you are digging in is. Since the coal is burning underground, it is also creating unknown voids. Just imagine if a large section was honeycombed out and gave out beneath the equipment. Those mega-ton diggers and million dollar dump trucks would be nothing more than scrap. Not to mention the possible loss of life. ;) The Don. [quote]ValiantDefender said: “couldn’t this be used as some sort of energy generation? All that coal burning can generate a lot of heat which is the key factor in many power plants.[/quote]

It would be great if the heat could be tapped. The problem is that your heat exchanger (pipes with a fluid) needs to be fairly close, if not in the heat source. With the burning coal, your heat source is actually moving, so as the coal burns the pipes are left behind. Second is distance from plant to heat exchanger. The steam turbine needs to be fairly close to the heat exchanger because the greater the distance, the larger the pump to move the fluid. Also the greater the distance the more heat loss before it reaches the turbine.
Finally how do you get the piping to the burning coal? Cutting any holes to run the pipes just gives the coal another fresh air source to burn even hotter.

[quote]“Also, you’d think if they evacuated the town that they could tear it up and extract the unburnt coal. I know the article says it would cost X billion dollars to dig a trench, but, what about just mining the unburnt stuff? Thats a profitable industry in many places. Take away the fuel, the fire dies, right?”[/quote]

To do this is taking a risk, a very big risk. You have the possibility of methane leaks, and also coal dust to contend with. Both are very combustion worthy, and with those underground fires you could have some explosions as you dig out the coal.

The other problem is that you have no idea how stable the ground you are digging in is. Since the coal is burning underground, it is also creating unknown voids. Just imagine if a large section was honeycombed out and gave out beneath the equipment. Those mega-ton diggers and million dollar dump trucks would be nothing more than scrap. Not to mention the possible loss of life. ;)

The Don.

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