The Boneyard -- Hoover Dam nr Boulder City NV
N 36° 01.182 W 114° 44.838
11S E 702996 N 3988480
The Boneyard is a well-known stop on the Railroad Trail that winds above Hoover Dam near Boulder City NV
Waymark Code: WMQTPW
Location: Nevada, United States
Date Posted: 03/28/2016
Views: 5
The Boneyard is a popular site along the Historic Railroad Trail near Hoover Dam, and affords a look at some of the historic, obsolete, and repairable equipment from inside the dam.
Most of the equipment is kept behind fencing to keep hikers from climbing on the turbines and possibly injuring themselves in this arid, sometimes desolate, and dangerous place. Venomous spiders, scorpions, and rattlesnakes are often found among the remnants in the Boneyard.
Visitors to this waymark: please use caution and watch where you are walking.
Proof that this is a real display and not just a pile of junk comes from this sign, placed at the Boneyard by the US Bureau of Reclamation:
"BUILT TO LAST
Hoover Dam will last for a long time, but it takes a lot of work to keep things running smoothly.
This “boneyard” is where unused equipment is temporarily stored. The Bureau of Reclamation will re-use or recycle this equipment, saving taxpayer money and conserving resources.
More than 200 highly-skilled people monitor and maintain the equipment at Hoover Dam to keep the lights on and the water flowing.
The men in the photo above are checking the stability of the cliff over the powerplant. Their job is reminiscent of that of the high-scalers of the 1930s.
Vehicles too large to travel the access road must be lowered into the canyon by cables to reach the powerplant. The cableway from which the truck is hanging was built in the 1930s. It is still reliable and safe.
The 500-ton rotors inside the generator units must be removed periodically for maintenance.
A major maintenance problem is keeping equipment free of quagga mussels, an invasive species that appeared in Lake Mead in 2010.
Just getting workers to many parts of the dam for maintenance is challenging, and the equipment needed is larger than life."
Type of Machine: hydroelectric turbines
Year the machine was built: varies
Year the machine was put on display: varies
Is there online documentation for this machine: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
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