So after the Steam Plant trip we decided to make a 2nd attempt at the power plant. When we returned we found all the workers had gone and decided to make a try at getting inside. I had heard there was a new hole cut in the fence somewhere and that if we walked the fence line we would find it. When we walked along the fence we passed the spot where the old hole was which now has 2 motion sensors aimed at it. A little further along was a tiny hole in the fence just barely big enough for a person to squeeze through. I figured this must be the hole because it was small enough to remain unseen but big enough to fit a person through. I'm pretty skinny so I can fit almost anywhere. I squeezed through the hole and my buddy passed my bag through which barely fit. Then I rounded the corner to wait in the brush and keep an eye out for activity. My buddy had a harder time getting through the hole and got torn up on the sharp fence. It took him maybe 2 minutes to get through. He eventually did make it and we tried to quickly walk along the water to make it through the point of entry we used last summer. As soon as we made it about half way you can see down an alley that leads straight to the main gate. Just as we crested that area I could see the gate and a white truck right at the entrance and the automatic fence was sliding open.
We immediately turned around and hauled ass out back towards the fence. Lucky for me it was right then I noticed the correct hole we had heard about which was hidden by plant growth but was large enough to get through in only a few seconds. We ran past the fence and into some thick growth under a train bridge and waited for a few minutes. I expected to at least see the truck drive toward the fence looking for us but I saw nothing. I figured security was smart enough to know there was no way out for us except back towards the main road and they would wait for us and catch us there. Because of this we decided to head further towards the water where we could watch the entire back of the property for any movement. When we got to the back we saw 2 guys fishing off of the coal pier on the power plant property. I was kind of hoping maybe security would see the 2 guys and assume they had triggered the motion sensors and just tell them to leave and we could escape. We waited a while longer and saw no white truck still. Eventually the fishermen packed up and started to walk back towards the front of the place. We got the idea that if they walked out and security stopped them it would give us enough time to make it back to the car and escape. We headed back towards the car and to our surprise no one was around. Lazy ass security? No clue. But at this time we had our spirits broken and decided just to head home for the day.
Fast forward early Sunday morning the next week we were back at the power plant. As soon as we drive up and get out we see security rolling towards us. I tried not to look at him and just fiddled around in my car trying to look innocent. Lucky for us he was just hitting a check point and turned around back down the road a few seconds later. Now that we knew where the fence hole was we had a good plan of action on how to get in. We made it past the fence and the alley in sight of the gate. We hid inside of the back of the building for a bit just in case we had triggered a sensor again but all remained quiet. From there we had to go up the side of the coal shoot which involved a bit of climbing in very plain sight. But since we had done it last summer we knew what to expect and made it in very smoothly. Then it was just a long hike up to coal conveyer and we were inside.
Several years ago this place was super wide open. I literally would see 50 different people in here during a several hour span. Some explorers, some scrappers, some taggers. It was a pretty cool time to be there but it also resulted in this place getting torn up pretty fast. So perhaps it was a good thing that security started to pay attention to this place again. Now it seems to open up briefly about once a summer and then gets sealed again. I may have been here 10 different times but each time I find something new. It is without a doubt my favorite place to explore.
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2. In the pitch black...
3. Discovered a machine shop in the basement I had never been in before...
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5. I have no idea how I missed this all the other times. It is a relic from when the movie "12 Monkeys" was filming inside...
6. Another one. It had a neon tube inside of the circle so I think it was from one of the time machine sets...
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9. Old number 7...
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11. 2 of these guys we met inside here. 1 was from Toronto and one from Buffalo I believe...
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16. Everyone signs in...
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25. They painted this area red and black for a scene from the movie "The Last Airbender"...
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27. This piece was decorated like a time machine for "12 Monkeys"
28. It looks like at one point they tried to put plastic up to protect the stuff inside...
29. The crab...
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Old Westinghouse ad that clearly shows this turbine...
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After we had been inside for several hours we met up with some guys I knew from online. They showed us a very easy way out where someone had removed a window. Definitely much nicer and faster than the crappy climb down the coal conveyer.
Last Sunday I was in the area and decided to stop by. Now they have a white car with security light parked right behind the main gate. So it looks like maybe the window of opportunity has once again closed for this year.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theneighborhoodwatch/sets/72157626046380063
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