Niagara Falls, Erie Canal at Lockport NY - Road Trip 2000 Part 2

All Photographs Copyright © 2007 by Robert E Pence

 

The Niagara River seen from the pull-off adjacent to the hydropower water intakes.

 

 

At Niagara Falls I parked along the road beside the upper rapids and used my bicycle

to explore the area. A bicycle provides great mobility in an area where parking is scarce,

and it's a good way to cross the Canadian border. I can go through the pedestrian gate

without having to wait in long lines of cars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A monument to Nicola Tesla stands in front of the reconstructed portal from the original hydroelectric

plant at Niagara Falls. Tesla developed the alternating-current induction motor and much of the

technology used to generate and transmit AC power over long distances.

 

 

 

Erie Canal at Lockport, NY

 

At Lockport, New York, the present locks take the place of twin flights of five locks each that originally raised and lowered canal

boats over the 47-foot Niagara Escarpment. One flight of the old locks still exists, but I couldn't get a good photo vantage point

because of construction equipment working in the area.

 

 

 

The controllers, relays and motors that operate the Erie Canal locks at Lockport were

built in 1916 by General Electric and all the original equipment is still in use. The brass

is polished, the cast iron is painted, and everything is immaculate and well-lubricated.

The lock keeper said they prefer the older relay-type control systems because they're

more reliable and easier to troubleshoot than new solid-state equipment.

 

 

 

The Niagara County tourism office at Lockport is located across the street from the courthouse. I didn't ask, but this building

looked as though it might have been an old courthouse.

 

Locks good! ;)