I've Seen the Light

xoxoxoBruce · 06-20-2005, 05:09 PM

In order to do a poor imitation of NBN I coughed up $3 (for the bridge) to get you all these pictures.

In the middle of the Delaware River just below Philadelphia International Airport stands Tinicum Island. On the NJ side of the river in Billingsport (Paulsboro), smack in the middle of half dozen baseball and football fields, stands the Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse.

First lit December 31, 1880, the lighthouse is a steel skeletal structure standing 85 feet tall with 112 steps leading from the base of the tower to the lantern room, through what looks like a giant piece of pipe standing on end.

xoxoxoBruce · 06-20-2005, 05:10 PM

Originally there was in addition to the light; a seven room keeper’s house, a brick oil house, frame barn, cow shed, poultry house and outhouse on 4.8 acres of land. Today, only the lighthouse remains.

xoxoxoBruce · 06-20-2005, 05:11 PM

In 1890 there was a fixed red light 109 feet above sea level and visible for 8.5 nautical miles. The light was later be changed to a white light with a red sector, which marked the turning point to the next range. In 1917, the light was changed from oil to electric. Today, still an active aid to navigation, it is a fixed red light exhibiting 500,000 candle power from a 1,000 watt lamp.

xoxoxoBruce · 06-20-2005, 05:12 PM

The river is divided into ranges which are nothing more than sections of channel between turns.
5/8ths of a mile from this light, at the edge of the river, stands the Tinicum Front Range Station. By lining up the taller rear lighthouse with the shorter Front Range Station, the Captain or Pilot knew his ship was in the channel. When he got to a point where the Front Range Station and Rear Range lighthouse for the Fort Mifflin Bar Cut Range were lined up he would turn and follow those lights through the Mifflin range.

Since shipping channels have a nasty habit of moving, the Front Range Station has been relocated a number of times over the years.

Happy Monkey · 06-20-2005, 05:25 PM

Very cool lighthouse. A supervillain would feel right at home.

Elspode · 06-21-2005, 12:06 AM

It is cool...sort of a lighthouse stripped down to its essentials.

wolf · 06-21-2005, 12:37 AM

It's in New Jersey. Some crackhead sold the parts for rock.

Awesome pictures, bruce, and good history lesson.

06-20-2005, 05:09 PM	#1
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I've Seen the Light In order to do a poor imitation of NBN I coughed up $3 (for the bridge) to get you all these pictures. In the middle of the Delaware River just below Philadelphia International Airport stands Tinicum Island. On the NJ side of the river in Billingsport (Paulsboro), smack in the middle of half dozen baseball and football fields, stands the Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse. First lit December 31, 1880, the lighthouse is a steel skeletal structure standing 85 feet tall with 112 steps leading from the base of the tower to the lantern room, through what looks like a giant piece of pipe standing on end. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump. Last edited by xoxoxoBruce; 04-07-2007 at 05:56 PM.

06-20-2005, 05:10 PM	#2
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Originally there was in addition to the light; a seven room keeper’s house, a brick oil house, frame barn, cow shed, poultry house and outhouse on 4.8 acres of land. Today, only the lighthouse remains. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump. Last edited by xoxoxoBruce; 04-07-2007 at 05:56 PM.

06-20-2005, 05:11 PM	#3
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	In 1890 there was a fixed red light 109 feet above sea level and visible for 8.5 nautical miles. The light was later be changed to a white light with a red sector, which marked the turning point to the next range. In 1917, the light was changed from oil to electric. Today, still an active aid to navigation, it is a fixed red light exhibiting 500,000 candle power from a 1,000 watt lamp. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump. Last edited by xoxoxoBruce; 04-07-2007 at 05:56 PM.

06-20-2005, 05:12 PM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	The river is divided into ranges which are nothing more than sections of channel between turns. 5/8ths of a mile from this light, at the edge of the river, stands the Tinicum Front Range Station. By lining up the taller rear lighthouse with the shorter Front Range Station, the Captain or Pilot knew his ship was in the channel. When he got to a point where the Front Range Station and Rear Range lighthouse for the Fort Mifflin Bar Cut Range were lined up he would turn and follow those lights through the Mifflin range. Since shipping channels have a nasty habit of moving, the Front Range Station has been relocated a number of times over the years. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump. Last edited by xoxoxoBruce; 04-07-2007 at 05:56 PM.

06-20-2005, 05:25 PM	#5
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Very cool lighthouse. A supervillain would feel right at home. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

06-21-2005, 12:06 AM	#6
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	It is cool...sort of a lighthouse stripped down to its essentials. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

06-21-2005, 12:37 AM	#7
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	It's in New Jersey. Some crackhead sold the parts for rock. Awesome pictures, bruce, and good history lesson. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

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