[GreenKeys] Telegraph in 2009?

[Roy Morgan]

On Jun 18, 2009, at 8:08 PM, Don Robert House wrote:

> Okay List,  What do you think.
... As you can see in
>
> the second photo, the wire looks like single-conductor strand, about  
> 10
> AWG solid iron with no insulation.

First, a warning:  Messing about along railroad tracks, especially  
ones still in use, can bring very unwanted attention.  I spoke with a  
fellow who used to collect wire insulators such as you see in the  
picture.  He no longer goes out along abandoned or in-use rail lines  
to look for collectible insulators.  Reports are that security people  
are especially alert to people who should not be found on rail rights  
of way.  This is a real phenomenon since 9-11, the former collector  
told me. Apparently you can be on a long-abandoned right of way that  
has not seen a train for many decades or even the greater part of a  
century, and be hauled off for suspicion of illegal activity.  'Sounds  
like it's best to avoid the rails altogether.

Second a guess:  I would expect that the wire is likely not iron but  
steel, and perhaps used to be copper clad steel wire and now the  
copper is corroded away.  Folks who know will no doubt be heard from  
and we'll get a better answer than my guess.

Roy


Roy Morgan
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