Something About Some US Cities That Has Puzzled Me For Years.

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mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
I've often seen on tv, either film or documentary, what seems like steam outlets by pavements (sidewalks) and occasionally in the middle of roads.
Chicago and New York spring to mind.
What on earth are they? My only guess is outlets for underground super heated volcanic water spurts.
Would this assumption be correct?
Regards,
Jay.

 

elbert

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 10, 2015
604
28
I know you didn't mean it this way, Jay, but I think the implicit assumption that the damn yanks are building their largest metropolises on active volcanoes is just delightful!
We MUCH prefer to build our largest metropolises on active fault lines. :D

 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
I've often seen on tv, either film or documentary, what seems like steam outlets by pavements (sidewalks) and occasionally in the middle of roads.
It's not steam, it's smoke...it's where all tobacco smokers are kept now.

 

trudger

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 1, 2019
846
2,021
‘Burbs of Detroit
Detroit has over 50 miles of leaky steam mains in the city. The system dates back to 1903. Useful for the homeless in the winter if used carefully.

 

philobeddoe

Lifer
Oct 31, 2011
7,404
11,575
East Indiana
Ryeguy’s post was correct, the city I’m from, Indianapolis, IN has steam as well. The fun part is when they occasionally blow, by this I mean that the manhole covers get launched several hundred feet into the air at some unknown time, with no warning to those above ground!

 

npod

Lifer
Jun 11, 2017
2,942
1,024
Here you go Jay. NYC is the classic location for the steam vents. I took this picture of my Eltang poker next to one three years ago.

btO4Ycd.jpg


 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,074
Carmel Valley, CA
Er, but that was a subway there. Those grates have volumes of (usually warm) air forced out of them as trains roll down the tubes.

 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
Well chaps, sorry for the delayed reply but thanks for your responses, much appreciared. I'm slowly learning certain American 'ways'.
BTW Neal, that's a smashing looking pipe you have there.....I'm assuming it smokes as well as it looks?
Regards,
Jay.

 
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