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

[mawnansmiff]

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.

 

[ryeguy]

Here

 

[elbert]

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

 

[alaskanpiper]

No idea. The only smoke here comes out of the woodstove chimney.

 

[dmcmtk]

Underground Subways and Railroads, must be the same in London, no?

 

[brian64]

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]

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]

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!

 

[mso489]

Lots of heavy breathing going on below grade.

 

[jpmcwjr]

It's condensate and steam you see. Nothing to do with subways, which run on electricity.

 

[npod]

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.

 

[kcghost]

Marilyn Monroe certainly got her legs warmed by one in "The Seven Year Itch".

 

[jpmcwjr]

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]

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.