Asphalt Plant 6910
Basic
Region: United StatesLocation
Type: FactoryStatus: Abandoned
Parent: Censored
Opened: Around 1963
Closed: 1985-2003
This is a medium sized asphalt plant. It was opened around 1963, and was likely abandoned some time around 1985-2003, based on the current amount of decay and growth. It is unclear exactly why this plant was abandoned, but a busted storage tank leads me to believe maintenance wasn’t top priority at this place. In the photo gallery below, I will try my best to take you through the asphalt production process based on my extremely limited knowledge. The information below may be inaccurate or wrong!
2022 Update
Someone or some company came in and cleared out all of the brush. The effect it has had on the place is quite dramatic, as the brush was getting really out of control before. In addition to cleaning the brush, they tore town the sheet metal shack on the ground level, which was nearing collapse anyways.x
Asphalt Plant 6910 Big View
by NEPATrains.org - All rights reserved
The winter time “Big View” of the Asphalt Plant 6910. Just right of this picture was the aggregate feed bins.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Aggregate Bins
by unknown - Fair use - All rights reserved by the author.
Some of the aggregate bins. There were 2 of these. The asphalt aggregate (the small rocks that primarily make up asphalt) was dumped into these, and then fed into the rest of the factory for processing.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Aggregate Conveyor
by NEPATrains.org - All rights reserved
From the aggregate bins, which are to the right of this image, the aggregate is loaded into the plant with a material conveyor belt, and into a large drum.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Dryer Drum
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The inside of the dryer drum at the asphalt plant. Aggregate was dumped into this drum, where it was tumble dried and heated. The process becomes less clear at this point. What I write is probably wrong somehow!
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Baghouse
by NEPATrains.org - All rights reserved
At this point, the Baghouse should be introduced. Pictured in the right half of this photo, the baghouse was the main particulate and gas filtration machine. This machine was responsible for making the factory meet EPA emission regulations. Without this, the immediate area could have been coated in nasty particulates and fumes.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Oil Tanks
by NEPATrains.org - All rights reserved
It’s time to switch gears and go to the rear of the plant. These tanks held oil, which is the 2nd key component to making asphalt. The oil hardens and helps the aggregate stick together. There were 4 of these tanks, each holding 15,000 gallons of oil! The furthest one in this picture was busted somehow. I wiggled the dipsticks and they all still had some oil left.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Busted Tank
by unknown - Fair use - All rights reserved by the author.
The busted tank! Look at the next photo to see what nasty surprise it left for anyone who dare walks past it…
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Superfund Material
by NEPATrains.org - All rights reserved
This disgusting mass is right below the busted tank. Only god (or an asphalt tech) knows what this is. If someone from the EPA comes across this site, I think this alone will turn it into a superfund site!
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Control Room and Main Processor
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Standing on the oil tanks, this is the back (or front ?) end of the plant. In the very back of the plant, we can see the baghouse as seen earlier. Up front, we see the large main hopper. Unfortunately, I don’t know how this huge machine works. Towards the bottom, the main control station is seen.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Disgusting Machine
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A lot of the machines at the asphalt plant were disgusting, but this machine on the way to the control room was probably the worst. Not seen in the picture, the tanks above and below this joint were coated in tar.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Doing Things The Hard Way
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I should quickly add that the entire plant was overgrown severely. I had to cut my way all the way to the control room, and it wasn’t easy! I’m waiting for the winter before I climb the plant above the control room.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Control Room
by NEPATrains.org - All rights reserved
Inside the control room. To the left there is a control panel (all wires are cut). To the right there was a desk.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Control Room Buttons
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Some of the equipment control buttons in the control room.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Main Hopper
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From the control room of the plant, you can ascend a staircase up on to the main hopper. The main hopper is pictured in the right half of this photo, and the conveyor going up to the silo is pictured in the left half.
[more info]Asphalt Factory 6910 Hopper Inside Access
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On the top of the hopper there are access holes to the inside of the hopper. A ladder runs down the inside.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 133 Inside Hopper
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This is two photos in one. The inside of the hopper.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Tower
by Clarke Kupinski - All rights reserved
The next feature on the plant is the tall tower next to the hopper. It is accessed via a ladder at the end of the hopper.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Tower
by NEPATrains.org - All rights reserved
On the asphalt plant’s tower, looking back at the silo and hopper.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Tower Side Chute
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There were chutes off the side of the tower.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Asphalt Silos
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The end of the line for the asphalt manufacturing process, the silos. At the plant, asphalt was taken from the main material processor, conveyed up into the silos, and awaited its shipment. These silos sit elevated on a metal frame, allowing for easy loading into a truck. This plant had 2 of these silos, each capable of holding 200 tons of asphalt!
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 View from the Silo
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On the top of the slio, looking down on the rest of the plant.
[more info]Asphalt Plant 6910 Tower Connection to Dryer Drum
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The chute connecting the tower to the dryer drum.
[more info]