Suggestion for next "Pylon of the month"

[Toliman]

I think one of the next "pylons of the month" should be the suspension tower of "Elbekreuzung 2" on Lühesand island shown on http://www.hoogspanningsforum.com/downl ... p?id=41526

Elbekreuzung 2, suspension tower on Lühesand island is together with its twin near Hetlinger Schanze in Lower Saxony with a height of 227 metres the tallest electricity pylon in Europe. It was built from 1976 to 1978 for the 380 kV-line from Wilster to Stade and carries 12 conductor bundles for 380 kV.
Its three crossbars are in a height of 172 metres, 190 metres and 208 metres and are 56 metres, 70 metres and 57 metres long.
In the centre of the pylon, with stands on a square area with a side length of 45 metres, there is a house with an emergency power supply for the air-traffic warning lights and a steel tube with a spiral stairway at its exterior site and a self-propelled elevator in it.
For access to the fixing points of the insulators and ground conductors runways with railings exist.
At time of completion on this tower only 12 double conductors, from which 6 were unused were installed. From the 1990ies to 2018 4 of these conductors were used for the 110 kV-link of the German railway company to Schleswig-Holstein. From 2017 to 2019 the line was extended to its full scale. Herefore the line of the German railway company was rerouted to "Elbekreuzung 1", the conductors on the crossing section were replaced by quadruple bundles and the line running to the section was extended to 12 conductors.

[Hans]

Thanks for the suggestion. That is not just the tiny pylon next door.
There is a slight preference for 'ordinary' pylons over the public well-known ones, but we would be happy to consider this massive tower for the next free edition, which for now is February.

Usually, the rubric at the main site can only deal with Landscape or at most square picture orientations. Forcing an exception for this submission (227 metres legitimates this for a pretty convincing reason) is however no problem.

[Tom]

Sounds like a good idea. I would suggest doing that once we have updated picture of the towers with the 4 circuits equipped with quad bundle conductors

[Toliman]

For the overnext "Pylon of the Month", I would suggest the suspension tower of "Elbekreuzung 1" near Hetlinger Schanze, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, which is shown on http://www.hoogspanningsforum.com/downl ... p?id=41531

Elbekreuzung 1, suspension tower near Hetlinger Schanze, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany forms together with its twin on Lühesand island the first powerline crossing of Elbe river between Hamburg and the North Sea, which has a span width of 1140 metres and a clearance of 75 metres. It was built from 1959 to 1962 for the double-circuit 220 kV-line from Stade to Hamburg-North. The tower, which has a height of 189 metres, weighs 330 tona and has two crossbars in a height of 166 metres and 179 metres. As its twin on Lühesand island it is founded on piles and has a stairway with raillings from the base to the crossbars, which have for access to the fixage points of the conductors gangways with railings.
In 2018 the 220 kV-line from Stade to Hamburg-North was shut-down and Elbekreuzung 1 was transformed into a 110 kV single-phase AC line for the power supply of railway lines in Schleswig-Holstein. Since then two conductors are unused.
In opposite to its twin on Lühesand island the tower has a special feature: it carries since its construction a radar facility for the surveillance of vessel traffic on Elbe river on a platform in a height of 30 metres.

[Hans]

When writing on this one (thanks for the information), it appeared there is an interesting combination possible.

For the overnext "Pylon of the Month", I would suggest the suspension tower of "Elbekreuzung 1" near Hetlinger Schanze, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, which is shown on http://www.hoogspanningsforum.com/downl ... p?id=41531

Sounds like a good idea. I would suggest doing that once we have updated picture of the towers with the 4 circuits equipped with quad bundle conductors

Since the fate of Elbekreuzung I is entangled with Elbekreuzung II by means of the Bahnstrom, we can also entangle their stories. In 1990 the Deutsche Bahn hitchhiked a ride at Elbekreuz II for its Bahnstromnetz, allowed by TransPower. TransPower was aquired by Tennet and the legacy agreement was continued, up until 2018. Them the need for the full capacity of four 380 kV circuits became imminent. But instead of just 'kicking out' Deutsche Bahn, an interesing agreement was made. Elbekreuzung I, also in possession of Tennet GmbH since it was a 220 kV link (but kind of obsolete since 380 kV became the standard), was offered to Deutsche Bahn as alternative route for the Bahnstrom. It seems like a pretty nice deal for both operators to make the best out of a situation without spoiling capacity or existing assets.

The idea of Tom is attractive.
Please allow me to wait it out somewhat longer until we have a picture of the current situation with the four mighty quadruple conductors in Elbekreuzung II. The first one to pass close by is now asked to do some fieldwork.

When it is time, we can make a speciality by using two images, the second one depicting Elbekreuzung I.