Ask Woody

Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", December 1986, page 27

I am most grateful to Mr. N.R. Woodward, Houston, Texas for his willingness to answer readers' questions. Mr. Woodward is the author of The Glass Insulator in America and developed the Consolidated Design Numbers identification system for glass insulators. Edward J. Trapp, a new collector from St. Joseph, Missouri, has submitted this month's questions.

QUESTION: If a person is exchanging insulators on a telephone line still in use, can he get shocked or injured on an electrical line?

ANSWER: The answer to the first part of your question is an emphatic "YES." Although telephone lines do not carry a voltage that is usually hazardous, electric power lines do. There have, unfortunately, been several insulator collectors who have been electrocuted while attempting to remove insulators from lines carrying high voltage. This has occurred either through ignorance of the line's potential, or from the fact that the person thought the line was not energized.

While the communication and signal wires along railroad right-of-ways do not carry dangerous voltages as a rule, there are sometimes power supply wires in connection with the signal circuits that do carry several hundred volts. The only logical approach is: DO NOT TOUCH ANY WIRE on a working line unless you are positive of its use.

There's another angle, though, it is important. That is, in virtually all cases, a person is in violation of the law to remove an insulator from a working line, even though it is replaced. This is especially true of railroad right-of-ways. The railroad companies vary in their enforcement tactics; but, in all cases, one is guilty of trespass just being on the right-of-way except at public crossings. They are especially opposed to anyone climbing a pole for two reasons. First, naturally, is the potential for damage to the line and the repair costs and perhaps traffic delays that could result. Second, and as important to them, is the tendency of some courts to award enormous amounts in damages to plaintiffs in injury or death cases. This sometimes happens even though the injured person was trespassing with full knowledge of hazards involved. So you can see that the railroads have two very strong reasons for making an insulator collector feel MOST unwelcome if he is caught climbing a pole or, in some cases, even picking up fallen insulators along the right-of-way.

QUESTION: Before hunting insulators on abandoned telephone lines or railroad property, would it be a good idea to get permission with the owners of the property?

ANSWER: It is a good idea if it is possible. One could make an attempt in case the line is crossing private property in open country. As a rule, obtaining permission to pass over a railroad right-of-way for any reason involves the posting of a large bond. The railroads give such permission to contractors doing work for them or on adjacent property where they must enter railroad property. It may very well be that, especially in small towns or rural areas, a railroad agent or employee will say go ahead and take them when you ask about insulators that are unused. However, if the line belongs to a major railroad company you must realize that he is actually telling you that there is little or no chance that you will get caught doing it. You do not really have official permission and if you should be confronted by the railroad police and give them the name of the person who gave you the green light, he could also be severely censured or lose his job.

Through the years, collectors have removed many of our best insulators from railroad property. They will continue to do so as long as the lines are there. But anyone taking that risk should be fully aware of the aspects involved. There is NEVER an open season on a railroad right-of-way.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: See this month's WALKING THE LINES for a personal story.)

QUESTION: What was the last year insulators were made?

ANSWER: The most recent threaded pin insulators produced in the United States were made at Kerr Glass plant in Millville, New Jersey, probably in 1975. Their warehouse insulator stock was depleted during the late 1970s. Pin insulators are still being manufactured in some other countries, but current information on those is hard to come by.

QUESTION: What years did the Hemingray Company operate? and where was it located?

ANSWER: Robert Hemingray began the manufacture of glassware in Cincinnati in 1848. After several years their plant was moved to Covington, Kentucky, just across the river from Cincinnati. We do not know just when they got into the manufacture of insulators. A patent, dated December 19, 1871, covers an improved insulator press, and that patent referred to by date was molded in many early Hemingray insulators.. However, it is quite certain that they were involved in the insulator business for some years before that time. In their earlier years they were primarily bottle makers, and the two products go together well in a manufacturing operation.

In the late 1880s Hemingray built a large factory at Muncie, Indiana. In doing so, he took advantage of the abundant natural gas which had recently been discovered in that area. For a time both the Covington and Muncie plants were in operation, but the Covington plant closed eventually.

By the early 1890s enormous quantities of insulators were being produced at the Muncie plant. In 1933 Hemingray Glass Company was sold to Owens-Illinois Glass Company and continued to operate as the major producer of insulators until June, 1967, when the last ones were made. A warehouse inventory was depleted over the next several years.

QUESTION: Can you estimate the number of insulator collectors? about 20 years ago?

ANSWER: The number of active collectors can best be estimated from your current CROWN JEWELS/NIA DIRECTORY. It is highly doubtful that many who are currently active in collecting are trying to survive without CROWN JEWELS. However, you could probably multiply that figure by three or four times if you want to include those who did collect for awhile and have collections on permanent display in their homes or stored away in boxes.

Twenty years ago, collecting was just catching on. The first publications had just appeared, one of which listed prices. So, all of a sudden there were many "collectors" who were interested only because they saw a readily available source of insulators and expected to make a quick buck. I would think that in 1966 there were less than a hundred truly devoted insulator collectors. But an estimate at that time is really difficult. Two years earlier, there were only a few collectors and they were not organized or in contact with each other.

Woody