Old operator levers seen in the foreground no longer operate the gates at the John P. Murtha Locks and Dam near Charleroi, Pennsylvania. In the future, all lock operations will be controlled in the tower seen in the background.
Technology at some U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facilities is antiquated, still relying on mechanical levers pulled and pushed manually from the lock walls. Older locks still use rudimentary hydraulic systems that push fluid into a cylinder to operate the gates manually, often resulting in leaks. Some facilities use machinery so old that companies no longer manufacture parts for them anymore.
The control tower built at the John P. Murtha Locks and Dam uses a human-machine interface with touch screens, cameras, intuitive designs and push-button controls to open gates and valves rather than pulling mechanical levers. It includes cameras and screens to see every inch of the facility from one place. Once the Pittsburgh District upgrades the system at other facilities on the Monongahela River, the tower will be able to control locks miles away at the push of a button.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is modernizing navigation locks and dams across the Ohio River Basin to support commercial industry. Modernization could mean replacing old and aging locks, incorporating new materials, or innovating them with remote lock operations.
The Ohio River Basin is an intricate system supporting the nation’s economy with over 2,500 navigable miles, made possible by 50 locking facilities used by towboats and barges to transport an average of 179 million tons of commodities yearly.
(U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
| Date Taken: | 08.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.02.2024 15:27 |
| Photo ID: | 8566937 |
| VIRIN: | 240802-A-TI382-1040 |
| Resolution: | 6000x4000 |
| Size: | 6.54 MB |
| Location: | PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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