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ChrisChambers

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I have recently noticed that near where I live there is a stretch of utility poles that have glass insulators on them. I would like to try and get them but there are lines still on some of the poles. They run along the train tracks and people are convinced they are old telegraph lines and are out of commission. The lines are on some, missing on others, and in some cases detached and sitting on the ground. Would the hydro company leave lines like that if they were live? Anyways I just want to know if it’s safe or not, I would never climb the poles, but have considered making a picker pole. Just want to go about this safely.
 

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nhpharm

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Dead I'm sure. The lines are steel so no value to scrappers so they typically never bothered to pull them down.
 

nydigger

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I have recently noticed that near where I live there is a stretch of utility poles that have glass insulators on them. I would like to try and get them but there are lines still on some of the poles. They run along the train tracks and people are convinced they are old telegraph lines and are out of commission. The lines are on some, missing on others, and in some cases detached and sitting on the ground. Would the hydro company leave lines like that if they were live? Anyways I just want to know if it’s safe or not, I would never climb the poles, but have considered making a picker pole. Just want to go about this safely.
If they are along a rail line they are old telegraph/long distance phone lines. You are never going to get the insulators down that are still tied to wires. Concentrate on the ones that have no lines. Those clear ones are a dime a dozen and not that old, personally I'd leave those and go after the colored ones.

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nhpharm

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Telegraph lines were (in my experience) copper plated steel or galvanized steel. I've honestly never found pure copper telegraph lines...but maybe that because the scrappers always got there first?
 

nydigger

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Telegraph lines were (in my experience) copper plated steel or galvanized steel. I've honestly never found pure copper telegraph lines...but maybe that because the scrappers always got there first?
Copper plated steel makes sense cost wise. Where i hunted "wild" insulators that was probably the case. Never much payed attention to the wires core.

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UncleBruce

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If it is a single strand it is the drawn steel with a copper coating or hard drawn copper likely #6. Depends on the utility that put it up. If it is stranded there will be one strand that is steel and the rest will be copper it is called copper weld.
 

ChrisChambers

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If they are along a rail line they are old telegraph/long distance phone lines. You are never going to get the insulators down that are still tied to wires. Concentrate on the ones that have no lines. Those clear ones are a dime a dozen and not that old, personally I'd leave those and go after the colored ones.

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Okay thanks, I’ll do that, like I said there are areas where it is just a single, or no wires attached that do have coloured insulators on them, I will focus on those. I just want to be safe about it.
 

Mjbottle

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Be very careful, make sure there are no live power lines near by and when i say nearby i dont mean within reaching distance, a disconnected wire can still have power in it due to induction from nearby live wires. The magnetic field around power lines can charge a disconected wire if its close enough...just a safety tip! Good luck!
 

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