The Decks Thrust deck The first deck below the main generating floor is called the thrust deck. It houses the thrust bearings that support up to 90 tons of equipment and keep the turbine shafts in alignment. A wide variety of large wrenches, some over three feet long,...
Tunnel Cracks The first 150 metres of the tunnel endured most of the force of the power station’s turbulent spent waters due to the area’s proximity to the draft tubes. A large crack developed along that area of the tunnel because of the constant impact. During...
Modern construction challenges Although the tunnel was in excellent condition when renovations began, there were a few challenges that required careful planning to ensure the safety and longevity of the tunnel museum. Slime: The first challenge tackled during modern...
Modern Changes Despite being inactive for over 15 years, this century-old tunnel was in structurally sound condition when Niagara Parks began construction of the underground museum in 2021. The most challenging part of construction was creating a safe entry point for...
The Vertical Shaft The vertical shaft was patched in late 2021 to keep water from accumulating on the Tunnel’s new visitor walkway. Today, this area acts as a drainpipe for groundwater running down into the tunnel. The water is diverted down along the side of the...
Cranes Cranes were used during construction to lower heavier equipment and infrastructure into place. If a crane was not able to reach as far as was needed, riggers would set up complicated systems to make, form or repair something with what was conveniently on hand....
