Centralia PA - 40+ year mine fire - Who wants to go?

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Haha this sounds pretty interesting. I'd certainly be down for it if it is around the time of Carlisle. I wonder if that's where they got the inspiration for the movie adaptation of "Silent Hill"

It's been suggested that the answer is "yes", I'm just not sure if that's after-the-fact revisionist history....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2JsIUEFvr0

But there is renewed hope for putting out the fire. Note the thread below, where someone with an ID remarkably similar to mine, invited input from a company that specializes in garbage and coal fire extinguishment.
http://centraliapa54196.yuku.com/topic/692

[yottabit]

Wow! That's a neat read. Imagine if that post actually lead to the extinguishing of the fire? That'd be pretty sweet. Better act on it soon, pretty soon the EPA will make Centralia start buying carbon credits for all that CO2 they are putting out...

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Wow! That's a neat read. Imagine if that post actually lead to the extinguishing of the fire? That'd be pretty sweet. Better act on it soon, pretty soon the EPA will make Centralia start buying carbon credits for all that CO2 they are putting out...

Yea, once I tracked down Mark Cummins (President of CAFSCO), I really didn't expect him to so thoroughly engage on the topic. I realize he's got a commercial interest in getting the project, but the damn fire's been burning for 46 years, some 1500 miles away from where he's based.

I sorta feel guilty just letting it drop now. I have a friend in PA who is very much an activist-minded person. She jokingly (I think), wants me to run for governor now.
I'd love to change the world,
but I don't know what to do.
So I'll leave it up to you?

BTW, the State of PA effectively owns all of Centralia at this point, so it would be interesting to see the EPA go after them.

[MerkurScorpio]

I'm only about an hour and a half away from Centralia, so I'd be interested in this.

Only thing is I believe many of the roads through Centralia are closed, and most are disintegrating due to lack of repairs. In fact, I'm not entirely sure you can even drive into the "town" anymore. I know for a fact that several roads have smoking holes in them.

[MerkurScorpio]

Here's a satellite image of Centralia. Note the lack of vegetation in and around the town.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&g ... 2&t=h&z=16

And check out this image of now-abandoned Route 61.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Rt.61 still goes through what was "downtown Centralia". The closed down section of Rt.61 is to the southwest of town. What was initially the temporary bypass loop has simply become the new section of Rt.61, further south of town, through what was Byrnesville (in fact, the bypass loop was mostly an existing road, Byrnesville Rd).

Most all of the roads through Centralia still exist, but they are gradually being returned to nature through lack of use and maintenance. I know the side roads are still plowed on the roads where someone still lives, but I'm not sure who exactly does that nor how/if they're compensated.

I think the overall population of Centralia is now down to eight today.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Check out this scam of an auction. What a crock!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... escription

[MerkurScorpio]

Check out this scam of an auction. What a crock!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... escription

Seriously! I have never heard about Silent Hill being based on Centralia. Although it would make a great setting for a horror game or movie!

[MerkurScorpio]

Check out this scam of an auction. What a crock!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... escription

Seriously! I have never heard about Silent Hill being based on Centralia. Although it would make a great setting for a horror game or movie!

Whoops, I spoke to soon! Check this out...

"In the film Silent Hill, the town of Silent Hill has been abandoned due to a prolonged mine fire, which director Christophe Gans says was inspired by Centralia.[citation needed] Aspects of this are shown throughout the movie, such as characters wandering through the misty version of Silent Hill wearing mining gear." - Wikipedia

I know Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source of info, but it has gotten better lately. Interesting.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Seriously! I have never heard about Silent Hill being based on Centralia.

There are indications that it is based on Centralia. Regardless, I'm fine with that. It's everything else about his auction that is crap. There are no plans to level the town in 2010. And all that nonsense about a COA and "one of a kind"!? One of a kind dirt and ashes? WTF?

[MerkurScorpio]

Seriously! I have never heard about Silent Hill being based on Centralia.

There are indications that it is based on Centralia. Regardless, I'm fine with that. It's everything else about his auction that is crap. There are no plans to level the town in 2010. And all that nonsense about a COA and "one of a kind"!? One of a kind dirt and ashes? WTF?

Yeah, there's nothing like one of a kind dirt and ash! Never heard about leveling the town in 2010, although they are tearing down houses as they are vacated.

[88merkurXR4Ti]

As long as my Merk is up and running im up for it. Warm weather is on the way so ill be replacing the turbo and flushing everything this week rather than going to work and class haha

[Rooster]

so when will we be going?

[MerkurScorpio]

Definitely keep me posted on this one...I want to be there!

[DPDISXR4Ti]

I've sorta got a complete (morning to night), agenda proposed for Thursday (6/4) now, inclusive of a Centralia visit, if anyone is so inspired.... (see link below)

http://forum.merkurclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13803

That said, I might still be up for a Centralia visit some time this Spring. I almost went there when I was in Hazleton last month, but daylight was running short so I just headed home.