I found this remaining 1960s-era pair of park lamps illuminating a playground in Highland Park, just off Highland Boulevard and Bulwer Place. This particular type first appeared in the 1960s when replacement of castiron lamps by octagonal-shafted metal poles really ramped up.
Like those original “octas” the mercury vapor bulbs shone a pale greenish-white color that got dimmer with time. When the lamps turned on at dusk, there was a noticeable buzzing sound. In the 1970s and into the 1980s, these were replaced with bright yellow sodium vapor lamps and then, in the mid-2010sm by bright whoite light-emitting diode lights.
These fluted mercs are getting harder and harder to find, and since I got this photo 3 or 4 years ago they may already have been replaced.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop, and as always, “comment…as you see fit.”
3/12/21
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Ah, the Brooklyn street lights. No matter what kind they were, when they came on, it was time for me to go home.
There are number of these floodlights surviving in the parking lot at the south west corner of Queens Plaza South and 23rd street. This lot was used by the Broadway Maintenance Company prior to 1977 to store street and traffic light poles and equipment. The main yard and offices were located on the block bounded by Queens Plaza North to 41st Avenue, and 22nd Street to 23rd Street. The Broadway Maintenance Company was a very large electrical contractor with divisions that serviced neon signs, motors, electrical construction and municipal street and traffic lighting.
About 1976, the NYC Comptroller became curious about why for 25 years the Welsbach Electric Company had won the contract for street lighting in Brooklyn and Queens, and the Broadway Maintenance Company had won the contract for the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. The resultant bid rigging scandal wound up with the Broadway Maintenance Company going out of business.
The small yard became a parking lot, and the floodlights that were installed in the 1960’s were never removed. They are mounted on wood poles, and you can see the ballast cans that are required to operate the floodlights. The northern most floodlight is the later type from about 1968 that incorporated an internal ballast and photocontrol receptacle.
The main yard became a taxi parking lot for a while. Then Petrocelli Electric took over the lot and offices. This was another large electrical contractor that also was doing street and traffic lighting. They were banned from City work because of another scandal.
These are the energy use of these floodlights. The original 400 watt mercury vapor reflector flood light bulbs with their ballast consumed about 480 watts. The 1990 high pressure sodium 150 watt replacements with ballasts consumed about 180 watts.The LED replacements of the last two years consume only 78 watts!
I just did a trip over to Highland Park today. It’s still there, standing proud and tall!