Pratt university in Brooklyn used to have a gentleman working there named Conrad Milster. He is a steam head and machinist who maintaining Pratts secret "working museum", a turn of the century steam generating plant for the campus. The plant also features two boilers, the original boiler which originally provided both heat and power and an additional boiler was added in the 30's to add capacity as the campus expanded. Milster also lived on campus in the old row houses. His was special, a full set of gauges and meters in his living room was plumbed to the plant so he could keep an eye on the boilers from he comfort of his home. He also said that steam from the plant not only heated the campus but a few buildings off campus that surrounded it. I never got to ask which buildings though. So there very well might be a little steam network in Brooklyn around Pratt.
This is located in the basement of one of the buildings on campus. The power plant consists of three Ames Iron works single piston steam generators producing 120V DC fed to a marble switch board. Another piece is an early non-functioning steam turbine DC generator, WW2 era diesel generator from a battle ship. A 30HP motor-generator set used to provide 120V DC to the two service elevators in the building. And in the boiler room are numerous antique yet still functioning feed water pumps (the original steam driven feed water pumps actually do most of the work with newer electric pumps kept for standby) On the wall of the boiler room is a functional steam driven Ingersoll Rand air compressor. Amazing place. When I first visited in the 90's the MG set was still running providing power to the service elevators though they were replaced in the 00's leaving the MG set idle. There is also an old giant wood and brass Master clock in the office that was wired to every other clock on campus so whatever time you set on the master, the other clocks would then run super fact until they come around to the set time. It was running up to the 80's I think but Milster said a renovation crew hacked up all the wiring and no one ever bothered to fix it.
Milster was fired a few years ago supposedly after he refused to remove the resident stray cats who lived in the plant (they even had their own little decorated doorway.) The reason being a union employee was allergic to the cats and kept complaining until they fired him. Shame because anyone who works with antique steam equipment knows Milster and hes full of ancient knowledge no one will ever regain.
Edit: If you are into steam then look up Conrad Milster. I had the pleasure of talking to him a few times and he's such a nice and knowledgeable individual. He even started one of the 120V generators just for me after I said "Wish I could see it run" and he was like "sure" then opens a valve and slowly opens another to get it up to speed. Scary as the inertial lever arm bangs around loudly in the flywheel but then its goes near silent and hums away. Steam engines are very quiet.
This is located in the basement of one of the buildings on campus. The power plant consists of three Ames Iron works single piston steam generators producing 120V DC fed to a marble switch board. Another piece is an early non-functioning steam turbine DC generator, WW2 era diesel generator from a battle ship. A 30HP motor-generator set used to provide 120V DC to the two service elevators in the building. And in the boiler room are numerous antique yet still functioning feed water pumps (the original steam driven feed water pumps actually do most of the work with newer electric pumps kept for standby) On the wall of the boiler room is a functional steam driven Ingersoll Rand air compressor. Amazing place. When I first visited in the 90's the MG set was still running providing power to the service elevators though they were replaced in the 00's leaving the MG set idle. There is also an old giant wood and brass Master clock in the office that was wired to every other clock on campus so whatever time you set on the master, the other clocks would then run super fact until they come around to the set time. It was running up to the 80's I think but Milster said a renovation crew hacked up all the wiring and no one ever bothered to fix it.
Milster was fired a few years ago supposedly after he refused to remove the resident stray cats who lived in the plant (they even had their own little decorated doorway.) The reason being a union employee was allergic to the cats and kept complaining until they fired him. Shame because anyone who works with antique steam equipment knows Milster and hes full of ancient knowledge no one will ever regain.
Edit: If you are into steam then look up Conrad Milster. I had the pleasure of talking to him a few times and he's such a nice and knowledgeable individual. He even started one of the 120V generators just for me after I said "Wish I could see it run" and he was like "sure" then opens a valve and slowly opens another to get it up to speed. Scary as the inertial lever arm bangs around loudly in the flywheel but then its goes near silent and hums away. Steam engines are very quiet.