bostonzest

Tag: street lights

  • The Latest Fashion in Back Bay Street Lighting

    DSC_7059 - Version 22013-08-04-back-bay-atd-163-commonwealth-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    It's called the cone light. It joins the gaslights, acorn lights, and cobra lights on the streets of the Back Bay.

    I happen to know that chartreuse is not one of the historic colors approved for use in the residential district, so this light may not be on display for very long.

    On the plus side – no power needed. It's bright enough already!

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    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

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  • 21st Century Lamplighters Arrive in Historic Boston

    Lamplighter

    While Boston’s historic gas-powered street lamps still need to be lit, the 21st century lamplighter looks a lot different then our friend pictured above.

    DSC_1310 - Version 22012-02-09-solar-assisted-gas-streetlights- boston-back-bay-marlborough-street-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Last week, Michael Doyle and his colleagues from the Boston Public Works Street Lighting Division installed 12 new solar-assisted gas light fixtures on Marlborough Street. This is a test of a new technology designed to save money by having gas street lights turn on when needed, rather than remain on 24 hours a day.  

    PMC_7202 - Version 22012-02-09-solar-assisted-gas-streetlights- boston-back-bay-marlborough-street-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Here’s a closer look at the system as it was being installed. The solar panel charges a battery. A photo sensor tells the system when light is needed, and a control opens the gas valve and lights the lamp. In daylight, the control turns off the gas. 

    PMC_7213 - Version 22012-02-09-solar-assisted-gas-streetlights- boston-back-bay-marlborough-street-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    This crew had just come from Thompson Square in Charlestown where they’d installed 8 similar units. According to the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge, the plan to give a solar assist to hundreds of gas lamps throughout the city of Boston is expected to save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

    DSC_1325 - Version 22012-02-09-solar-assisted-gas-streetlights- boston-back-bay-marlborough-street-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Officials claim the lamp’s battery can last almost 3 weeks without sunlight and won’t need replacing for at least 5 years. Now, that's a Lamplighter!

    Learn more about Boston’s solar-assisted gas lamp project at Going Greener: Gas Lamps Grow More Efficient from the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge. 

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    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino  
    Illustration: courtesy of the Library of Congress 

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.