Abandoned atom smasher behind homes in Pittsburgh suburb

    by wsj

    28 Comments

    1. Westinghouse built this silver, pear-shaped device in Forest Hills, Pa., in 1937 and it became known as the “world’s first industrial atom smasher.” For a time, it used 5 million volts of electricity to shoot hydrogen nuclei down a vacuum tube at up to 100 million miles an hour. Researchers studied the collisions.

      Advances at the lab contributed to radar systems, microwave ovens, jet engines and nuclear reactors, said Maury Fey, who worked there.

      The atom smasher’s been idle since Westinghouse shut it in the late 1950s, and now may finally have a buyer who wants to stand it back up.

      [https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/westinghouse-atom-smasher-55cadcd3?st=gV1eg6&mod=wsjreddit](https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/westinghouse-atom-smasher-55cadcd3?st=gV1eg6&mod=wsjreddit)

    2. Really cool pic and story but I am just thinking Westinghouse should clean up this mess or recycle or repurpose. Maybe?

    3. NoKarmaNoCry22 on

      Did it used to have a handle or something? Not sure how you could swing that otherwise.

    4. FloggingTheHorses on

      The fact I am learning THIS is why the character in Cyberpunk is called Adam Smasher 🤦

      Reminds me of just a few months ago when I found out “Chicken Run” is a thing, hence why the movie is called Chicken Run.

    5. Interesting_Tea5715 on

      Interesting how something that costs prob millions to create is just abandoned and nobody cares.

    6. Did you ever notice that big companies seldom clean up? instead they just abandon their mess. You or I would be fined and forced to clean up.

    7. It’s across the street from Tugboats, a local dive bar. I touched the atom smasher a couple of weeks ago.

    8. ThrowRA2023202320 on

      Where’s the abandoned coke oven where they sealed up that rabble rousing atom stealing labor organizing boy?

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