Originally Posted by
threeoh
This was a big problem during Sandy, with hospitals / other critical infrastructure in NYC having their basements with generators flooded.
I believe afterward, code was changed to require generators for life-safety to be above grade.
Not sure if United's ops center had any kind of backup power or just a few hours to smoothly transition or what. Would love more info if anyone has it.
People on social media keep asking "what happened to the Sears Tower generators?" but I don't think random office towers typically have generators for backup power.
When I was a kid growing up in Chicago, back in the 70's (?), Electromotive Diesel (EMD) had an open house to tour the locomotive plant. I remember them pointing out the huge locomotive engines were being used as backup generators in the Sears Tower. I found this reference to it:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussi....php?1,1346505
"Yes, the Sears Tower has four EMD 20-645E3 standby engines. Marine versions of the 20-645E3 (with a special deep sump crankcase and other marine modifications such as pressure relief crankcase covers) are quite common on some of the large 1,000 footer ore boats on the Great Lakes."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_645
"Municipal workers reversed the flow of the Chicago River early Monday morning to help drain the office building’s basements and an adjacent street."
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...cause-flooding
Hey no biggie, we'll just reverse the flow of the river
