Preserving Camp Evans to enable
InfoAge
Science-History Center to give Camp Evans a future in education.
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9162
The TIROS Command & Control Center
Preservation
Progress
at
InfoAge
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Restoration of the TIROS
Satellite Command and Control Center is a work in progress by InfoAge
members.
Valdis Paupe and Bob Judge
show students electric progress from spark gap wireless to satellite in
the partially restored TIROS building.
The Former TIROS Command and Control Center is one of Camp Evans most
historic buildings.
It is the birthplace of satellite based hurricane tracking. On
April 9,
1960 the first photo of a swirl of clouds with a hole in the center was
recieved from TIROS I and developed into a photograph in the
building. A weather plane sent to the area of the unknown
weather pattern discovered it was a hurricane. This was a major
advance in meteorology that has saved millions of person from being
killed when a hurricane
strikes a coast with little warning as in the past.
Originally the building had a large 25'
x 63' room filled with satellite control equipment and photo
development equipment,
an office, two restrooms and a 14' x 14' utility room with an exterior
entrance.
In the 1980s the large room was
divided into 4 offices, a hallway and a large east room. This
estimated date is based upon the type of wiring,
light fixtutes, sheetrock and milled 2 x 4s found the new walls. When the new walls and offices
were upgraded in the 1990s the Army simply abandoned the original 1960
light fixtures in place and hid them with a drop
ceiling. Paperwork
left in the building give us indication the last use of the
building was for a covert electronic sensor project - REMBASS.
When
the Camp Evans was closed in 1993 the hallway and the offices had
carpet, the rooms
were clean
and all painted surfaces were intact.
The building needed fresh paint but it was ready for
reuse. The heat plant was old and obsolete, but it worked.
While BRAC
had control of the building the water main was broken and not repaired
when an underground storage tank was removed. When the BRAC
office turned off the electric there was very little water in the
building so some fungus developed when the restroom pipes burst.
But, the building did not become infested with fungus. On the not
so good side, the BRAC office allowed the building to be used by law
enforment groups to practice drug raids. Walls were damaged and
doors kicked is as the groups were told the building would be
demolished.
From 1998 onward the BRAC office refused our
repeated
requests to paint the exterior of the buildings when the paint was in
fair condition.
They stated that there were tripping hazards so they could not grant
access to the site. We offered to sign hold-harmless
agreements and sent them our proof of insurance.
Finally the condition of the exterior paint got so
bad a DEP
official put into writing that the amount of paint chips on the ground
could be considered a lead-based paint spill. He was
considering invoking the spill act. We (InfoAge) were allowed to
remediate the conditions.
During the many issues with BRAC our director had taken the training
and he held a State of NJ Lead Based Paint Worker Certification.
Now that BRAC had a problem they allowed us access. In the
interest of saving the site we did the work for free. The Wall
Kiwanis Club
donated money for paint and equipment.
Our director repainted the two large buildings
and three small
structures on the Diana site. As the only qualified person
he had to work alone.
He collected three 55 gallon drums of chips for proper disposal by BRAC.
A non-profit cleaning up after BRAC.
Finally in 2004 the building
was transfered to Wall Township for InfoAge to preserve.
The freshly painted TIROS
Ground Control and Command Center showing the conduit pipes to the
TLM-18 Antenna.
As the TIROS I and II satellite
Ground Conrol Center, 1960 was the most historically significant period
of use
for this building we requested
and were given approval by National Park Service architectual
historians to remove all post TIROS walls and treatments.
We have accomplished the removal of
the additional walls, the 1990s drop ceiling, 1980s accoustic ceiling
tiles and
all later added electric. We have also repainted the main room in
its 1960s color
scheme. The room looks
nearly identical to 1960s photos of it in National Geographic,
Army Photos and NASA reports.
We installed a new forced
hot-air heat and an air conditioning system. With a grant from
the Monmouth County Historical Commission a contractor replaced the
roof shingles
and repaired roof damage in March 2007. We also have to
repair the original restrooms. We plan to add an additional
restroom
in the old utility room for mobility challenged visitors and volunteers.
This is now the BRAC office left the
TIROS building. Not really really for reuse....
The original TIROS era office
with some furnature and custom alterations arranged especially for us
by BRAC.
We removed the walls seen on
the right of this photo. Note the mold stained sheetrock near the
men's rest room
.
This
is a look into the mold infested men's room. We have
cleaned and disinfected this room.
The door is at an odd angle after battering ram practice during a
simulated drug raid.
The ladies room was worse. The sheet rook had mushrooms growing
on it.
The sheetrook and fixtures were removed and disposed of.
A look eastward down the 1980s center hall. Note no
mold and the original
1960s recessed light fixtures abondoned inplace. This has
all been removed.
The center front office. We removed the wall in the back and
left. The wall
on the right is the exterior wall. Note the acoustic ceiling
tiles and later
air conditioning duct work. That is gone too.
This is a view of the front entrance double doorway.
This the the original overhead door from the TIROS days in 1960.
When one examines the 1960 NASA and
photos published in National Geographic you can find this door, rails,
lights and ceing vents
THE WORK BEGINS......
The work has begun. We
separated the 2 x 4s for reuse in future projects. The metal and
wire will be recycled.
The sheetrock, tiles and other debris will be disposed of in dumpsters.
Larry Wilkins and Ron Oleander at work in a view of the east end of
9162.
A
westward view toward the restrooms and office. Note the
electrical panel and duct work to be removed.
More work and more photos to follow.....
Page updated June 20,
2007
page created December
24,
2006
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