untold number
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– photo by Mitch Waxman
The site walk through which Sims Metal Management offered me was just coming to an end when the car carrier, pictured above, arrived. My tenders offered that we should move to a safe distance and accordingly we circled around to an opportune spot with efficacious lighting.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
These cars were compacted and processed by a separate company, and Sims purchases them. Gas tanks and volatile fluids have been removed, as well as other proscribed components. Sims will be sending this off to another one of their facilities to be shredded, which I suspect will located in New Jersey.
If so, this report from videos.nj.com describes the incredible shredding machine which will make short work of these autos, literally reducing them to pellet sized grains of metal in seconds, which is called the Mega Shredder.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Last week, the posting “seething column” offered animated gifs of the action depicted in today’s post. It is hard to describe the sensation of seeing recognizable objects of calculable weight and substance being handled and swung about by the Materials Handler with such seeming ease.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One after another, the autos came off the carrier and were subjected to a little extra dose of compacting. The Materials Handler would rear up and then smash its current charge on to the pile. It was all very exciting.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The device itself utilized the installed claw tool to grasp and tear and crush. It’s a Sennebogen, manufactured by a German corporation which is operated by a single family and was founded by an enigmatic sire, not unlike the fabled deutschland clan called Steinway who left such an indelible stamp on the surrounding communities.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Soon, the truck was emptied and the autos deigned for shredding piled neatly on the dock.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One by one, they were all loaded on to a waiting barge.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My visit came to an end soon after, and we headed back toward the front gate. On the way, the damage inflicted by Hurricane Sandy upon the terminal was described as we toured the generator room and some of the other interior spaces at the facility.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Special thanks are offered for allowing one such as myself, and by extension- all of you Lords and Ladies of the Newtown Pentacle- into the Sims Metal Management Queens terminal for a day. Special thanks to Daniel Strechay, Dave, Paul Lawrence, and especially Tom Outerbridge for inviting us in for a visit.
Upcoming tours:
The Insalubrious Valley– Saturday, May 25, 2013
Newtown Creek walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Atlas Obscura, tickets now on sale.
The Poison Cauldron- Saturday, June 15, 2013
Newtown Creek walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Atlas Obscura, tickets on sale soon.
Kill Van Kull- Saturday, June 22, 2013
Staten Island walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Working Harbor Committee, tickets now on sale.
The Newtown Pentacle 
Bravo for the recent posts!
But, what was so “enigmatic” about the Sennebogen “sire”? Also, how were the Steinways “enigmatic”?
georgetheatheist . . . appreciative attentive
May 24, 2013 at 1:13 am
Another German manufacturing clan founded by a genius with a bizarre ideology.
Mitch Waxman
May 24, 2013 at 9:39 am
I assume you are referring to Sennebogen and not Steinway. I searched the Sennebogen website (http://www.sennebogen.com/company/history.html) and discovered that the “sire” Erich Sennebogen founded the company in 1952 at the age of 21. There’s a picture of him there as well. According to Wikipedia’s article on “Sennebogen” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sennebogen), he was born in 1931. Just what is this “bizarre ideology” you keep mentioning? National Socialism is what comes to my mind. Anything else? Aliens from space? If the former, realize that Erich Sennebogen was 8 years old at the outset of WWII. How many 8 year olds have ideology, “bizarre” or otherwise at that age? However, I may be wrong. Did someone at Sims during your tour make mention of Erich Sennebogen’s “bizarre ideology”? Or was it off-the-cuff anti-German prejudice?
georgetheatheist . . . appreciative attentive
May 24, 2013 at 11:12 am
Just a turn of phrase, George, nothing to fill in. Steinway was a bit of an odd ball, however, was mainly referring to him.
Mitch Waxman
May 24, 2013 at 7:42 pm
I think you are evading this issue. But hey it’s your football. I noticed something in some of your Sims area photographs that, with your kind permission, will undoubtedly increase your paranoia. It has to do with the Sennebogen crane. It may even have exclusive import. May I elucidate?
georgetheatheist . . . appreciative attentive
May 24, 2013 at 9:48 pm
Elucidate
Mitch Waxman
May 24, 2013 at 10:52 pm
You are a graphic artist. Look carefully at the graphic design of the Sennebogen name on the crane. Quite an unusual juxtaposition of the 2 “n’s”, no?. Have you ever seen anything like this? Do you know the particular type face? I take you back to your original statement: “it’s a Sennebogen, manufactured by a German corporation which is operated by a single family and was founded by an enigmatic sire…a genius with a bizarre ideology” (which you have not clearly addressed yet here in the postings) . It takes 2 strokes of a pencil to draw a Hakenkreuz, a swastika. Look carefully at the zig-zagging of the two “N’s” in the Sennebogen logo. You could argue that the unusual “N’s” are a disassembling of the Hakenkreuz, the swastika. Maybe even a form of the SS ensignia? Why would a post-WWII German corporation design such a logo? Trace ’em yourself.
georgetheatheist . . . appreciative attentive
May 25, 2013 at 12:06 am
[Folks, the silence is deafening. Maybe he fell off the chair? Sould we call an ambulance?]
georgetheatheist . . . appreciative attentive
May 25, 2013 at 8:44 am
Sorry G, had a tour this morning, couldn’t respond instantly. Yeah, curious usage of the iconography.
Mitch Waxman
May 25, 2013 at 2:54 pm
How poetically-philosophical that the Sims “undertaking” establishment of dead cars lies right up against Calvary. Alonside the stygian Creek. I believe a most metaphysical meaningful locale.
georgetheatheist . . . appreciative attentive
May 24, 2013 at 9:35 am
“g”
georgetheatheist . . . appreciative attentive
May 24, 2013 at 9:36 am
G?
Mitch Waxman
May 24, 2013 at 9:38 am
A mere spelling faux pas trifle:….”AlonGside the stygian…” (An elephant doesn’t sting. A mosquito does.)
georgetheatheist . . . appreciative attentive
May 24, 2013 at 10:48 am
[…] “stealthy attendants,” “temperamentally unfitted,” and “untold number.” Also, before you ask, yes – Tom is the grandson of Eugenius Outerbridge, first chair […]
noxious mysteries | The Newtown Pentacle
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