Historical Granbury Light Plant

Historical Granbury Light Plant. . The Granbury Light Plant is a treasure of early 20th century technology. At that time, Fairbanks Morse was a leader in building large engines and power generating plants. The plant's original Fairbanks Morse technology was state of the art when it was built in 1923, and remains an example of that technology, frozen in time. All the equipment in place was there when it produced electricity. There are three Fairbanks Morse generating units that produce a total of 303 kilowatts, enough to supply 100 homes today. There are two 3 horsepower (hsp) Fairbanks Morse which supply compressed air to fill four tanks used to start the large diesel engines. The Fairbanks Morse pressure gauges are still in place. The original switchgear, with knife blade switches (a great risk to the operator), are used to add or remove power from the generators onto the distribution system. The original water pumps used to supply the City and cool the engines are in place, although not functional. The Plant did have two engines upgraded before world war two to meet the growing demand from the city., In the early twentieth century, cities with electric lights, waterworks, telephone service and an ice factory were prospering. The editor of the Granbury News wrote in 1902 "No other town the size of Granbury with which we are acquainted is without electric lights, and most have water works. Granbury can have these things if we pull together." It wasn't until 1903 that the City Council did grant an electric light franchise. In 1904, on this property, the Frisco Ice and Gin Co. was constructed, building an ice factory, cold storage plant, cotton gin, and bottling works. In 1905 the company proposed installing a system of water works and the City agreed. The company also bought the light franchise. After several attempts to build a successful light company, a bond election in 1923 passed for construction of a new water system and electric power plant. Shortly, the light company sold the business to the City for $13,000. The editor's dream was finally realized. , The new plant housed the equipment in a fireproof natural stone building, with a corrugated iron roof supported by steel trusses. The plant was upgraded as demands grew. In 1949 the City began buying power from the Brazos Electric Cooperative and the plant was used only to supplement power during the times Brazos Electric had generation problems, and was kept operational through the 1960s. Thanks to Hugh Raupe, a former mayor and Weldon Newman, the light plant operator for a decade, the system was kept intact. In 1991 the system was working again and now is maintained by the Granbury Flywheelers. The Flywheelers are a branch of the National Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association., A detailed history that can be found at Http://www.granburydepot.org/z/biog/LightPlantHistory.htm, published on the web by the Hood County Genealogical Society. , The Granbury Flywheelers website is https://edgeta.com/branch/branch-43/, Captions , Unit Number 1 is a Fairbanks Morse Model 32E14 two-cylinder diesel engine that was installed in 1939, replacing the original 1923 engine. It produces 150 HP at 257 rpm and generates 100 KW of electricity at 2400 volts., Unit Number 2 engine is original to the Light plant's construction in 1923. It is a Fairbanks Morse Type Y-V engine, known as a "hot plug” type engine. At the top of the cylinder is a kerosene blowtorch. Before the engine can be started, the blowtorch must heat the glow plug in front of it until it is red hot. The engine produces 50 HP at 257 rpm, generating 50 KW at 2400 volts., Unit Number 3 is the largest engine in the plant, installed in 1930. It was brought by train and unloaded on a block of ice so it could be slid into place as the ice melted. It is a Fairbanks Morse three-cylinder Model Y that was converted into a model 32 in 1940. It produced 180 HP at 256 rpm, generating 180 KW of electricity at 2400 volts. The motor in the front of the picture is a water pump used for cooling the engines., The switchgear controls power leaving the station. It is the control panel that monitors the generation output by connecting and disconnecting the generation using the knife blade switches. This is very early technology, and in newer generating stations, oil-filled circuit breakers were used to improve the safety of the operators.