17 Oct
2016
17 Oct
'16
5:07 p.m.
For those curious about the equipment that sold last week, I put together an album from my
brief stop on Saturday. Let me know if you have trouble viewing it.
https://goo.gl/photos/yb83SJSj67gS96n39
On closer inspection it appears the documentation for that GP-4, as well as some of the
other computers, sold to different parties (the value being in the shelving and cabinets).
I'm still losing sleep over that GP-4. From all appearances it was a turn-key setup
(in theory). Unfortunately, the auction site immediately removes closed lots from their
webpage so no idea what it sold for, or if it went to a scrapper. I suspect it was billed
as 'cabinets of aviation equipment'. Being 3 hours away I can't exactly run
over there and pin a note on it.
Some further digging on the net revealed a photo in the Motorola Annual Report 1965
featuring the machine touting Moto's new ECL logic. Apparently it was designed for
aviation simulation but included facilities for being a general purpose machine. -C
17 Oct
17 Oct
6:40 p.m.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 7:07 PM, Cory Heisterkamp
<coryheisterkamp at gmail.com> wrote:
For those curious about the equipment that sold last
week, I put together an album from my brief stop on Saturday. Let me know if you have
trouble viewing it.
https://goo.gl/photos/yb83SJSj67gS96n39
On closer inspection it appears the documentation for that GP-4, as well as some of the
other computers, sold to different parties (the value being in the shelving and cabinets).
:(
Do you think there's any chance to save unsold items from being scrapped?
9:37 p.m.
On 10/17/16 5:07 PM, Cory Heisterkamp wrote:
For those curious about the equipment that sold last
week, I put together an album from my brief stop on Saturday. Let me know if you have
trouble viewing it.
https://goo.gl/photos/yb83SJSj67gS96n39
On closer inspection it appears the documentation for that GP-4, as well as some of the
other computers, sold to different parties (the value being in the shelving and
cabinets).
I'm still losing sleep over that GP-4. From all appearances it was a turn-key setup
(in theory). Unfortunately, the auction site immediately removes closed lots from their
webpage so no idea what it sold for, or if it went to a scrapper. I suspect it was billed
as 'cabinets of aviation equipment'. Being 3 hours away I can't exactly run
over there and pin a note on it.
Some further digging on the net revealed a photo in the Motorola Annual Report 1965
featuring the machine touting Moto's new ECL logic. Apparently it was designed for
aviation simulation but included facilities for being a general purpose machine. -C
Thanks for taking the pictures! Now that I can see a clear picture of
the front panel on those SEL/Gould machines, I *really* wish I'd bid on
one...
Thanks for getting a picture of the TI-980 -- do you recall if photo
IMG_5542 is from the same rack as the TI? I'm curious what was behind
that door on the top and I can't wait until it gets here to find out :).
I hope that most of this stuff will end up in the hands of people who
won't shred it for gold content, but...
- Josh
18 Oct
18 Oct
5:33 a.m.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 11:37 PM, Josh Dersch <derschjo at gmail.com> wrote:
On 10/17/16 5:07 PM, Cory Heisterkamp wrote:
For those curious about the equipment that sold last week, I put together
Hey Josh,
I'm pretty sure you're right about IMG_5542 being the TI. One nice thing
about that outboard display unit is that you've got some great I/O to play
with. Is someone picking the unit up for you?
To Jason's question, I noticed one or two bidders put a low bid (a few
cents) in on EVERY lot, so if it had a sticker, it probably sold. That
said, there were lots of (computer related) manuals and paperwork strewn
about and the contents of the cabinets will likely get tossed, so I'm sure
that's fair game. Looked like all the hardware had been claimed, one way or
another. -C
an album from my brief stop on Saturday. Let me
know if you have trouble
viewing it.
https://goo.gl/photos/yb83SJSj67gS96n39
On closer inspection it appears the documentation for that GP-4, as well
as some of the other computers, sold to different parties (the value being
in the shelving and cabinets).
I'm still losing sleep over that GP-4. From all appearances it was a
turn-key setup (in theory). Unfortunately, the auction site immediately
removes closed lots from their webpage so no idea what it sold for, or if
it went to a scrapper. I suspect it was billed as 'cabinets of aviation
equipment'. Being 3 hours away I can't exactly run over there and pin a
note on it.
Some further digging on the net revealed a photo in the Motorola Annual
Report 1965 featuring the machine touting Moto's new ECL logic. Apparently
it was designed for aviation simulation but included facilities for being a
general purpose machine. -C
Thanks for taking the pictures! Now that I can see a clear picture of the
front panel on those SEL/Gould machines, I *really* wish I'd bid on one...
Thanks for getting a picture of the TI-980 -- do you recall if photo
IMG_5542 is from the same rack as the TI? I'm curious what was behind that
door on the top and I can't wait until it gets here to find out :).
I hope that most of this stuff will end up in the hands of people who
won't shred it for gold content, but...
- Josh
5:57 a.m.
Great photos! I'm curious as to how long ago this equipment was in
operation. The photos here and on the auction site almost looked like
someone just got up and walked away, at least from the desks and office
supplies, etc. that I saw.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 7:07 PM, Cory Heisterkamp <coryheisterkamp at gmail.com
wrote:
For those curious about the equipment that sold last
week, I put together
an album from my brief stop on Saturday. Let me know if you have trouble
viewing it.
https://goo.gl/photos/yb83SJSj67gS96n39
On closer inspection it appears the documentation for that GP-4, as well
as some of the other computers, sold to different parties (the value being
in the shelving and cabinets).
I'm still losing sleep over that GP-4. From all appearances it was a
turn-key setup (in theory). Unfortunately, the auction site immediately
removes closed lots from their webpage so no idea what it sold for, or if
it went to a scrapper. I suspect it was billed as 'cabinets of aviation
equipment'. Being 3 hours away I can't exactly run over there and pin a
note on it.
Some further digging on the net revealed a photo in the Motorola Annual
Report 1965 featuring the machine touting Moto's new ECL logic. Apparently
it was designed for aviation simulation but included facilities for being a
general purpose machine. -C
--
Ben Sinclair
ben at bensinclair.com
2:46 p.m.
On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 7:57 AM, Ben Sinclair <ben at bensinclair.com> wrote:
Great photos! I'm curious as to how long ago this
equipment was in
operation. The photos here and on the auction site almost looked like
someone just got up and walked away, at least from the desks and office
supplies, etc. that I saw.
Perhaps more recently than one would think. It's not like there were
newer systems they could have used to keep their simulators running
(tho I did see some PCs in the room that may have been performing the
tasks of the older machines?)
I would have loved to have been there at the clean-out. A nice
example of a proper old datacenter, preserved.
Wonder if anyone got the actual simulators/cockpits? Fun toys but
won't fit in your average basement...
5:50 p.m.
I posted a link to it on a cockpit builder forum I visit. I don't do that
any more, otherwise I might have a 747 cockpit in my garage right now!
The prices were so low (at least when I checked), that I hoped someone
would grab them and build a nice sim.
On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 6:47 PM, <ethan at 757.org> wrote:
Wonder if anyone got the actual simulators/cockpits?
Fun toys but
--
Ben Sinclair
ben at bensinclair.com
won't fit in your average basement...
There were bids on them, hopefully they go to home flight simulator nerds
that will entertain us with videos on youtube of them running inside their
houses!
--
Ethan O'Toole
19 Oct
19 Oct
9:12 a.m.
On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 4:46 PM, Jason T <silent700 at gmail.com> wrote:
On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 7:57 AM, Ben Sinclair <ben
at bensinclair.com> wrote:
The auction website is a real piece of work, all traces to completed lots
disappeared within hours, but I'm pretty sure I caught the final bid on
most of the simulators and I didn't see anything that went for over $7k..
and those prices included the massive hydraulic pumps and supporting
equipment.
According to this article, it sounds like the facility was closed in 2012.
http://www.twincities.com/2016/10/07/remnants-of-northwest-airlines-pilot-t…
Whether or not all the computers were still in use at that time is tough to
say, but I was surprised at how clean and orderly most of the equipment was
that was left.
Has anyone been in to claim their prize(s)?
Did anyone happen to catch the final bid on the GP-4?
Great photos! I'm curious as to how long ago
this equipment was in
operation. The photos here and on the auction site almost looked like
someone just got up and walked away, at least from the desks and office
supplies, etc. that I saw.
Perhaps more recently than one would think. It's not like there were
newer systems they could have used to keep their simulators running
(tho I did see some PCs in the room that may have been performing the
tasks of the older machines?)
I would have loved to have been there at the clean-out. A nice
example of a proper old datacenter, preserved.
Wonder if anyone got the actual simulators/cockpits? Fun toys but
won't fit in your average basement...
20 Oct
20 Oct
11:59 a.m.
According to this article, it sounds like the facility
was closed in 2012.
http://www.twincities.com/2016/10/07/remnants-of-northwest-airlines-pilot-t…
Whether or not all the computers were still in use at that time is tough to
say, but I was surprised at how clean and orderly most of the equipment was
that was left.
I would figure the data center rooms and stuff might of had other racks of
more modern server equipment that might have been sold off separately or
relocated to other sites. Didn't see holes in the floor for cabling but
wouldn't be surprised. I didn't see video projection hardware on the
auction and usually that is used to project the stuff outside the cockpits
no?
What was left is the interesting stuff :-)
--
Ethan O'Toole
1:50 p.m.
On Thu, 20 Oct 2016, ethan at 757.org wrote:
The computers you guys are frothing :) over were either driving the
cockpit avionics or were driving the scene generators. I haven't seen
pics of those simulators, but all of that era either use WAC (wide angle
collimation) displays or cross-cockpit collimated displays like the one I
built a few years ago. The screens (WAC) or projectors (CCC) are mounted
directly to the simulator cabs - either on top or for the WACs, one on
each window.
By splitting up the computers from the sims, they've basically rendered
the simulators useless scrap metal. Those simulators are backed by MANY
file cabinets full of nothing but wiring diagrams, diagnostic processes,
and software listings. I'm pretty sure all of that is either on it's way
to being paper pulp or is in a landfill. Had those materials been saved,
it _might_ have been possible to use the sims as-is with new computers.
Now? Not a chance. Any collector would have to develop wiring diagrams
According to
this article, it sounds like the facility was closed in 2012.
http://www.twincities.com/2016/10/07/remnants-of-northwest-airlines-pilot-t…
Whether or not all the computers were still in use at that time is tough to
say, but I was surprised at how clean and orderly most of the equipment was
that was left.
I would figure the data center rooms and stuff might of had other racks of
more modern server equipment that might have been sold off separately or
relocated to other sites. Didn't see holes in the floor for cabling but
wouldn't be surprised. I didn't see video projection hardware on the auction
and usually that is used to project the stuff outside the cockpits no?
What was left is the interesting stuff :-)
from scratch before the could even begin any kind of
restoration. It
would be more cost effective to strip it to the frame and create
new
wiring harnesses from scratch.
When I heard about the place going up for auction, I knew exactly what the
outcome was going to be and I avoided the auction site completely. :(
g.
--
Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007
http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind.
http://www.diy-cockpits.org/coll - Go Collimated or Go Home.
Some people collect things for a hobby. Geeks collect hobbies.
ScarletDME - The red hot Data Management Environment
A Multi-Value database for the masses, not the classes.
http://scarlet.deltasoft.com - Get it _today_!
9:23 p.m.
On 10/20/2016 11:59 AM, ethan at 757.org wrote:
There were video tubes and testing units for same in the auction. Also
if you looked at the simulator cockpits, since most were gutted, some
had large 25" or so tubes on their sides in the cockpits.
the screens seemed to be set up so that they were front, not rear
projected, and the projectors in the cockpits would be below the line of
sight out of the cockpits, and may or may have not been there.
There were cockpits, and most I looked at were stripped, and there were
skids and lots of "avionics". One that was obvious was one for a DC-9
marked as such, and was a bunch of boxes with some amount of steam gauge
instruments in the lot.
The pages seem to still be up here:
https://grafeauction.proxibid.com/asp/catalog.asp?aid=117590&gl=288#288
Unrefreshed page link from my browser, YMMV I don't know if the lots
will show up here with th
thanks
Jim
According to
this article, it sounds like the facility was closed in
2012.
http://www.twincities.com/2016/10/07/remnants-of-northwest-airlines-pilot-t…
Whether or not all the computers were still in use at that time is
tough to
say, but I was surprised at how clean and orderly most of the
equipment was
that was left.
I would figure the data center rooms and stuff might of had other
racks of more modern server equipment that might have been sold off
separately or relocated to other sites. Didn't see holes in the floor
for cabling but wouldn't be surprised. I didn't see video projection
hardware on the auction and usually that is used to project the stuff
outside the cockpits no?
What was left is the interesting stuff :-)
--
Ethan O'Toole
2985
days inactive
2988
days old
11 comments
7 participants
participants (7)
-
ben＠bensinclair.com -
coryheisterkamp＠gmail.com -
derschjo＠gmail.com -
ethan＠757.org -
geneb＠deltasoft.com -
jwsmail＠jwsss.com -
silent700＠gmail.com