3,698 Comments Posted by Motts

I would assume the old equipment was replaced at some point with a more up-to-date generating system, which would explain the seemingly out of place concrete block.

The title stems from the enormous arches that held up the roof I was standing on, and their resemblance to the inside of some kind of mythical whale or sea creature in my imagination...

I didn't notice that - you're right Chris, it looks like the same wall with a few modifications, and the "shadow" of the lower section can be seen in the modern photo.

I can only guess at a shaft for air ventilation or space for conduits or water pipes.

Thanks guys!
autoguy - I didn't get to see the ore unloaders but will keep an eye out for them next time I'm in Chicago - I did manage to scope out the Acme coke plant on the south side after this place, working on that set at the moment.

LucieLou - thanks, I've been super busy shooting abandoned buildings on the south coast during the past few days, but I'm back now!

I vaguely remember one being in the Keystone building; I couldn't really light the shot as the flashlight would have drawn too much attention by the National Guard base next door.

Depends on the climate inside the building, and the contents. Usually it just smells a bit dank from mold, but I've been in some extreme situations where it was difficult to breathe due to stagnant water, carcasses, or chemicals.

Places that are patrolled often or on the inside put me on edge, as well as those with unknown inhabitants - to be relaxed in these situations isn't very smart IMO. I haven't experienced anything supernatural (yet).

Sometimes I'll take a look through papers scattered on the floor or an open box - they're usually stacks of forms, insurance info, ward reports, etc. I usually devote my time to exploring the building and photographing.

It's a hatch used to access the main tunnel that ran to the other buildings.

The walls were interesting as they weren't standard right angles to each other, but I think the sliding floor effect is a combination of this and the distortion of the wide-angle lens (this shot was probably at 12mm). You can see the distortion in the round bell in the top-left corner.

Used to, and had a job near KPPC, but that was a few years ago.

The entire building was eventually stripped of pretty much everything between 2007 and 2008, except for the gurneys in the basement cooler.

Only a few scalpels were left in the lab, along with beakers, jars, test tubes, etc.

Most instruments are usually missing from such places but every so often there are a few left behind...
http://www.opacity.us/...ols_of_the_trade.htm
http://www.opacity.us/...847_rib_spreader.htm

There's a stairwell behind that far wall, which has a small landing and a hole that has been smashed through the masonry. One can crawl through and walk around the top of what looks like a ticket booth.