Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[jim stephens]

On 10/20/2016 11:59 AM, et...@757.org wrote:
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-training-center-up-for-grabs/ 

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?


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=288#288

Unrefreshed page link from my browser, YMMV  I don't know if the lots 
will show up here with th


thanks
Jim

What was left is the interesting stuff :-)


--
Ethan O'Toole

Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[geneb]

On Thu, 20 Oct 2016, et...@757.org wrote:


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-training-center-up-for-grabs/
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 :-)

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 
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_!

RE: Photos from the NWA Auction

[Steve Hatle]

 Original Message 
Subject: Re: Photos from the NWA Auction
From: et...@757.org
Date: Tue, October 18, 2016 6:47 pm
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk@classiccmp.org>

> Wonder if anyone got the actual simulators/cockpits? Fun toys but
> 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!


--

I was at the facility briefly to help out another lister with prepping
his lot for shipment. The GP4 is being dismantled for scrap. About half
the racks are already empty. 

With a little bit of cash beer money and some wrench work, the panel you
see in IMG_5535 is now in the backseat of my car. It will likely be all
gone by EOD on Friday.

RE: Photos from the NWA Auction

[Steve Hatle]

 Original Message 
Subject: Re: Photos from the NWA Auction
From: ethan


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 :-)


---

There were a number of ex-NWA/Delta employees that were in the building
during the inspection phase. Talking to them, the sentiment was that
after the merger, Delta took "anything that was worth anything" and sent
it down to their facilities in Atlanta. 

There were a number of simulator bays where the cockpits had been
removed, and the attendant server rooms were fairly bare. I saw a bunch
of Sun-3 "operator manuals" laying around, but no Suns. One of the guys
said they had a bunch of "old" Sun gear at one time, but that all went
south.

The PDPs and GP4 were part of what was the oldest DC-9 sim in the
country up until they walked away from it, so we were told.

I agree - the "interesting" stuff was left behind, but maybe not all of
it :-)

Steve

Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[ethan]

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-training-center-up-for-grabs/
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

Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[Cory Heisterkamp]

On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 4:46 PM, Jason T  wrote:

> On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 7:57 AM, Ben Sinclair  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...
>

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-training-center-up-for-grabs/
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?

Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[Ben Sinclair]

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,  wrote:

> Wonder if anyone got the actual simulators/cockpits?  Fun toys but
>> 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
>
>


-- 
Ben Sinclair
b...@bensinclair.com

Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[ethan]

Wonder if anyone got the actual simulators/cockpits?  Fun toys but
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

Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[Jason T]

On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 7:57 AM, Ben Sinclair  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...

Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[Ben Sinclair]

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  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
b...@bensinclair.com

Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[Cory Heisterkamp]

On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 11:37 PM, Josh Dersch  wrote:

> 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
>

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

Re: Photos from the NWA Auction

[Jason T]

On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 7:07 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).

:(

Do you think there's any chance to save unsold items from being scrapped?