Ep 4. Sky High Texas Tower
- October 7, 2010
In this episode of World's Toughest Fixes, host Sean Riley takes us to the Lone Star State to showcase the intricate and complex maintenance work required to keep the 1,383-foot San Jacinto Monument standing tall. Also dubbed the Sky High Texas Tower, the San Jacinto Monument is the world's tallest monument, and its maintenance issues require experts in various fields.
The show starts with Sean meeting the team responsible for maintaining the monument. They inform him that due to the tower's height, it is vulnerable to high winds, lightning strikes, and even hurricanes, which can cause severe damage to its structure. The team's responsibilities include checking the tower's insides, cleaning the windows, replacing bulbs on the tower's light system, and ensuring that the flag at the top of the tower continues to wave in the wind.
Next, Sean climbs up the tower with some of the maintenance technicians. He gets a firsthand look at the monument's structure and how it was constructed to withstand natural disasters and erosion. The monument stands on a massive foundation that goes deep into the ground, ensuring the tower's stability. The tower's exterior is clad in stone and reinforced with an innovative framework system that keeps the structure stable in even the harshest weather conditions.
While exploring the tower, Sean learns that the team uses unique equipment to maintain and repair the monument. For instance, they use a set of custom-designed clamps to attach themselves to the tower's metal frame while working at great heights. The team uses a specialized scaffolding that hangs off the side of the tower's exterior to reach areas that they cannot access with a ladder. They also make use of a custom-built swing stage, a mobile platform that moves up and down the tower's exterior.
The team describes the complex process of replacing the light bulbs on the tower's light system. They use a portable crane to lift the technicians and their equipment to the light fixtures at the top of the tower. Each bulb is around six feet tall and weighs hundreds of pounds, challenging the technicians to replace them safely. The team also explains how they keep the massive flag that adorns the top of the tower in excellent condition by replacing it frequently and folding it ceremoniously.
Sean also meets with one of the engineers responsible for the site's wind-monitoring system. They explain how it works by using anemometers and weather vanes to measure wind speed and direction. They need this system to ensure that they never work on the tower during high winds—something that, given the site's location and design, could result in dangerous falls or on-site accidents.
Throughout the episode, Sean highlights the skill, dedication, and hard work of the maintenance technicians and engineers at the San Jacinto Monument's site. Their work ensures the monument remains safe and beautiful, serving as a beacon to visitors and Texans alike.
In conclusion, this episode of World's Toughest Fixes goes behind the scenes to showcase the intricate maintenance work required to keep the world's tallest monument standing tall. From checking the tower's insides to replacing its light bulbs and maintaining the flag at its top, the team's hard work and dedication are on full display. Anyone with an interest in engineering, construction, or complex maintenance will enjoy this episode.
