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General => General Technical Chat => Topic started by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 01:54:49 am

Title: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 01:54:49 am

In the spirit of Dave's recent Amiga tear down here is another piece of history:

(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/mos.jpg)

I am standing outside the abandoned site of the original MOS microprocessor factory in Audubon, PA.  So much history - and environmental contamination - the building and surrounding grounds were declared an EPA cleanup site in the 1990s and a specially constructed building nearby houses monitoring and venting equipment for trichloroethylene, which had seeped out of a massive storage pool built into the foundation of the original facility and contaminated the soil and ground water in the area.  Bleeech!

Anyone looking for cheap rental space? ???
http://epa.gov/reg3hwmd/npl/PAD093730174.htm (http://epa.gov/reg3hwmd/npl/PAD093730174.htm)

I applied for work there when I was 18 but they did not hire me - which in retrospect was probably a good thing.   :phew:
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: EEVblog on March 15, 2013, 02:06:03 am
So sad!  :(
Maybe a local hacker space group could get squatter rights?

Dave.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: sleemanj on March 15, 2013, 03:58:18 am
Sort of related, Dave Haynie recorded for posterity the last days at Commodore in PA.

Deathbed Vigil extended trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHI7_pU0y70#)

Dave has a youtube channel as well: https://www.youtube.com/user/hazydave (https://www.youtube.com/user/hazydave)
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 05:53:05 am
Quote from: EEVblog on March 15, 2013, 02:06:03 am
So sad!  :(
Maybe a local hacker space group could get squatter rights?

Dave.

I really doubt it.  This is not the electronics mecca that it once was...  :(
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: EEVblog on March 15, 2013, 05:56:26 am
Please tell us you found an open window and went inside and shot some video!...

Dave.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 06:43:14 am
Security is lax.  If you have a crowbar......  >:D
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: GeoffS on March 15, 2013, 06:52:52 am
Crowbars are cheap ...
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: notsob on March 15, 2013, 06:58:23 am
I just had a hilarious vision of Fran, crowbar in hand, breaking in, with the background tune of 'run rabbit run'
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 07:11:41 am
I was actually in the place when I got interviewed for the job there as a clean room technician in 1985. 
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: notsob on March 15, 2013, 07:34:44 am
I saw that from your earlier post, this is the run rabbit I was thinking of

The Muppet Show - Run Rabbit Run (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AafdwLbpA4k#)
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: firewalker on March 15, 2013, 08:02:39 am
C' mon! Put a HazMat uniform and crawl inside! Who knows what mutated electronics you could discover!  :scared: :scared: :scared:

Alexander.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: EEVblog on March 15, 2013, 08:17:40 am
Quote from: notsob on March 15, 2013, 06:58:23 am
I just had a hilarious vision of Fran, crowbar in hand, breaking in, with the background tune of 'run rabbit run'

In 8-bit chiptune of course!

This would make an awesome historical video, it must be done!

Dave.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Ed.Kloonk on March 15, 2013, 10:48:06 am
Sorry for the hijack, but if you wanted to know what happened to David Simons of Simons' Basic, look here:

http://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31356 (http://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31356)


Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Psi on March 15, 2013, 11:35:29 am
If anyone knows any urban explorers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_exploration (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_exploration))  just let them know about the place. They will probably jump at the chance for somewhere new to explore
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 02:49:35 pm
Quote from: EEVblog on March 15, 2013, 08:17:40 am
In 8-bit chiptune of course!

This would make an awesome historical video, it must be done!

Dave.

I'll see what I can do.   %-B
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: firewalker on March 15, 2013, 03:25:54 pm
Quote from: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 02:49:35 pm

I'll see what I can do.   %-B

Something like...

(http://i.imgur.com/8Y8AB5Ms.jpg) (http://i.imgur.com/8Y8AB5M.jpg)

 :-+ :-+ :-+

Alexander.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 07:59:24 pm
Here you go - - Some new shots as close as I can get at the moment.  The years have not been kind....
The interior has been completely gutted - no offices or anything - which I suppose is pretty standard for a toxic cleanup site.  Sad..... not a wafer to be seen. :-(


(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOS3.jpg)
(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOS7.jpg)
(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOS8.jpg)

Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink.   :scared:

(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOS6.jpg)

Are those Xmas trees inside????

(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOS2.jpg)

A view from the side....

(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOS5.jpg)

A view of the front.

(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOS4.jpg)

Showing where parts of the original building were removed and the parking lot has been dug up and recapped...

(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOS1.jpg)

Here is the blockhouse that keeps pumping those yummy chemicals up from the ground water.  Mmmmm! 
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: ddavidebor on March 15, 2013, 08:31:44 pm
ooooh such a sad story...


anything here?
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: firewalker on March 15, 2013, 08:51:41 pm
Post apocalyptic.

Alexander.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 09:00:19 pm
Quote from: ddavidebor on March 15, 2013, 08:31:44 pm
ooooh such a sad story...


anything here?

You can see daylight in this magnification of that photo -  - Magnificent Desolation.

(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOScloseup.jpg)

Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: firewalker on March 15, 2013, 09:05:06 pm
Take some friends with you and locate the basement!  :-X :-X :-X

Alexander.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 09:11:22 pm
Quote from: firewalker on March 15, 2013, 09:05:06 pm
Take some friends with you and locate the basement!  :-X :-X :-X

Alexander.

Already been down there - 

(http://www.visualwalkthroughs.com/halflife2/anticitizenone1/50.jpg)
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: firewalker on March 15, 2013, 09:39:20 pm
Quote from: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 09:11:22 pm
Already been down there - 

(http://www.visualwalkthroughs.com/halflife2/anticitizenone1/50.jpg)

:-DD :-DD :-DD  :-+ :-+ :-+

Alexander.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: ddavidebor on March 15, 2013, 09:43:23 pm
Quote from: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 09:00:19 pm
Quote from: ddavidebor on March 15, 2013, 08:31:44 pm
ooooh such a sad story...


anything here?

You can see daylight in this magnification of that photo -  - Magnificent Desolation.

(http://www.frantone.com/designwritings/MOScloseup.jpg)

 :(
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: MetraCollector on March 15, 2013, 09:48:06 pm
Perhaps this is the way it looks former Tesla Piestany semiconductor manufactory like nowadays. There is only ON Semi (https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=sk&geocode=&q=ON+Semiconductor,+Pie%C5%A1%C5%A5any,+Slovensk%C3%A1+republika&aq=0&oq=Slovensk%C3%A1+republika,+on+se&sll=37.09024,-112.5&sspn=65.557733,168.75&vpsrc=6&t=h&ie=UTF8&hq=ON+Semiconductor,&hnear=Pie%C5%A1%C5%A5any,+Slovensk%C3%A1+republika&ll=48.591994,17.802787&spn=0.027335,0.066047&z=15&iwloc=A&cid=15059307662142795557) helpdesk today, factory is ruined.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: rsjsouza on March 15, 2013, 10:52:51 pm
Absolutely historical post! I am very jealous, as I love exploring abandoned places, ruins, etc.
Thanks for venturing inside the building and sharing the pictures, Fran!
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 11:00:17 pm
Oh, I did not go inside - the building is sealed.  As it is my style I used completely non-invasive methods.   ^-^
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: notsob on March 15, 2013, 11:01:50 pm
Did that involve gaffer tape and a rabbit ?
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: gnif on March 15, 2013, 11:03:58 pm
Quote from: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 11:00:17 pm
Oh, I did not go inside - the building is sealed.  As it is my style I used completely non-invasive methods.   ^-^

This is obvious, I could tell that you must have hacked a robot and interfaced it to the HalfLife 2 engine to explore the basement, Id love to see the details of that project :P
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Anquietas on March 15, 2013, 11:04:18 pm
Quote from: Frantone on March 15, 2013, 11:00:17 pm
As it is my style I used completely non-invasive methods.   ^-^
:-+
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: TerraHertz on March 15, 2013, 11:42:46 pm
Quote from: Psi on March 15, 2013, 11:35:29 am
If anyone knows any urban explorers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_exploration (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_exploration))  just let them know about the place. They will probably jump at the chance for somewhere new to explore

Tick. Will pass it on.
(Though it's not as if there's a shortage of abandoned industrial sites.)

Thanks for the story Fran. My computing teeth were cut on MOS 6502s, and I've been into urbex my whole life. Never thought I'd see the two combined.

Note to others: It's very poor etiquette to try and get an urbexer to state in public what they actually did. Stop it.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 16, 2013, 04:48:29 pm
As a capper for this thread here is a link for a very interesting webpage about MOS:

http://www.commodore.ca/history/company/mos/mos_technology.htm (http://www.commodore.ca/history/company/mos/mos_technology.htm)

It is interesting that back in the day they listed the city as Norristown in the address - thirty years ago this area was still a rural expanse, and although Audubon was 6 miles away from Norristown by way of the winding narrow back roads you had to use at that time, they were still considered a part of the 'big' town then. 

(http://www.commodore.ca/history/company/mos/mos_logo.gif)
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: EEVblog on March 16, 2013, 09:16:11 pm
Magnificent desolation indeed!

There have got to be other such historical electronics/computer sites?

Dave.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: Frantone on March 16, 2013, 10:29:13 pm
Quote from: EEVblog on March 16, 2013, 09:16:11 pm
There have got to be other such historical electronics/computer sites?

Dave.

You mean - web sites......  or toxic cleanup sites??   :scared:  I think there are many of both.  I wish there was an emoticon for 'crying profusely'....
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: grumpydoc on March 16, 2013, 11:00:25 pm
Quote
I wish there was an emoticon for 'crying profusely'

(http://i717.photobucket.com/albums/ww173/prestonjjrtr/Smileys/Smiley-Crying.gif)

Many others if you google.
Title: Re: MOS - R.I.P.
Post by: SLJ on March 16, 2013, 11:41:20 pm
trichloroethylene is nasty stuff that was widely used.  There is an old GE plant not far from me that has been shut down for years.  They suspect trichloroethylene from the plant leached into the ground water and they found the plume had spread several miles out in one direction from the plant.  They had to run municipal water to many houses as they found the wells were contaminated.