Insulator hunting near Depew, Oklahoma

[@shortliner68]

I haven't hunted for insulators in many years since moving to a part of Maryland where there aren't many rail lines. When I lived in the Baltimore area up until 1979 I found a couple Brookfield beehive insulators along the B&O RR Balto-Phila mainline. As the railroad abandoned the communication lines they would just toss the crossarms with insulators still attached down into the brush beside the track. There's probably some good insulators buried in the foliage to this day. I still have the two I found although they both have a few chips on the inner skirts. Both are green and have the letter "B" for "Brookfield" on the side below the wire groove. One is smooth on top and the other has the number 18 or 81, depending on how you look at it, at top center.

[@oklahomainsulatorhunter548]

That's neat! Yeah, the lines have almost completely disappeared from around here but there's still standing poles out there with glass on them in some areas. I believe there's still good pieces to find out there though.

[@shortliner68]

@@oklahomainsulatorhunter548After posting my previous reply, I checked out an insulator info website. I cleaned up the two I have and could see the one actually has the shop number 13 (not 18 as thought) on top. That style insulator was used by Western Union Telegraph which shared the communication lines easement with the RR. The other type of Brookfield insulator was for the RR communication lines. The website said it was not one of Brookfield's nicer insulators. It has a shop number 1 on the opposite side from the "B" and smooth on top. It has a thicker than usual outer skirt and skimpier on glass at the top.

[@michaelmiller915]

Glad to see you back out hunting. I went out hunting about a month ago. I will send you some pics of my finds. I got some more of those white ceramic B&O insulators. If you would like one, let me know and I will send you one…

[@oklahomainsulatorhunter548]

That's awesome! Those are pretty tough to come by in the wild I'm sure. I actually bought a couple of them several years ago at a show. Thank you though! Happy hunting!

[@VariacManiac]

Been doing some insulator hunting lately myself. Found a 69kV power rebuild with green glass sediver insulators & various other porcelain and polymer. They been tossing the old stuff into the pole holes which sadly broken some, but most are luckily whole. I plan on making a compilation of recent hunts in the next few months.

[@oklahomainsulatorhunter548]

That's awesome! You don't see those glass suspensions much around here. Looking forward to seeing your new videos when they come out. Love your content!

[@VariacManiac]

@@oklahomainsulatorhunter548 Good to hear! I enjoy making them, just haven't had time & energy or videos to film.

[@EJBuddy]

This makes me want to get out hunting so bad, but I have the same problems of nothing good near me. But maybe with the lack of snow in MN this year I can try to get out.

[@oklahomainsulatorhunter548]

Sounds good! I enjoy watching your videos!

[@00Z71-h7q]

I hunt in north east Texas. I mainly look for bottles but I do find insulators every so often. Found a 7up green Brookfield and a 60a Mickey here recently.

[@oklahomainsulatorhunter548]

That's awesome!

[@VariacManiac]

Nice insulator hunt. Coming home with anything is a success.

[@jannarkiewicz633]

I was thinking about insulators the other day. People would collect them in the 70s (or steal them). Pretty funny I thought about it and this showed up in my feed.

[@LyndenMorrison]

How did you get up the pole?

[@oklahomainsulatorhunter548]

I have climbing gear. Just an old belt and some gaffs.

[@TheNoisePolluter]

It was still great to see just anything!

[@Gregory47342]

Great to see there is still insulators to be found even though they are only common Hemingrays. The thrill of finding anything is worth it. 👍

[@oklahomainsulatorhunter548]

Definitely!

[@feverdream5184]

What exactly are you looking for? You seem uninterested in the green ones

[@oklahomainsulatorhunter548]

Anything I don't have or is uncommon. The ones in this video are all aqua and very common. I just have so many of them that I prefer to leave them for the next guy.

[@Gregory47342]

That is a very good thing to do. Especially if the next person doesn't collect insulators. It may just get them interested in collecting them.@@oklahomainsulatorhunter548

[@Randomcrap-zx5ks]

The Russian blues are Always the best ones

[@Blueknight1960]

Getting seasick watching this video.

[@oklahomainsulatorhunter548]

I'm sorry. I'll try to hold it more still next time.

[@Shibafussa]

Great vdeos, can I touch base off line. Started hunting but Im on the east coast.