In 1937, Westinghouse Company built an atom smasher on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, PA. The atom smasher stood 65 feet or five stories high. It was the first industrial particle accelerator ever built. According to Physics Central, “Its unusual bulb shape is because it is an old Van de Graaff style electrostatic accelerator. The steel dome would build up a huge electrical charge, repelling positively charged ions down a beam tube onto an experiment or detector.”
In 2011, the atom smasher and the site was purchased by DC developer Gary Silversmith. Originally there had been some hope that the site would be turned into a science education center, but that plan proved too expensive. Silversmith also reached out to several museums and historical societies, including the Smithsonian Institution, but at 90 tons, the smasher is too large to move.
The Westinghouse atom smasher upright, before its base was demolished
On January 24, passerbys were shocked to find that the bulb had been knocked down from its brick base and was lying on its side. Silversmith explained that the brick base was too damaged to restore and so they had to demolish it, but pledged, “We are going to establish a new concrete base for it, and keep it at the site, and have the bulb repainted, including the ‘W’ for Westinghouse.” Some preservationists expressed concern that the smasher may have sustained damage when it fell on its side. We are hopeful that the smasher will be restored to its full glory, and become a new site for atomic tourists to visit.
For more about the Westinghouse atom smasher, see Building down, but developer says Westinghouse atom smasher preserved and Pittsburgh’s old Westinghouse atom smasher torn down. Here are some photographs of the atom smasher before the demolition began.