A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
From the Photo series: A Closer Look: Explore Western New York’s architectural treasures series
Lockport is home to Locks 35 and 34, the two western-most locks on the Erie Canal. The pair of locks raise and lower boats a total of 49 feet up and down the Niagara Escarpment. The 105-year-old locks, which replaced Lockport's original two sets of five stone locks, received a once-a-decade overhaul this spring to prepare for the opening of the 2019 navigation season on May 17.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
With the Erie Canal still empty for the season, workers do repairs and maintenance on Lock 35, front and Lock 34 to prepare for the upcoming navigation season. Locks 34 and 35 replaced Lockport's original two sets of five stone locks in 1914.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Chief Lock Operator John McKee walks across the door to Lock 35 at the Lockport Locks. The high-water line is visible on the giant gate doors. Workers were temporarily transferred from some of the state canal system's 55 other active locks to assist the Lockport team, led by John McKee.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Workers walking up scaffolding inside Lock 35 are dwarfed by the giant lock doors behind them at the Lockport Locks, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. Emptied of water for the winter season to prevent damage from the freeze-thaw cycle, the Lockport Locks are undergoing a once a decade overhaul.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Workers secure a new frame for the lock valve into place in Lock 35 at the Lockport Locks. The once-very-decade overhaul includes a full check of all the valves, gears and gates at the two 105-year-old locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
The giant chain that lifts the valve to let water flow into Lock 35 sits inside a special coil.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A view of the white oak miters that make up the waterproof seal on the lock gate doors of Lock 35.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Detail of the brass lock controls in the control house at the Lockport Locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A series of lights indicate the position of the valve that controls the flow of water into Lock 34.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Scaffolding surrounds the door to Lock 35 as the Lockport Locks get a once-a-decade overhaul in preparation for the upcoming navigation season. The set of doors at right are to protect the inner doors, which seal between the inside and outside of the lock.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A grassy area remains on the side of Lock 34 where the enlarged Flight of Five was built in 1862 but was removed to make way for the current barge canal in 1918.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A stop sign posted over the walkway across the gates between Lock 35 and Lock 34.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A buoy boat remains on display at the Lockport Locks. The boat would have been used by workers to refill the kerosene lanterns on the buoys in the canal until they were replaced by electric buoys in the sixties.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A spotlight at the top of Lock 34.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
The gate separating Locks 35 and 34 at the Lockport Locks. A total of 2.5 million gallons of water will transfer between the locks in each cycle.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Chief Lock Operator John McKee works inside the control house at the Lockport Locks. Each season approximately 1,000 boats will pass through the locks, with roughly equal numbers of vessels headed in either direction.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Detail of the original brass lock controls in the control house at the Lockport Locks were installed when the state barge canal opened in 1918, an enlargement of the original Erie Canal, with concrete locks and electrically operated gates and valves.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A stairway leads beween Locks 35 and 34 next to the lock gates at the Lockport Locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Chief Lock Operator John McKee walks across the door to Lock 35 at the Lockport Locks. The high-water line is visible on the giant gate doors.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Markings painted on the lock wall inside Lock 35.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Detail of a new piece of white oak miter which forms the watertight seal between the gate doors at Lock 35 in the Lockport Locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A benchmark for monitoring the elevation at the Lockport Locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A worker looks down between the outside look doors on Lock 35 at the Lockport Locks. The outer doors pictured here, are designed to protect the interior doors, which seal the lock, from a runaway boat.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Detail of the 7-horse DC motor, originally installed in 1915, which operates the upper gate doors on Lock 35 at the Lockport Locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A giant steel arm with cogs opens and closes the giant lock doors on Lock 35 in the Lockport Locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Chief Lock Operator John McKee works inside the control house at the Lockport Locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A crane lifts a lifting frame for the lock valve into place in Lock 35 at the Lockport Locks, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. The valve is one of two on the upstream side of the lock which let water flow into the lock chamber, about 2.5 million gallons each cycle.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
Workers lower a lifting frame for the lock valve held by a crane into place in Lock 35 at the Lockport Locks, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. The valve is one of two on the upstream side of the lock which let water flow into the lock chamber.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
A light fixture indicates the position of the valves that control the flow of water into Lock 34 at the Lockport Locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
The gate separating Locks 35 and 34 at the Lockport Locks.
A Closer Look: Navigating the Lockport Locks
The giant painted number marker at Lock 35, which is the western-most lock on the Erie Canal.
In this Series
Photo series: A Closer Look: Explore Western New York’s architectural treasures
This series has taken Buffalo News photographers inside, outside, above and, on occasion, underneath local landmarks and to places most people…
Two hundred years ago, ground was broken for the Erie Canal in Rome, N.Y. When the Erie Canal opened in 1825, Lake Erie was connected to the H…
