Senior Road Tower
Encyclopedia
Senior Road Tower is a 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) high guyed radio mast for FM and TV broadcasting in unincorporated northeastern Fort Bend County
near Missouri City, Texas
, USA, at 29°34′35"N 95°30′37"W. Senior Road Tower was built in 1983 as a replacement for a tower which collapsed in 1982. Radio stations KKBQ 92.9, KTBZ-FM 94.5, KKHH 95.7, KHMX 96.5, KBXX 97.9, KODA 99.1, KILT-FM 100.3, KLOL 101.1 and KRBE 104.1 all use the Senior Road Tower as their primary transmitting facility. The tower has no TV stations on it currently.
The original tower was near the end of construction when the broadcast antenna
was being lifted into place. A small U-bolt failed, causing the antenna to fall and snap the tension wires holding the tower upright. Three workers riding the antenna to the top of the tower and two standing on the tower itself were killed. The entire structure collapsed in less than 17 seconds.
When the tower was under construction, the newly launched KTXH
-TV used the tower for their local broadcasting. Months after the tower disaster, KTXH borrowed the transmitter antenna located on the 700 feet (213.4 m) Allied Bank Plaza (now Wells Fargo Tower) in downtown Houston.
Heights:
Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is a county located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. In 2000 its population was 354,452, while the 2010 U.S...
near Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
, USA, at 29°34′35"N 95°30′37"W. Senior Road Tower was built in 1983 as a replacement for a tower which collapsed in 1982. Radio stations KKBQ 92.9, KTBZ-FM 94.5, KKHH 95.7, KHMX 96.5, KBXX 97.9, KODA 99.1, KILT-FM 100.3, KLOL 101.1 and KRBE 104.1 all use the Senior Road Tower as their primary transmitting facility. The tower has no TV stations on it currently.
The original tower was near the end of construction when the broadcast antenna
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
was being lifted into place. A small U-bolt failed, causing the antenna to fall and snap the tension wires holding the tower upright. Three workers riding the antenna to the top of the tower and two standing on the tower itself were killed. The entire structure collapsed in less than 17 seconds.
When the tower was under construction, the newly launched KTXH
KTXH
KTXH, digital channel 19 , is a MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station in Houston, Texas. It is owned by the Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is one-half of a duopoly with Fox network station KRIV .Along with programming from MyNetworkTV, the station also airs...
-TV used the tower for their local broadcasting. Months after the tower disaster, KTXH borrowed the transmitter antenna located on the 700 feet (213.4 m) Allied Bank Plaza (now Wells Fargo Tower) in downtown Houston.
Heights:
- Elevation of Site Above Mean Sea Level: 24.1 metres (79.1 ft)
- Overall Height Above Ground (AGL): 600.5 metres (1,970.1 ft)
- Overall Height Above Mean Sea Level: 624.6 metres (2,049.2 ft)
- Overall Height Above Ground w/o Appurtenances: 569.8 metres (1,869.4 ft)
External links
- FCC Antenna Structure Registration
- Skyscraperpage.com entry on Senior Road Tower (includes diagram)
- 95.510272&lat=29.576400&w=600&h=400&f=&fs=8&fc=ffffff99&logo=1&lp=---None--- USGS aerial image of Senior Road Tower
- Collapse of Senior Road Tower
- 1982 Senior Road Tower Collapse video - A. Hudack
- Engineering Disasters History Channel Video