Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
The New York State Canal System is open to the public May-October each year. But what happens when the canal is closed? In the winter, NYS employees work tirelessly to maintain the 100-year old canal infrastructure to get it ready for the next navigation season. In this video, learn how canal workers prepare a lock valve in the machine shop for installation at a “pump out” at Lock E17 in Little Falls, NY. This is just one of many tasks completed to keep the canals safe and resilient for generations to come.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Waterford Maintenance Headquarters
1:33 Pump out at Little Falls Lock 17
3:00 Historic Erie Canal
Fun fact: Power houses are the distinctive white buildings found at most locks. When the NYS Barge Canal opened in the early 20th century, electricity was generated at the site to power the locks’ gates and valves.
Want more info on this topic? Check out the resources below:
New York State Canal Corporation
canals.ny.gov/Operations-and-Public-Projects
Learn more about Reflections on the Erie Canal at wmht.org/ErieCanal
#ErieCanal200
The New York State Canal System is open to the public May-October each year. But what happens when the canal is closed? In the winter, NYS employees work tirelessly to maintain the 100-year old canal infrastructure to get it ready for the next navigation season. In this video, learn how canal workers prepare a lock valve in the machine shop for installation at a “pump out” at Lock E17 in Little Falls, NY. This is just one of many tasks completed to keep the canals safe and resilient for generations to come.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Waterford Maintenance Headquarters
1:33 Pump out at Little Falls Lock 17
3:00 Historic Erie Canal
Fun fact: Power houses are the distinctive white buildings found at most locks. When the NYS Barge Canal opened in the early 20th century, electricity was generated at the site to power the locks’ gates and valves.
Want more info on this topic? Check out the resources below:
New York State Canal Corporation
canals.ny.gov/Operations-and-Public-Projects
Learn more about Reflections on the Erie Canal at wmht.org/ErieCanal
#ErieCanal200
