Section 5-location and right of way

Transmission line location is an art which has been somewhat neglected as compared to other branches of the electric utility industry, or, as compared to railroad or highway location. This has come about in a natural way because transmission lines in the beginning were comparatively cheap affairs and even with the advent of steel tower construction and higher voltages the cost per mile was far below that of a railroad or well constructed highway. Often much time and engineering skill were expended on power houses, dams and pipe lines and even on transmission line design, but the location and construction of the line were put off until the last moment and then rushed through in a haphazard fashion with resultant losses.