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Ah, the Boardwalk.
For over a hundred years, New
Jersey's Atlantic City has
called itself "America's
Playground."
When its convention hall was
completed in 1929, it was a
space so cavernous that only a
very special instrument could
ever hope to fill it.
A sprawling pipe organ was
designed by State Senator
Emerson L. Richards, and over
the next three years, the
Midmer-Losh Organ Company of
Merrick, Long Island, built it--
to the tune of 400,000
Depression-era dollars.
When it was completed, that
first organist faced an
unprecedented seven manual
keyboards and over 1,200 keys,
controlling a mind-boggling
33,112 pipes.
>> CHARLES SWISHER: To operate
this organ, it requires seven
blowers... operating at a total
of 600 horsepower and
approximately 40,000 cubic feet
of air a minute.
>> ROWE: When it's getting
warmed up, it sounds like a jet
engine.
( deep whirring )
( organ playing )
With the organ at full tilt,
blowers pump air into the pipes
hidden in stations around the
enormous auditorium, creating a
sort of early surround sound
system.
13 additional rooms are required
for devices like electrical
relays, with enough wiring to
circle the Earth five and a half
times.
The pipes themselves range in
length from a mere 3/16 of an
inch to a colossal 64 feet.
When these babies are cranked
up, stand back, because the
world's largest instrument is
also the world's loudest.
( organ playing chord )
Atlantic City has a new
convention hall, and its
original one is now called the
"Boardwalk Hall."
The once imposing structure is
now dwarfed by its casino
neighbors.
But inside its old walls lies an
instrument for the ages.
>> SWISHER: It is truly one of
the most spectacular sounds that
you will ever hear on the face
of the earth.
>> ROWE: The Atlantic City
Organ-- the world's largest
musical instrument.
At 150 tons, the organ is a
tough act to take on the road.
If you're looking for something
a little easier to carry, go