e57: Thanks for posting these interesting pictures. Down here in SE Texas (as in many other areas, too), this is very common, especially in older residences and commercial businesses. In my own residence (long since rewired), the service came in from the street and traveled in raceway through the entire length of the attic to the utility room at the back of the house, where it hit the main disco/meter/fuses.

Pretty scary to think about that much essentially unprotected service up there in the attic. [Linked Image] The upside; every time I see one of these services I wonder what kind of vintage equipment is at the other end... [Linked Image]

Mike (mamills)