On a mediocre TV program about the Andrea Doria, which I viewed last night, the producers, in the often stupid way that they do to make a point, indicated engine-room action with a wild menage of flying piston rods and such. Obviously, reversing a turbine is not fodder for the filmmakers! But it got me to thinking.

As a long-time afficianado of recipprocating steam power, particularly as applied to steam locomotives, I wonder how many steam reciprocating powered vessels are operational today?

OK, Frank Prudent, I know about the Delta Queen and her sisters, and there are other riverboats with flailing rods and hissing cylinders. Belle of Louisville, Nachez among others.

So, let us leave out lake and river vessels, for the nonce, and address the question, "are there any "up-and-downers" left in maritime service?

Immediately the two preserved Liberty Ships on each coast of the USA come to mind. The original Liberties were fitted with tripple-expansion steam, but later models were, I believe, turbine-powered.

The 438 Victory Ships (Maritime Commission design VC2-S-A1)

had Cross-compound steam turbine engines with double reduction gears which were designed to deliver either 6,000 or 8,500 horsepower depending on the yard and particular contract. (much more info on the Victory ship design can be found at http://www.americanvictory.org/History/history.htm)

With regards to ships currently working around the word which might have steam reciprocating engines, isn't the train ferry BADGER still in operation?

[ 02-29-2004: Message edited by: Marlowe ]

Technical details of the ship are available here:
http://www.asme.org/history/roster/H191.html

Coal-fired 3500 hp steam reciprocating engines.
right out of the past, although the ship was built in 1952!

And a 22-24 kt speed. Not bad.

[ 02-29-2004: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cambodge:
I just googled SS Badger and found that she is indeed still in service and offers a full 2004 schedule.

Technical details of the ship are available here:
http://www.asme.org/history/roster/H191.html

Coal-fired 3500 hp steam reciprocating engines.
right out of the past, although the ship was built in 1952!

And a 22-24 kt speed. Not bad.

[ 02-29-2004: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

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The VIRGINIA V. in Seattle, WA. is operating once again after a several year hiatus for U.S.C.G. mandated wooden hull work. I'm not sure if she is compound or triple compound. She is the last survivor of the famous Mosquito Fleet.

In Canada the side wheel ferry TRILLIUM operates charter trips around Toronto Harbor. She is the only steam sidewheeler, that I am aware of, that still carries passengers for hire in North America.

The R.M.S. SEGWUN operates trips out of Gravenhurst, Ontario on Muskoka Lake. She has two compound engines, and it's a real treat to stand beside them and watch their valve-gear and piston-rods gymnastics! She is also the oldest operating steamboat in North America; she was built as a sidewheeler in the 1887 at Clydebank. Although her present steam machinery dates to the early 1900's. She is coal fired by hand, and it's quite interesing watching her being fired.

The S.S. PUMPER operates public trips and charters out of Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario during the summer tourist season. She has a compound engine and burns wood.

In 1936, my family and I took an all-day cruse on this ship. I remember the drill as if it were yesterday..it was so dramatic. One could stand on the weather deck, and peer into the area where the shaft joined the two paddle wheels. This space was occupied by a very strong man, who had a large crowbar.

And this is the way it went. Bell sounded from the bridge. Man opened a steam valve in the overhead. Much steam and wheezing. He then inserted the crowbar into a hole in the aforementioned axle, and walked it forward. In fact he was manually, ever-so-slowly starting the rotation of the paddles. A great "whoosh" took place when after he moved some ten steps or less. He removed the crowbar; walked back to his original station; re-inserted the crowbar and walked it forward again. This time he was assisted by what I assume was very low-presure steam. Another walk, another "whoosh" and we were begining to move. After about four such excursions, with sequential whooshes and chuffs, the steam began to turn the axle and the paddlewheels with less and less help.

A parallel could be made to starting a child on a swing. After a few oscilations, the pusher requires less effort.

After he was connvinced that the steam was now doing the work, he stacked the crowbar back where it belonged; wiped his brow; and disappeared below. And the "Mt Washington" began its scenic cruise around the Lake.

How he executed "full astern," I do not know. I cannot see him jamming the crowbar into the rotating axle shaft. Any thoughts?

Fascinating!

[ 03-05-2004: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

But, just think of the scenario. He shuts down steam, OK, the vessel is moving at, say 8kts and weights a few hundred tons. The motion would keep the paddles turning for some time, probably a matter of minutes, and the vessel would cover considerable ground. Finally, when the ship as at dead stop, then and only then could he reinsert the crowbar for the reverse operation.

I just have a feeling - and I have not thought about this for almost 70 years, they must have been able to feed reversing steam to the pistons, as is done on a steam locomotive. This would at least stop the paddles, even if the vessel is in forward motion. They always made smooth dockings as I recall (as an eight-year old kid!)

In the mid-1980s, I was on a consulting contract for the US Department of Energy, in which environmentally acceptable coal-combustion systems were studied.

Our team visited a coastal coal-transport vessel called "American Independence" which was owned, as I remember, by New England Electric Power and carried coal from the Norfolk/Newport News coal terminals to power plants in Connectiicut and Massachusetts. It was said to be the only operating commercial coal-fired ship in existence

I visited it very briefly. It was a relatively new ship, American flagged and operated. I believe it was in the 10- 20000- ton range.

While the bridge and living spaces were imaculate, there was a thin film of coal dust over the gauges in the engine room - you can't get it all!

[ 03-07-2004: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

It was the "top-dead-center" problem. I was looking at my telephone-model of a Southern Railroad "Pacific," yesterday. [the phone rings with digitally encoded grade crossing bells, whistles, steam, and 'clackety clack' - startling guests no end.] when I noticed that the makers of the model (in China of course) did not "quarter" the drivers. Now to the uniniated, this means that the rods which extend from the pistons to the major bearings on the locomotive's driving wheels must be 45-degrees apart, or "quartered." Were they not, there could come a time when the pistons are either all-the way forward, or all the way back, and no matter how much steam; and no matter how much pressure is brought to bear, the locomotive will not move. This situation is called "top dead center."

The drivers on my telephone model were not quartered. I usually look at the left side of the locomotive, as that is the way it sits on the table. Yesterday I happened to look at it "head on." the drivers were in identical positions...operationally impossible...even in China!

Light dawned! OK, back to the "Mt Washington." There would be a time when the piston (there was only one - - a big one) was all the way up or down, and the vessel would not move. In other words, the power plant would be at "top dead center."

Enter the man with the crowbar, who would move the machinery to such a location where steam could enter the piston and move it in the appropriate direction.

'Tis indeed wondrous when one is retired and can spare the time to meditate about such trivia!

[ 03-15-2004: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

Now, Mississippi River style sidewheelers which have one horizontal steam engine attached to each independent wheel is another story. Woe be it to to the hapless striker (oiler) or engineer who would let her get hung up on center. Sometimes she might roll off by herself, but not always.