The Heart of a Vessel
    Download & Listen to EMD's = Starting with Air Starters!      Requires Free Windows Media Player

( Sounds Produced & Recorded by Joe E. Brown )

    Costing thousands, upwards to over several Million Dollars - Per Engine, these huge power plants are always treated like they're made of - Solid Gold, lovingly monitored and cared for 24/7.    Its Said = A good engineer, only needs to listen to an engine, to tell you = "What's Wrong With It!"    And many engineers working on modern workboats - today, "Can Do Just That.'    Thanks to some high tech monitors that keep an eye on everything and assists them, by monitoring the engines many functions.    From its oil pressure, to its cylinder's - compression rate, to the exhaust - temperature and amount of air taken- Into each cylinder and the compression too.    Even the fuel - is monitored,  for moisture, impurities and its flow rate into each cylinder gets filtered - checked & rechecked several times a minuet.    Changing the oil takes only a few minuets, despite the size of these engines, and its done while the engine - Is Running.    Because the engineer just opens a couple of valves and clean oil is pumped into the engine, while the old waste oil - is pumped out.    Once the used - dirty oil in the oil lines - turns clear in a "Sight Glass", the engineer watches to monitor things, he shuts off the valves.    And then switches - to new - oil filters, housed in multiple containers that can be switched while running the engine, by simply shutting off, or turning on several valves and switches to introduce fresh - oil filters and the job is done.    But let one of these engines - Cough or Sneeze, and the engineer is all over it - looking for the problem.    Because a vessel is helpless - without its Engine and only half alive, if just one of its power plants - goes down, and that's something you don't want - Anytime! 

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The Generator or Gen. Set.

Providing all the "Electrical Power" to a Vessel or Jobsite!

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    Left Photo = A small GM Diesel, used in smaller vessels as either a Generator = Small Main Power Plant.      Middle & Right Photos = show a John Deere - Gen. Set of similar size to the GM unit in the left photo.    SPECIAL NOTE ....  Gasoline Engines aren't used on Workboats due to their fuel, which is understandably = highly flammable.    The Diesel took over in the early 1920's, when there where still a lot of Steamboats plying our rivers.    Back then, a diesel was still more powerful than even a small steam engine, up to about 500 horse..    Above that point, the steam engine rules = And Still Does Today.    Noting = Nuclear Power Plants generate millions of kilowatts a day and their Steam powered.    So only very small vessels, usually less than 50' lengths, with 1 or 2 = main engines, finds their electrical power needs, plus their propulsion are provided by the very same engine ('s),     That's because of their cramped hull spaces, which leaves little room for larger systems.    While electrical needs are supplied by usually a set of twin - Gen Sets, you also find some boats with a 3rd or Backup = Gen set.    And they divide the "Electrical Power" between their systems and can be switched whenever less power is required.    And often the 3rd system or backup is only used in emergencies, if the vessel needs further assistance to its other two electrical systems.    NOTE = This type of engines can be used in small trucks, farm machinery, or even Automobiles in some cases, so their small and very dependable units.         

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Small to Mid-Size = Power Plants

Used in Small Boats & Ships, Or Heavy Equipment

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    ( Photo by Old River Bill ) One of three = Main Engines, aboard the 66' Triple Screw - Miss Claudette, owned & operated by "Pool 24 Service" at Clarkesville Missouri,    These little V-12's provide the Miss Claudette with over 1300 horses, which certainly puts lots of growl in her - to be sure.    And engines - like hers, can also be used to power Trucks, or other Machinery as well as Heavy Equipment too.    And they are also used to power = Gen Sets, just in case your wondering too.    So the Diesel Engine is probably the most widely used version of engine - we have invented so-far, and nothing has been developed to take its place - YET.    But even Diesel has its limits and we're quickly reaching those points - today.   What will replace the diesel as the work horse engine of the future - can't be determined yet, but it better be - POWERFUL!

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    A Big Putty Tat! ..... As some refer to Cat diesels, and this one has been removed from a vessel, but being readied for total rebuilding before its installed again.    Larger mid size workboats will usually have one or maybe several engines - like this, as Main Propulsions.    And they may provide upwards of 1000 to about 2,500 horsepower, depending on Size & Maker?    Oh yes, before this engine is reinstalled in a boat.    It will undergo major testing to insure its capable of running under the worst conditions anybody could imagine.    Because a failure = is like a heart attack, it means everything or a major part of a vessel is shut down and Dead.    And when the mechanics are done, it will be repainted probably "Cat Yellow" or White and look clean enough to eat off!         

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  Big Diesels 

    V-12, V- I6 .and V-20 = Locomotive Size - Diesels, used to power Work Boats, Trains, Pumps and huge "Backup Generators", are just a few examples of what these huge engines can do.

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    A Pair of V-16 cylinder - EMD's, ready to be installed in a Line haul Towboat have as much as 3,000 + Horsepower ratings - Per Engine.    Operating at just under 900 Rpm's in most cases, their heavily "Turbo-Charged" to increase their power ratings.   And governed down to points you seldom find them running faster than above 1,000 rpm.    NOTE - Its not uncommon to find these large diesels with as many as 20 - Cylinders.    Called a V-20, one of them can be rated well over - 5,000+ horsepower in some models.    Caterpillar, as well as EMD = Electro Motive Diesel & GM = General Motors .... which are divisions of one another, have remain the leaders in building these huge engines.    But there are others too, like ALCO = American Locomotive Company, Wartzilla, Norberg and many more.     And Cat's latest introduction of the 3608 engine, is a new high tech 4 cycle diesel engine, and its getting very popular.    But EMD & GM have followed suit with their own new engines that match or exceed the Cat's, so the battle for biggest diesel or most cost effective - continues today.    And the goal, produce the most horsepower from a single gallon of fuel and boy - do these engines drink.    In Fact, a 5 gallon bucket of fuel- disappears like there's no tomorrow and will hardly even make one of these huge engines - SNEEZE!

    Its hard to imagine the sound these sort of Engines - MAKE!    Because they don't sound like ordinary diesels, with all the turbo-charging systems they use to create more power.    Instead, its more of a combined "Jet Engine - Whine", mixed with the low rumble of huge diesel cylinders combined.    A combination that a river rat recognizes in a heart beat from miles away, but to the untrained ear - its just a whole lot of noise & roar.    But to a River Man, it lull's him to sleep and its silence - means Big Trouble and brings these men to their feet in a split second.    And to a Towboat Watcher - Its better then Sex, well Almost Anyways, to hear these boats run'n hard against their tows..    And to prove my point - here's some recorded sound effects of these engines - working hard.

    Download & Listen to Some Big EMD's = A Working Hard!      Requires Free Windows Media Player 

( These Sounds Produced & Recorded by Joe E. Brown )

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Last Updated On 06/29/23 . With