Much of the equipment necessary to run the Sicamous has disappeared over the years, but most of the basics needed for the engines to turn the paddlewheel are still here. The video below is of the Steamship Natchez on the Mississippi River and is not exactly the same as our engine......... but it does show you how the equipment works. Give it a watch and see how it looks in operation.
Harvey Walker, a fireman on the SS Sicamous from 1929 to 1933, recalls "The Chief Engineer was a good man who kept a tight ship. He saw that the engine room floor was kept so clean you could eat off of it. When he would come by and look at the steam gauges, he would smile when the gauge reading was 200 pounds, but frowned if it was at 175". The heat from the burner needed to be controlled to create the proper steam pressure. Too hot and the boiler could explode... too cool and the pressure would not be enough to turn the paddle wheel at the right speed.
The above photo is of Gord Kenyon working at the equipment to keep the steam engines running efficiently. Mounted in front of the photo are gauges used on various engine parts. Just part of the current engine room display onboard. Keeping the engines running at just the right pressure was a skilled job. It required coordination between the Captain in the wheel house sending commands down to the engine room about direction and speed; the firemen stoking and tending the burner to keep it burning at the right temperature; and the Engineer in the engine room keeping a close watch on the gauges. If the coal burned too hot or too fast, the ship would go through too much coal and the boiler would build up too much steam (extremely dangerous!). If it didn't burn hot enough, the boiler couldn't produce enough steam to keep the pressure up and the paddlewheel moving. Neither was good. The burner and the boiler had to be cleaned on a regular basis to keep them operating at maximum efficiency, and they were often still quite hot when being worked on as the Sicamous seldom stopped for more than overnight. If they were left to cool down, it could take from several hours to a whole day to build up enough heat to get the ship moving. There was a fine balance that the engineers and coal stokers worked together to manage. It was dangerous work. There were many parts and pieces that needed to be oiled or greased on a regular schedule so they were kept in good running order. The engineer would keep a record in his log book of what was tended to each day. Any parts that were in need of repair would be looked after. The men who kept her running treated her well and were proud of the job they did.
This particular page is from the SS Naramata Log book detailing work done but is typical of all steam records. If you wonder how the messages got from the Captain in the wheelhouse to the Engineer in the Engine room, keep a look out for the QR code that will take you to an explanation of how the bell and gong system worked ( hint: it's near the speaking tube in the Engine room). To understand the way in which steam engines work, there are You Tube videos you can watch:
Europeana has one that gives a basic understanding at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnClSss50pI
and "How a Steam Engine Works" www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mhYnQGZJuM
is also a good overview of steam engines of various styles. For our blog on the hardworking Coal Shovellers click here. 0 Comments <<Previous Forward>>
Comments