Topic starter
30/10/2014 10:22 pm
I couldn't resist spinning the turbine one last time for the season as I worked my last evening cruise! Once a common sight to see the turbines' exhaust billowing steam from the stern (especially if Chief Mike Pfleider was on watch)!
31/10/2014 1:07 am
neat shot
That's a great picture, and for the uninitiated on this board, NO, the paddlewheel is NOT on fire!
31/10/2014 2:20 am
I know another engineer on the BELLE that would rather use the steam turbine generator too when he was onboard!
During one of the Tall Stacks in Cincinnati while that engineer stood watch the engineroom phone rang from the pilothouse during a moonlight run. Someone reported to the Cincinnati Fire Dept. that the wheel was on fire, and the Fire Dept. contacted the boat. The wheel really wasn't on fire then either.
Sorry, Dan, I can't find the brass ready whistle that that engineer made years ago, nor can my brother. We both surmise it's in a box somewhere in his or my basement, and hopefully, we'll find which box soon!
By the way, if that photo was taken last Sunday a few of the usual Cincinnati suspects tried to ride the BELLE earlier that afternoon, but, my God, downtown Louisville was gridlock with the Susan Kommen Run. We could hear the Old Gal, see where she was at, but we couldn't get to a parking place in time to ride her. I think the organizers of that event owe the BELLE for at least four lost ticket sales.
31/10/2014 4:45 pm
Great Shot.
My new wallpaper for a season. Thanks.
26/12/2014 5:01 pm
Frank X. Prudent;33710 wrote: I know another engineer on the BELLE that would rather use the steam turbine generator too when he was onboard!.
What else would that engineer have used to generate steam? Or can this boat be moved some other way? (sorry for the beginner question!)
26/12/2014 11:17 pm
Hi, Bash, and welcome to steamboats.org forum. I did see your post in the River Talk and Cruises forum about your book.
What Frank is referring to is his Dad, who was an Engineer on the BELLE several years ago. What you are seeing in this picture is the exhaust from the steam turbine generator (light plant) on the BELLE. That equipment is still on her, and is still used from time to time, but often the crew of the boat elects to use a diesel generator. I cannot speak to the specific reasons they like to do this. Please understand this is not the motive power for the boat -- she can only be moved by using steam, as the main propulsion engines are steam, and the only engines on board. The steam generator (light plant) exhausts its steam directly out through the stern; the BELLE is non-condensing, which means all steam used is exhausted to the atmosphere once it is used.
Frank Prudent (who posted above) or Dan Lewis are your men for questions about engineering. Frank is on a cruise right now, but does check the board.
29/12/2014 4:05 pm
Steam fix
Not a bad idea. My background of a UP locomotive gushing a thundercloud of steam needs a break. I had also thought that the steam from the Belle was from the engines warming up?
29/12/2014 4:43 pm
Bob's right. The steam that exhaust forward of the wheel is from the steam electric generator and the steam steering rig engine. The steam from warming up the engines goes out of the 'scape stacks. Also while warming up and handling the engines there is bit of steam that goes out the cylinder cocks that exits down near the waterline. When the boat is out running the cylinder cocks on both engines are almost completely closed and open just a hair.
Dad liked to use the steam generator because it's much more quiet than the old diesel generator was.
29/12/2014 4:53 pm
Frank X. Prudent;33710 wrote:
Sorry, Dan, I can't find the brass ready whistle that that engineer made years ago, nor can my brother. We both surmise it's in a box somewhere in his or my basement, and hopefully, we'll find which box soon!
EUREKA, the lost has been found! The whistle was stashed away in some box that sat unopened for the past several months in my brother's basement. One of these days we'll get it down to Louisville before it's lost again.
Topic starter
31/12/2014 12:38 am
Many thanks--look forward to seeing it!
Topic starter
31/12/2014 1:09 am
I always preferred the turbine over that diesel, even though I was usually the fireman and had to fire harder. I'd much rather listen to the roar of the burners than the racket made from that diesel I could here all the way up in the boiler room!
31/12/2014 4:27 pm
you jogged my memory. I should have remembered the cylinder cocks as we did the same thing on the Graceful Ghost. This we did so the people on the top deck would not get a shower bath. FYI we had electrics on the Ghost but used batteries and inverters instead of a noisy generator. This powered sound system, lights, and ceiling fans.
Topic starter
09/01/2015 12:29 am
When we had the second turbine (on the port side) it exhausted, of course, on the port side of the paddlewheel. Chief Pfleider favored the stbd. turbine, as the oppposite watch would run the port. We still have that turbine (mostly assembled) in storage, along with nearly enough spare parts to build another. In fact, I pulled the voltage regulator from it last season to keep the stbd. turbine running.