The Motor Ship Mount Washington

[Grant]

I noticed that also. Will post a photo.

[skprbob]

Bizer & Pineneedles - The two outgoing Enterprise engines were direct drive; no gearboxes. To reverse direction, the engines were stopped, then restarted with the opposite rotation. The two new Cats do have gearboxes, so may be kept running and shifted much like an ordinary boat would. There will still be a delay in shifting to allow the propellors to stop rotating first. This will be shorter, since the new equipment will also include shaft brakes.

[Grant]

The I-beam protruding from the Mount's starboard side.

[Bizer]

Here are some photos that I took today...

[angela4design]

I heard a bit on news 9 tonight about the Mount 'going green'... how does that factor in? Is that an initiative for all operations, or just the engine room?

I applaud the effort, wither way. I think every bit helps.

Just today, for a laugh to share, my 4 year old insisted that I get a cup with triangle on the bottom for him to drink from - so he knows that it was recycled. Now, I didn't teach him to be quite THAT insistent, but I support it! (They were both recyclable, but I got the one 'with the triangle' anyway.)

[Slickcraft]

Here is a link to the video:
http://www.wmur.com/video/22733147/index.html

text story:
http://www.wmur.com/news/22732651/detail.html

[fatlazyless]

Reading today's LaDaSun article informs that the two old engines were two-stroke diesel w/ the crankshafts connected directly to the propeller driveshafts, so's going from forward to reverse required engines to be shut down and stopped turning before restarting, engaged in reverse direction.....in the old method.

The new setup now has either one or two transmissions as there are two, new Caterpillar 4-stroke diesels, so the ship can go from forward to reverse very quickly and without having to turn off the engine.

Are the new transmissions automatic or manual with a clutch pedal & stick shift, and how many forward gears? This is a serious question......thanks in advance.

Ya knows....those two old engines were extremely, extremely QUIET.....jeesh....they were so QUIET.....it will be very difficult for the new engines to be more quiet than the old engines......and could be that the new engines will be louder......time will tell?

[Slickcraft]

I have watched the Mount dock in Alton. After the final alignment a ways out the engines were cut off for a several seconds. Kind of eerie watching that silent glide waiting for the start-up in reverse. Must have made the crew nervous now and then knowing that a failure to restart would mean a crash but I never heard of that happening.
Now all they have to do is shift into reverse. What is the fun in that?

[piper_chuck]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

I have watched the Mount dock in Alton. After the final alignment a ways out the engines were cut off for a several seconds. Kind of eerie watching that silent glide waiting for the start-up in reverse. Must have made the crew nervous now and then knowing that a failure to restart would mean a crash but I never heard of that happening.

I think there was more than one occasion where failure to start did result in a mishap.

[trfour]

Seeing the M/S Mount Washington coming into berth at Weirs Beach many times that if there was ever a hick-Up in the drive-train that she'd have shoved us over into VERMONT!!

She will be greener and also With the new automatic transmission, forward reverse and the drive shaft brakes, I for one will feel much better from now on!


Terry
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[idigtractors]

Originally Posted by trfour

She will be greener and also With the new automatic transmission, forward reverse and the drive shaft brakes, I for one will feel much better from now on!
Terry

May I ask, did you have a problem before this all began. Now me personally never knew all the conditions that have been mention even existed. I never saw one thread here stating that people had or saw problems/concerns with the "Mount" with the old engines.

[BroadHopper]

the familiar drone of the old engine as she crosses the Broads. Usually it is quiet but on dreary days you can hear the Mount. I bet the V12 4 strokes are going to be a lot quieter then the 8 in line 2 strokes.

In days of old, you could hear the engines at night. Now you here the bands playing. Lately it's been pretty loud.

[trfour]

Originally Posted by idigtractors

May I ask, did you have a problem before this all began. Now me personally never knew all the conditions that have been mention even existed. I never saw one thread here stating that people had or saw problems/concerns with the "Mount" with the old engines.

idigtractors TOO... You need to know that all out here is not necessarily covered in the Forum threads. I too can drift away from time to time...

No problem, just use your eyes and check out PhotoPost when you have a chance...

This photo posted by our beloved webmaster should bring you back into the fold; http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo....php?photo=143

Get my drift?


Terry
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[Silver Duck]

Hi TRFOUR

Don posted that picture for me, way back before I'd gotten active on Winni.com.

That particular incident had nothing to do with the Mount's engines. If I recall correctly, she lost hydraulics. At any rate, she was almost down to her dock in Center Harbor when she had to shut everything down, and the wind took her into that boat house about half way up the bay.

My father and I were standing on the dock at Colonial Pines, and watched the whole episode.

Silver Duck

[corollaman]

what did they do with the old engines?

[trfour]

Originally Posted by Silver Duck

Hi TRFOUR

Don posted that picture for me, way back before I'd gotten active on Winni.com.

That particular incident had nothing to do with the Mount's engines. If I recall correctly, she lost hydraulics. At any rate, she was almost down to her dock in Center Harbor when she had to shut everything down, and the wind took her into that boat house about half way up the bay.

My father and I were standing on the dock at Colonial Pines, and watched the whole episode.

Silver Duck

" That particular incident had nothing to do with the Mount's engines."


Hi Silver Duck. Yes, that must have been a spooky experience!
I'm with you 100%. The Enterprise engines would run indefinitely with good routine maintenance...

If not for the Grant, and Parts for these old engines being hard to find and purchase, they could have continued to power the M/S Mount Washington well into the future.

My point to "idigtractors" was that with the new Cat engines being much more fuel efficient and less polluting, and replacement parts being readily available, it's a win win situation and a very heads Up progressive move for all!...


Terry
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[jmen24]

Progressive movement!! Your not one of "those" are you? When did this become political, anyway?

Completely kidding T, hopefully the Mount will be able to get more riders so it will be putting these new powerplants to good use. I know that I will be on this year, my wife has never been on the Mount and I know that the kids will love it.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by trfour

" That particular incident had nothing to do with the Mount's engines."


Hi Silver Duck. Yes, that must have been a spooky experience!
I'm with you 100%. The Enterprise engines would run indefinitely with good routine maintenance...

If not for the Grant, and Parts for these old engines being hard to find and purchase, they could have continued to power the M/S Mount Washington well into the future.

My point to "idigtractors" was that with the new Cat engines being much more fuel efficient and less polluting, and replacement parts being readily available, it's a win win situation and a very heads Up progressive move for all!...


Terry
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If you read the posts, the CAT engines will use just as must fuel as the old engines. They have to power the same weight and the catalysts are not fuel efficient.

As for the Enterprise engines. Yes they can run forever. Parts are still available. If not a local machine shop can make the parts.

My '69 PowerWagon with a 318 is 6 mpg more efficient than my '98 Dakota 318. because of the pollution controls.

[Gearhead]

Yes, they use just as much fuel as the old Enterprise engines, but now the Mount can get up on plane.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Gearhead

Yes, they use just as much fuel as the old Enterprise engines, but now the Mount can get up on plane.

They might outlaw that too!

[trfour]

Originally Posted by Gearhead

Yes, they use just as much fuel as the old Enterprise engines, but now the Mount can get up on plane.

I'm sure could Tune them new Cats up some, however the M/S Mount Washington's hull would need a redesigned with some ribs and wings for that ever to happen. Horse power alone wouldn't get her done!

Sides, they'd have to rename her ( M/ S Tsunami Mama ) and there probably wouldn't be enough water left in the Lake for the rest of us after her first water test!!


Terry
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[WakeboardMom]

Originally Posted by Gearhead

Yes, they use just as much fuel as the old Enterprise engines, but now the Mount can get up on plane.

Can it pull skiers? Or wakeboarders...?

[trfour]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

If you read the posts, the CAT engines will use just as must fuel as the old engines. They have to power the same weight and the catalysts are not fuel efficient.

As for the Enterprise engines. Yes they can run forever. Parts are still available. If not a local machine shop can make the parts..

Hi BH,

I won't bore you by going into the specifics, however let me say this about the New engines as follows.

#1. Just having the two turbo chargers each- ( = four ) , they greatly increase fuel efficiency Burn in the combustion chamber, using less fuel by forcing more air into the mix allowing a much cleaner burn with less emissions.
Having an external catalytic exhaust system, filters out more of any pollutants that were not burned in the above process.

#2. It is Not At All Surprising To Me, that the New Cat Engines will use about the same aMOUNT of fuel as the old Enterprise engines did.
Now, at the same time one must remember that the Cats have four more hungry cylinders to feed fuel to ( = eight more cylinders twixt )

#3. Please listen closely and in his own words to Jim Morash The Captain and General Manager of The Mount Washington Cruises, in this video about the parts issue. http://multimedia.boston.com/m/25325...ly+Friendly%22


In closing, may I also say, about the old engines...
Diesel engines have no spark plugs, and rely on a tremendous amount of compression to ignite the fuel... It is not out of the realm of goings on, that a cylinder head can crack beyond repair...
Just as a for instance, imagine having one of these made at your local machine shop and having to pay their shop rate or overhead for them to make you a new one...
And consider the down time!
I think Not...


Regards


Terry
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[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

The new setup now has either one or two transmissions as there are two, new Caterpillar 4-stroke diesels, so the ship can go from forward to reverse very quickly and without having to turn off the engine.

Are the new transmissions automatic or manual with a clutch pedal & stick shift, and how many forward gears? This is a serious question......thanks in advance.

More than likely, the transmissions will be either be electrically (drive by wire), hydraulically, or cable/throttle actuated. I can't quite tell from the pictures if those housings on the rear of the engines are the transmissions. They don't need to be very big. Our island is repowering one of our ferries this winter and although a much smaller scale, the same project. The attached pics are cell phone pics so sorry for the quaility.

BT

[dmjr]

Just came by the Center Harbor docks a while ago and saw the rigging company unloading 2 Cat engines for the Mount.

[NoBozo]

The Mount Cam from yesterday still shows the truck unloading the engines. NB

http://www.cruisenh.com/mountcam.html

EDIT: 2:38 PM Wed. I think the DATE on the Mount Cam is 24 hours behind.

[dmjr]

It looks like the engines came in for the Mount Washington since there was alot of activity in Center Harbor

[dmjr]

I just found this on the internet

http://www.oldtacomamarine.com/enterprise/specs.html

Thought I would pass it on