[BITList] Fwd: [BIship] Digest Number 3784

[Michael Feltham]

Begin forwarded message:

From: john robertson <jcrobertson1 at charter.net>
Date: 21 December 2008 01:37:36 GMT
To: No Reply <notify-dg-BIship at yahoogroups.com>
Cc: BIship at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [BIship] Digest Number 3784
Reply-To: BIship at yahoogroups.com

Bill:
Your mention of an encounter with the USMC guys in Malta and their  
mention of US submarines having opposed piston diesel propullsion  
engines brings back some memories of those disasters waiting to  
happen.  I am a certified technician trained by Fairbanks-Morse in  
Beloit, Wisconsin where those engines were built.  Unlike the  
Doxfords, they have a top and a bottom set of crankshafts coupled to  
each other by a drive shaft and gears. The piston diameters are about  
one third the size of Doxford pistons and are swines to remove when  
you have to change out piston rings.  Most of the nucleear plants have  
them as stand-by generators,  They are probably the most neglected  
emergency units that I have ever seen.  This is probably due to the  
fact that most nuclear plants hired sailors from the Nuke Navy who  
couldn't tell you anything about the diesel engines that they had on  
their "boats". The oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico have dozens of those  
engines and Fairbanks-Morse has emergency technicians on hand for  
troubleshooting and repair.  Give me a Doxford any day of the week.

Best Wishes to all for Christmas and the New Year.


John R. (USA and Dalry)