View Single Post
Old 11-14-2014, 02:05 PM   #15
ursa minor
Senior Member
 
ursa minor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Tuftonborough & Franklin MA
Posts: 265
Thanks: 97
Thanked 143 Times in 64 Posts
Default

Sorry FLL, we'll all just have to replay that sound in our minds. The new engines run a much higher speed than the old Enterprise engines. (That's why the new Caterpillar engines need the transmissions.) That cool pocketa pocketa sound only happens with low speed diesels.

One of the less known but cool things about the old engines was that there was no reverse gear or neutral for that matter. To back up, the engines were stopped and then restarted running backwards. Lots of compressed air and fancy camshafts on the engines to make this work. I'm sure it got very interesting in the engine room if they ever had to stop in a hurry with the ship moving at cruising speed...
__________________
" Any day with a boat ride in it is a good day"
ursa minor is offline   Reply With Quote