Shipwrecked!

[jmeehan]

http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/051104/sta_ferry.shtml



Well I had an interesting week at work. I was the watch engineer when the LeConte hit the reef. If you look in one of the pictures I'm the crew member in faded blue coveralls watching the water being pumped overboard.

We got all the passengers evacuated shortly after it happened, and most of the crew remained on board working. Fortunatly we had no flooding in the engine room, so we could still work down there while trying to save the vessel.

We had to leave at 5:30 p. m. , before the high tide. No one knew if she was going to stay on the reef, or slide off and sink.

I spent the rest of the week in Juneau being interviewed, and recovering/bonding with some of the other crew members.

As of this time she's still on the reef. Perhaps Mon. they'll float her off and see if they want to repair her or scrape her.

 

[rrausch]

How'd it happen? What kind of engines does the LeConte have?

 

[ChrisOlson]

the leconte has V12/ 710 electromotive diesel engines coupled to reversing reduction gears with fixed propellers I am a co worker of jeff I was not on the leconte when it happened

 

[jmeehan]

Originally posted by rrausch

How'd it happen?

Well I can tell you it wasn't mechanical problems. Beyond that is only speculation on my part... I believe the technical term is navigational error.



Tiny, thanks for answering the engine question.

That's 710 c. i. per cylinder. Around 2000 H. P. , as the engines were de-rated so the marine reduction gears would not be destroyed.

 

[rrausch]

I hope the Pilot/Captain comes out OK. It is a difficult job to be responsible for something that huge which is constantly in relatively shallow waters. These guys generally do a great job, and we only find out about the mistakes on the news. When you have something that big going through water, a small mistake can really bite you hard sometimes. Hopefully it will prove to be something which doesn't kill somebody's career.

 

[nickleinonen]

Originally posted by jmeehan

Well I can tell you it wasn't mechanical problems. Beyond that is only speculation on my part... I believe the technical term is navigational error.



Tiny, thanks for answering the engine question.

That's 710 c. i. per cylinder. Around 2000 H. P. , as the engines were de-rated so the marine reduction gears would not be destroyed.

i work with 710's at work, but the 16 cylinder varity, making 3800hp [sd60], 4000hp[sd70] or 4300hp[sd75] depending on which locomotive it's in. not all that reliable i think. we are grenading power assemblies in them very regularly :-laf. keeps me busy...

 

[JohnE]

Glad you lived to post the story.



What's the current tradition for surviving a ship wreck?

 

[jmeehan]

Originally posted by JohnE

What's the current tradition for surviving a ship wreck?

I don't know, shipwrecks are rare these days, thank god. I'm thinking of a small tatoo.

 

[ChrisOlson]

Hey jeff



surviving a ship wreck???



I thought it was lots of alcohol while living the high life at the hotel after the fact!! :-laf



Tiny

 

[ChrisOlson]

Originally posted by nickleinonen

i work with 710's at work, but the 16 cylinder varity, making 3800hp [sd60], 4000hp[sd70] or 4300hp[sd75] depending on which locomotive it's in. not all that reliable i think. we are grenading power assemblies in them very regularly :-laf. keeps me busy...

Hey nickleinonen I was not sure what you said are the EMDS reliable or not reliable?? the emds in the leconte were replaced after 30 years of service and over 100000 hrs of operating hrs

I think that in the locomotive business the engines are used differently lots of Idling on those 2 strokes, we shut ours down as soon as we are finished we have 3 ships with EMDS and as long as the regular maintence is done they seem to be very reliable. of course cummins is my personal favorite.



tiny

 

[jmeehan]

Originally posted by ChrisOlson



I thought it was lots of alcohol while living the high life at the hotel after the fact!! :-laf

That's for medicinal purposes only!

 

[tugboatphil]

One of the Harbor Pilots in Norfolk, Va told me of an incident while he was still driving a tug for Moran. He was the first one to move a brand new grain barge. Company suits had berated him about how much it cost and the need for careful maneuvering, blah, blah, blah.



He took it from a ship in Portsmouth, down river and was approaching his pier. Like just about every summer evening a fast moving storm was bearing down on Norfolk. He thought he had anough time to get it pierside, but Ma Nature was quicker that day. To call his landing a touchdown would be inaccurate. It took most of the rails off and damaged one hatch corner.



At his company board of inquiry, an investigator asked, "What was going through your mind right before you hit the pier. " Without much hesitation, he replied, "I was thinking that I shouldn't have come to work today. "



I kept that one in reserve for future use, but never had a chance to use it.

 

[ChrisOlson]

hey tugboat phil



I used to work on the east coast there



I worked for





Poling transportation

Rienauer

Bouchard



worked as a tankerman and or an engineer



loved the east coast



but love alaska better

 

[jmeehan]

Originally posted by tugboatphil

"I was thinking that I shouldn't have come to work today. "

I mentioned to the other engineers on board "Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. "

That was after I told them that I couldn't pick a better group of guys to be aground with.



It's funny the things that go through your head at times like that. When we were told the ship might roll or slide off the reef my first thought was "My wifes gonna be p***** if I die out here. " I thought that several times that day, and it helped keep me aware that we may need to run topside and jump at any time.

 

[willyslover]

Jeff . . when I saw that news I wondered iff'in that was your rig . . hoped it wasn't and now read this . . glad your safe Buddy !!

 

[jmeehan]

Thanks Gary. We all got pretty lucky out there that day. It was daylight, good weather, and there were other boats around to lend a hand, take on passengers, etc.

I still have a hard time believing it actually happened.

 

[nickleinonen]

Originally posted by ChrisOlson

Hey nickleinonen I was not sure what you said are the EMDS reliable or not reliable?? the emds in the leconte were replaced after 30 years of service and over 100000 hrs of operating hrs

I think that in the locomotive business the engines are used differently lots of Idling on those 2 strokes, we shut ours down as soon as we are finished we have 3 ships with EMDS and as long as the regular maintence is done they seem to be very reliable. of course cummins is my personal favorite.



tiny

not very reliable... one just came into the shop [16-645e3b] with 2 dead power assemblies [#6 & #14] the basket on #14 let go just below the upper 5/8" basket bolts [both sides] and the rod broke just below the carrier and came out the block taking out the handhole cover and hole out and damaging the pee pipe manifold inside, bent the carbody door latches [opened up the door]. the rod & hand hole cover are MIA [somewhere between toronto and london ontario] along side the tracks... the crank is damaged [about dime sized spot] but that can be polished up. lower liner inserts are both toast.