ENGINE ROOM
The SS Jeremiah O’Brien's Engine Room Tour starts at the Engine Room Entrance, bypassing all other stations of the ship's Full Tour.
Guidance
Follow the directions in the green speech bubble to be guided to each station.
Listen
Press the "Play" button to hear audio for each station.
Learn
Press the "Learn More" arrow to go to the station's page for more information.
Location
Press the "Pin Drop" to learn about a station's location aboard the ship.
INSTRUCTIONS
TO START YOUR TOUR
Make your way to the Engine Room entrance. It can be accessed from within the Midship House at the aft end on the Main Deck level.
From the Engine Room Entry platform, take the ladder down one level to the top of the cylinder heads to learn how the Engine Room operates.
Remain on this level to explore the top of the Triple Expansion Steam Engine.
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ENGINE ROOM | LEVEL 1
Steam Engine: Cylinder Head
You are standing next to the cylinder heads of the ship’s main engine; a three-cylinder, triple-expansion, double-acting steam engine designed before the turn of the 19th century by Scottish and English engineers. It is driven by steam generated in the two boilers.
Take the ladder down to visit level two and observe the pistons and rods beneath the cylinder heads.
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ENGINE ROOM | LEVEL 2
Steam Engine: Pistons & Rods
The engine is directly coupled to the propeller by the crankshaft. As a three-cylinder, triple-expansion, double-acting steam engine, double-acting means that steam pushes the piston both down and up. Therefore, every motion produces a force on the crankshaft and thus the propeller.
Observe the electrical plant which that is opposite the pistons and rods.
Take the ladder down to visit level 3. Continue viewing the steam engine on your left to see the reversing engine and crankshaft. If no crew are present, this area will be roped off and inaccessible.
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ENGINE ROOM | LEVEL 3
Steam Engine: Reversing Engine & Crank Shaft
How do you reverse the engine, or go ‘astern,’ on a Liberty Ship, as there is no transmission to shift gears? Since the crankshaft is connected directly to the propeller shaft, the only way to go astern is to reverse the rotation of the crankshaft by reversing the main engine.
Step forward into the fire room to view the ship’s boilers. Our friendly engineers on duty can usually be found at this level. Feel free to ask them any questions you may have about the Engine Room.
Next, you can visit the No. 1 and No. 2 Cargo Holds that feature the ship’s Museum. Take the ladders back up to the Engine Room Entrance. As you exit, turn left, then left again to proceed down the long hallway until you reach the first exit on your right. Step onto the main deck and turn left. Proceed forward to the sign pointing to the Museum entrance. Take the ladder down. At the bottom of the ladder to your left, you can peer into No. 3 Cargo Hold, which is restricted to crew only.