ENGINE ROOM
GUIDANCE
Follow the directions in the green speech bubble to be guided from station to station.
LISTEN
Press the "ARROW" to hear audio.
LEARN
Press "LEARN MORE" for details about a station.
LOCATION
Press the "PIN DROP" to view the station's location on the ship.
The SS Jeremiah O’Brien's Engine Room tour will take you directly to the Engine Room, bypassing other stations along the full tour.
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.
Next, you’ll 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.
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'TWEEN DECK
'Slop Chest' or Ship Store
Welcome to our Ship Store where you can purchase exclusive O’Brien merchandise and souvenirs to remind you of your visit today. All purchases directly support the ongoing maintenance of the SS Jeremiah O’Brien. During WWII, there was a store available to the crew known as the “Slop Chest.” Various items were available for purchase including toiletries, clothing, candy, and other items a crew member might need that were not already provided to them and subtracted from their pay at the end of the voyage.
This concludes our self-guided audio tour. To return to the Main Deck, exit the Ship Store through the door into No. 2 Hold and back up the ladder you descended from. Thank you for your visit today!