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Stepping over the threshold onto the first rung of the downward leading ladder can be creepy, but exciting and adventurous too. There is lighting, but it’s not as bright as topside, so shadow pervades during the decent from the daylight filled car deck of the historic ferryboat Eureka, down into the wonderland of the Victorian era engine room. I’ve been down here many times, but the feeling of it never changes.
This vessel was last used in 1957, but when it was new in 1890, it’s engine was of an already venerable design known as a walking beam steam engine. Today, it’s a part of the vessel that is open to visitors only by guided tour. Truly, it is something amazing to see. Still… it can be a challenge to convince all visitors of this feeling. Some are there because they already have a fascination for engineering and historic machinery. Others are there simply because they are with the former people. However, this ferryboat, and it’s titanic engine, are part of a National Park because they can offer stories and meaning to everyone. For some, passion lies not in technology, but in human experience. This too, however, is waiting at the bottom of the ladder. For unlike its modern counter parts, this old steam engine required a significant human element. So, by descending the engine room ladder, you are entering a space that is just as filled with humanity as it is technology. For me, when I enter this wonderland realm, I do not see the two as separate, but as one complete story.
At bottom of the ladder, we are surrounded by piping, machinery, and huge curved steel plates of the boilers. It is cold down here now. But, in its heyday, heat would envelope you in a snug embrace. Noise, likewise, would dominate. Not in an ear slipping racket, but with a constancy that provided the black gang (engine room crew) with comfort and reassurance that everything is right with their world. Off to one side of the ladder the steam powered fuel pumps hiss as they slowly chug back and forth to push fuel oil through piping to provide the boiler fire with sustenance. Early in its past, the ferryboat used coal as fuel for the boilers. Crewmen known as firemen used shovels to supply the furnaces. The call dust got everywhere! Over all the surfaces of the room, the clothing and skin of the crew, and even into their lungs, with all the attendant health problems. After getting off-watch, they’d be covered head to toe. This is how the engine room crew became known as the “black gang”.
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Section of a drawing from a historic plan of the ferryboat Eureka showing her walking beam engine. SF Maritime NHP Maritime Research Center HDC 555 drw B4.24-2
In later years, the Eureka was converted to oil, which the industry billed to people as a “clean fuel”, due to how much less smoke it put out. With oil, shovels were no longer required. These were replaced by the aforementioned pump. Working the boilers was now a lot safer and healthier, and required fewer crew, (which also meant fewer jobs), but it was with this oil fired system that the Eureka would finish out hers working days.
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Number 3 boiler in Eureka’s engine room. This view shows the two furnaces and piping for oil and steam for atomization that each boiler is equipped with.
Despite the added safety of using oil though, much danger remained. The stress and pressure of managing the boilers, fell on the shoulders of the firemen. Among the hazards this person had to watch out for included preventing the boiler pressure from getting too high or too low and making sure the water level, also, did not get too high or low. The results of failure could result in damage to various machinery, the loss of power, or even a boiler explosion. This last possibility would be a total catastrophe as it would result in the destruction of the ship and the loss of many lives. However, the Eureka had many safety devices. Given an inattentive fireman, these devices should prevent this disaster. But to blindly rely on them to function as intended was unwise. So, a good reliable fireman would certainly calm the nerves of the Chief Engineer and Captain.