# Panama Locks



## MNEWBY (Oct 9, 2006)

Hi All
I have watched this site http://webcams.pancanal.com/webcam/hd-miraflores.jpg a number of times and it looks as if there are *'two pairs of lock gates' *at each end of each lock.
Having never been to the Panama canal and just of technical and marine interest *is *there two sets of gates at each end *and why*?
Regards
Mike(Thumb)


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

Mike,
Yes there are two set of gates. The reason being mainly safety and maybe the best answer is to quote directly from *this*

_Safety features
A failure of the lock gates — for example, caused by a runaway ship hitting a gate — could unleash a flood on the lands downstream of the locks, as the lake above the locks (Gatun Lake or Miraflores Lake) drains through the lock system. Extra safety against this is provided by doubling the gates at both ends of the upper chamber in each flight of locks; hence, there are four gates in each flight of locks which would have to fail to allow the higher level of water to pass downstream. The additional gates are 21 m (70 ft) away from the operating gates.

Originally, the locks also featured chain barriers, which were stretched across the lock chambers to prevent a ship from running out of control and ramming a gate, and which were lowered into the lock floor to allow the ship to pass. These fender chains featured elaborate braking mechanisms to allow a ship up to 10,000 tons to be safely stopped; however, given the precise control of ships made possible by the mules, it was very unlikely that these chains would ever be required. With many modern canal users being over 60,000 tons, and given the expense of maintaining them, the fender chains were reduced in number in 1976 and finally removed in 1980._


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## MNEWBY (Oct 9, 2006)

Hi Tonga
Many thanks, I am pleased I was not imagining things as I have watched these gates closly for some time.
We are never to old to learn!
Regards
Mike


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

There is another thread, possibly in Mess Deck all about the Panama which I contributed to giving some history of the canal and chambers of each lock etc where this question was also asked. 

In short, every 10 to 15 years, each set of miter gates all dating back to the Canal construction days undergoes maintenance and are removed and transported to the Industrial division dry dock on the Atlantic side. This means that due to two pairs, the locks can still function when one set of gate are taken away for maintenance. 

The Panama Canal locks have a total of 40 pairs of miter gates. The tallest and and heaviest are on the southern entrance of Miraflores Locks designed to handle the Pacific coasts extreme tidal fluctuations. The gates are 25 meters high, and each weighs 730 tones.

Locks and chambers are 33.5 meters wide and 305 meters long. 

I think I posted more info in another thread, but hope this helps. In fact, if memory serves me right, it was when one of the Celebrity cruise ships was going through a few months ago. 

David


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## MNEWBY (Oct 9, 2006)

Thanks Dave for the additional information, they sure beat the size of the lock gates to our marina!
Regards
Mike


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## Jim S (Jan 21, 2006)

*Panama Canal Locks*



Tonga said:


> Mike,
> Yes there are two set of gates. The reason being mainly safety and maybe the best answer is to quote directly from *this*
> 
> _Safety features
> ...


Tonga,
Thanks for the info on the chain barriers. The Senior Second Engineer on Pacific Unity, my first ship in late 1961 told me about these chains but your piece is the first time I have ever seen confirmation of their existance.


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