# T2's



## david freeman (Jan 26, 2006)

When i was first at sea in 63 as an apprentice i became aware of T2's(The after section-engine and boiler room) were used in some places especially in places like Norway. The ships power plant was used to generate electricity for the local neighbourhood. Do any of these units still exsist? I wonder?


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

T2's were used to provide electric power to the US base at Cam Ranh Bay South Vietnam.

http://www.t2tanker.org/display-tankers-test.php?t2table=sun

Quote

Logan's Fort
Built: 3/45
Hull#: 467
USMC#: 2431 

1966, acquired by the US Army for use as a floating power plant in South Vietnam. Converted to floating power station for the US Army by Newport News SB & DD Co., for use at Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam. Sold for scrapping at Kaohsiung, January 1972. (see also Fort ***berland, Sun yard number 412).

Unquote

Greg Hayden


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## shieldrow (Jun 9, 2010)

T2s, dont think there are many (if any) still in service or preservation for that matter.
The last T2 I believe that may still be afloat and held in the USA strategic reserve was the "Mission Santa Ynez". One of the Mission class oilers and according to Wikipedia may be scrapped soon (or scrapped).
For many years T2 conversions were used as bulk carriers on the Great Lakes, but I dont think that there are any still in service.

It was a pitty that one was not saved as a museum ship similar to the Liberty Jerimiah O'Brian.
Looking back when you compare the complexity of the T2 compared to the C1 Liberty it like comparing a modern mini or BMW to a Ford model T.

Considering that, as the story goes, that the carriage of one cargo of oil across the Atlantic during the war paid for the ship.
I am still amazed at the cconstruction programme for the T2 and also the Liberties, and it was a tribute to American skill and organizational methods that so many were built.
One question that I dont know the answer to is why were there no or very few diesal powered ships built by the USA?


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

There use to be a couple in Canada I believe to gave power to the remote Canning Factories.


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

I read many years ago that one gave power to a small town in North Australia,have no idea if its true or not.

John


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

The Andking was a T2 and regularly met us off the Caymans between Feb and July 77 as one of several smaller tankers to 'lighter' our cargo to the US. She had a Finnish crew with Real Wimin onboard who sunbathed topless on their monkey island. A vista appreciated by many onboard, from almost anywhere from our main deck upwards.


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## Ian6 (Feb 1, 2006)

In partial answer to post #3 I have always understood that the T2's were steam-turbo-electric because of the ready availability of Westinghouse/General Electric skills in electric generating equipment. WW2 was no time to experiment you used what you knew worked. I sailed on many T2's and they were great ships. Ideal for the North Atlantic in Winter, interesting up the Persian Gulf in Summer as the capstan/winches etc were steam driven with the pipe passing thru' the accommodation. I remember waking up at 5am or 6am when it was already about 80F outside and the steam had just come on to the deck machinery ready for our arrival in Ras Tanura or Sitra. Maybe the engineers were just having some fun at our expense.
Much later P&O's Canberra was also turbo electric.
Ian


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## GEORDIE LAD (Sep 6, 2005)

American Victory and Lee A Tregurtha are both converted T-2's are still around on the Great Lakes.American Victory I believe is on long term lay-up,but the Tregurtha was re-powered about 3 years ago and is still trading.Cheers...Doug


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## shieldrow (Jun 9, 2010)

Huntings of Newcastle had two other T2s apart from the Coral Venture , the Oilfield ex Hovenweep and Edenfield ex Verendrye. Both were converted into bulk carriers for Great Lakes service as the Northern Eagle (1962) and Northern Venture (1961). Dont know if still in service.
The Coral Venture eventually became the Duma (or similar) and was used as a floating cement storage vessel anchored off Jeddah Saudi Arabia during the building "boom" of the early 1970s. Finally becoming a hulk before being scrapped.
If I had known I would have visited the old girl as I was working in Saudi at the time.

With regard to Johns post, I know after cyclone Tracy hit Darwin their was a mad scamble to get power to the city as the main steam station was severly damaged. So a T2 may have been used.
I will try and find out.
Regards


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## E.Martin (Sep 6, 2008)

Joined Shell T2 Tenagodus at Heysham and sailed for Curacao way back in 1952.
On arriving Curacao we were told that we were going to Punta Cardon Venezuala to supply power for a refinery,apparantly there had been a explosion and fire and the refinery had no power.
We were there for 3 weeks providing power which was a bit boring.
The good point was the shore staff invited the crew ashore to play us at criket and football the crew were thrashed every time,the big plus was that all the drinks were free.


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## Burntisland Ship Yard (Aug 2, 2008)

Never managed to get a trip on one of Texaco's "T2"'s.however whilst on the sea island in Trinidad popped over to see the 2E, he took me down for a look...
Does any one have any pictures of T2 Engine rooms, some where in my book collection, I do have the simple guide to operating a T2 engine room. If memory serves me correctly, the first picture in the manual, displays a boiling kettle, with the steam emitting from the kettle spout blowing onto a toy wind mill...
Simples !


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

1961 Leon Falk Jr, ex Cities Service Winter Hill

Attached:

LeonFalkJr-001-4-Operating-Console.jpg 
LeonFalkJr-002-4-MachineShop.jpg 
LeonFalkJr-004--4-SewageTreatmentPlant-PackageBoilerBehind.jpg 
LeonFalkJr-006-4-EmergencyDieselGenerator-UpperEngineRoom-EngineersDeck.jpg 

The sewage treatment system and package boiler were new additions when the ship was converted at Bethlehem Shipyard on Key Highway in Baltimore. They are located in what was the pump room. The package boiler provides steam during fit-out and lay-up.

We joined the ship in Baltimore, sailed up the east coast and loaded a cargo in Sept Isles then down the Seaway to Cleveland where we discharged that iron ore cargo.

Greg Hayden


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

Westinghouse plant

LeonFalkJr-007-4-FuelOilTransferPump.jpg
LeonFalkJr-008-4-OutboardTurboGeneratorSet1.jpg
LeonFalkJr-009-4-Aux-Gen-switchboard.jpg
LeonFalkJr-010-4-CombustionControlBoard.jpg

Greg Hayden


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

LeonFalkJr-011-4-MainUnit-TurbineLeft-GeneratorRight-ButterworthSteamPipingonBulkhead.jpg
LeonFalkJr-012-4-MainCargoPump-MotorBehind.jpg

Originally there was a gas tight bulkhead between the lower engine room and pump room. You can see where the cut-out of the bulkhead was made at the top of the picture. The original cargo pumps were used for ballast water.

LeonFalkJr-013-4-BothTurboGenerators.jpg
LeonFalkJr-014-4-MainMotorThrustBearinginShaftAlley.jpg

The white spots on the pictures were caused by the stack of pictures sticking together.

Greg Hayden


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## Burntisland Ship Yard (Aug 2, 2008)

Greg, many thanks for posting I am sure that the pictures will bring back fond memories to others as well....
Cheers


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

shieldrow said:


> Huntings of Newcastle had two other T2s apart from the Coral Venture , the Oilfield ex Hovenweep and Edenfield ex Verendrye. Both were converted into bulk carriers for Great Lakes service as the Northern Eagle (1962) and Northern Venture (1961). Dont know if still in service.
> The Coral Venture eventually became the Duma (or similar) and was used as a floating cement storage vessel anchored off Jeddah Saudi Arabia during the building "boom" of the early 1970s. Finally becoming a hulk before being scrapped.
> If I had known I would have visited the old girl as I was working in Saudi at the time.
> 
> ...


That maybe the place I read about,it was many, many years ago.


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## howardws (Aug 15, 2009)

I joined Texaco Saigon as 5th Engineer in Singapore at 19.30 one day in 1967. She sailed at 20.00, full away 21.00 ish. At that point everyone disappeared and left me in charge! T2s were that simple that I managed quite well.

My abiding memories are of the packing being stored in the annunition locker and the jointing in the ammunition lift shaft, the constant supply of chilled water from a fountain near the steering gear access from the boiler room, the feed water storage tank lids being in the workshop, fitting a spare main motor bearing that had been bolted to the bulkhead for over 20 years and which, having spread, required much filing before it would fit.

I also spent one watch trying to imagine what it must have been like to watchkeep in a T2 engine room in a WW2 convoy. I didn't really get much idea but I did discover that you could keep an eye on the job from the top of the engine room and spend little time down below if necessary.


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## shieldrow (Jun 9, 2010)

That reminds me of my cabin on the Coral Venture, the old plans for when she was the Wagon Box, yes that was its original name. Looking at the plan my cabin space was entitled "Two Gunners", it must have been absolute hell during the war in many many ways. Getting back to my cabin you could hardly fit one person never mind two!

By the way Wagon box is a rail car or brake van on US railroads.


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

I believe the main reason for turbo-electric plant in the T2s was that all of the US capacity for standard issue steam turbine manufacture was spoken for by the USN and the Victory ships program. 'Gear cutting capacity' rings a distant bell. I think a few early ones were pure turbine and there may even have been one motor ship. 
I remember that a number were used for power generation in Norway about 1960 due to a drought affecting hydro power generation and I know there were a couple in Vung Tau about 1970 hooked up to the local grid. 
I can't recall one being used in Darwin but Union SS Coy had a number of turbo electric passenger ships and one was used in the South Island as a power plant and another in Tasmania in the 60's IRCC.


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## surfaceblow (Jan 16, 2008)

The T 2 went with Turbo Electric units due to the lack of manufacturing facilities for the manufacturing of reduction gears. The use of Turbo Electric plants came with a higher initial cost, a higher weight to horsepower ratio, and a lower efficiency rating. There was a additional 3 per cent loss due to the heat developed in the windings of the Main Generator and Motor over a like sized Geared Steam Plant. On the plus side the Turbo Electric plant came with a smaller foot print, less deck space and a lower machinery height. 

Joe


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