The thread below about using a diesel as a power source reminded me of this story. I may have posted it here several years ago.

Regardless it is interesting reading.

http://www.historylink.org/essays/outpu ... le_id=5113

Over the years there have been many times warships have been used as emergency power sources for cities after various disasters.

Related but off topic, a sort of flip side can occur. When I was on the carrier USS America some years ago, we were anchored off NOB Norfolk (all the big piers were full) when an engineering problem shut down the steam plants and the ship lost power. The engineers then discovered the air tanks used to turn over the backup generators were uncharged. It was some hours before they managed to start the generators from a tug boat - if I recall they used the tug to recharge the air tanks.

I don't think the Chief Engineer had a good day that day... I'm sure the skipper had some things to say.

Bob

Tugboat Annie took a logging lokie onto a barge to salvage a steamboat that had lost its boiler in one story. Sort of the other way around......

dave