Bramble goes for a 3-hour tour *PIC*

T.J. Gaffney · **Posted:** Sat Dec 13, 2003 4:42 pm

I realize this is marine-related, but remember, we ain't just a railway museum...

Took our ex- Coast Guard Bouy Tender (all 180 feet of her) out for a spin for her first trip since May when she was decommissioned and transferred to our museum. I am happy to say that other than some issues with her bow-thruster (which were overcome) she performed very well. Trip itinerary included going up their St. Clair River into Lake Huron, getting her RPM's up and knockin' out the cobwebs of our "war baby", turning around to go back down through the river and turning at St. Clair, Michigan (junction of the Port Huron & Detroit, Rapid Railway, and Michigan Central for you rail and traction fans), and then return to her berth at the Port Huron Seaway Terminal. Yours truly got to deckhand on the fantail on a rather cold day for this kind of trip, but a heck of a lot of fun. Former USCG-retirees, many of whom served on the Bramble, gave us a hand, and she "done us all proud."

Were still pushing to have her open as an exhibit by Spring 2004. Will keep you posted!

By the way, did I mention I love my job? ;-)

T.J.

Port Huron Museum

tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

ge13031 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 13, 2003 8:09 pm

> By the way, did I mention I love my job? ;-)

> T.J.

I think you got it made!!! And made a lot of ex-coasties happy ...All that is left of the cutter I was on (John C. Spencer) is the mast and bell. Good to see an old wicki-boat up and running!

lamontdc@adelphia.net

Ted Miles · **Posted:** Sat Dec 13, 2003 11:16 pm

TJ,

Theose 180 footers were a great class of tenders! You are lucky to have one of them. I think you are the only museum that has two lighthouse related vessels LV103-Huron and the Bramble.

Ted Miles

ted_miles@nps.gov

Howard P. · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2003 12:28 am

TJ:

What's the power plant in BRAMBLE?

hpincus@mindspring.com

T.J. Gaffney · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2003 1:55 pm

> TJ:

> What's the power plant in BRAMBLE?

Vital stats on Brambles Power Plant:

Main Engines: (2) General Motors EMD-645 V-8 Diesels

Total Shaft Horsepower: 1,200

Bow Thruster: Fixed Pitch

Fuel Capacity: 29,335 gallons

Water Capacity: 28,741 gallons

The Bramble underwent an extensive overhaul with her Cooper-Bessemer engines being rebuilt in September of 1974.

In 1989 she underwent another major rebuild in Toledo, OH with (2) new General Motors Electromotive Division EMD-645 V-8 diesel engines being installed, the power plant she has today.

Two new 200 KW Detroit Diesel ship's service generators were added during this 1989 renovation along with boilers and related plumbing and electrical services.

For more vitals, check out the website below put out by Midwest Connection BEFORE we got the Bramble. Also below is a picture of her Port-side engine.

WLB-392 Bramble Website

tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

T.J. Gaffney · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2003 2:03 pm

> TJ,

> Theose 180 footers were a great class of
> tenders! You are lucky to have one of them.
> I think you are the only museum that has two
> lighthouse related vessels LV103-Huron and
> the Bramble.

> Ted Miles

Ted-

...and a lighthouse soon to go with them, as we are working to get the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse tranferred to us by 2005, along with surrounding structures (keepers quarters, foghorn building) by 2007. Now if I could just come up with the cash and where-with-all to patch up that hole in the Huron and refloat her! By the way, her engines are in pretty decent shape still, and we still occassionly fire off the fog horn, usually on veterans day.

TJ

Huron Lightship

tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

dave · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2003 3:40 pm

Just the thing for fishing charters.

Shame they didn't replace those Coopers with a couple Scotch boilers and triple expansion up and down engines......

dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

T.J. Gaffney · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2003 4:47 pm

> Just the thing for fishing charters.

> Shame they didn't replace those Coopers with
> a couple Scotch boilers and triple expansion
> up and down engines......

> dave

For that Dave, your going to have to get the Lewis G. Harriman! But I suggest you act quickly---Mr. Purvis isn't known for delaying very long when he wishes to scrap something....Honestly though, the guys at N.M.H.F. are trying hard to save her, so we've backed off of that one.

TJ

Northeastern Maritime Historical Foundation

tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

dave · **Posted:** Mon Dec 15, 2003 5:54 pm

Actually TJ, I had a couple projects in mind - refloating the former C of G tug that went down off Joisey back in the '70's or replicating the SAVANNAH - the first steam ship to cross the pond.

Check out the EARNSLAW in New Zealand to see what a proper ship's engine room should look like.

dave

irondave@bellsouth.net