If the Texas follows modern practice, the large pipe is the "Main Induction" which is a scoop that goes through the double bottom in the engine room and the ship's forward motion forces cold sea water up and through the condenser. At slow speeds, less than 5-7 knots, there is insufficient water flow and the "Main Circ Pump" is started to force water through the condenser. The circ pump also forces shut a "flapper" valve in the Main Induction to keep the water from simply going out the induction pipe. The ship I was an engineer on had electric Main Circ Pumps and if the Throttle Watch didn't turn on the pump until the ship was under five knots, the flapper valve closed with a resounding bang which could be heard throughout the engineering spaces.

Ed

The large pipe I was referring to can be seen behind the circulating water pump in the picture below:



I was assuming that the circulating water pump could be arranged similiar to that of it's comtemporay, the Titanic. The following description of it's piping is from the webpage at:

http://titanic-model.com/machinery.htm

[quote]Condensing Plant and Pumps. – There were two main condensers, having a combined cooling surface of 50,550 square feet, designed to work under a vacuum of 28 ins. with cooling water at 60 deg. Fahr. The condensers were pear-shaped in section, and built of mild steel plates.

Four gunmetal centrifugal pumps were fitted for circulating water through the condensers. Each pump had suction and discharge pipes of 20 in. bore, and was driven by a compound engine. Besides the main sea suctions, two of the pumps had direct bilge suctions from the turbine room and the other two from the reciprocating engine room. The bilge suctions were 18 in. diameter. Four of Weir’s “Dualâ€

Ok, but the USN used the configuration I discribed well before WWII. But all my experience was with ships with turbine main engines. So you could very well be correct. Should I ever managed a visit, I'll give you a revised opinion. <BEG>

Ed

James,

Are they trying to restore any of the machinery for actual operation? Along with the restored boiler, It looked like some piping had been repacked/painted.

No, absolutely not. As mentioned in the original brief, when the U.S. Navy decommisioned the Texas, they did everything possible to insure that she would not be returned to service by someone else.

Every wire aboard ship has been cut, and probably some of the piping as well. That may be why that pipe was sitting behind the circulating water pump.

The Texas was drydocked a little while back, and extensively restored externally. (Ted Miles related to me how they had the pumps running flat out to keep her from sinking in the Houston ship channel!) It was at that time that she recieved the beautiful blue paint scheme she wears now; she was painted battleship grey before. (I THINK the dark blue scheme she now wears was how she was painted between the wars; and reflects her appearance after she was modernized.)

They have their hands full keeping the old girl up, and making more spaces accessible to the public with attempting to operate her. Two of her boiler rooms are still off-limits.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

I hope you get to visit; and armed with my article and past knowledge; you may be able to understand more of what you are looking at than myself.

Like railway artifacts of all kinds; the Battleship Texas is a showcase of technology found in the pre WWI dreadnoughts, while the U.S.S. Olympia is a good example of a pre-dreadnought protected cruiser. I have some pictures of her steam machinery at:

http://www.survivingworldsteam.com/gallery/album36

The Texas was modernized I believe during the 1930s; but the steam technology is far different from that found aboard the Iowa class and other battleships built during World War II. There were plans at one time to convert the Texas to steam turbines; thankfully for historic preservation she was not.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

I should have referred to my own Brief; she was modernized between July 1925 and November 1926.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

I'll stop "flooding" this thread with responses, but something else I thought Interchange readers would find interesting:

Remember the discussion awhile back about fuel oil being left in the tenders of park locomotives, and the surprise when they finally give way and dump oil everywhere?

When the Texas was turned over for preservation, a fuel bunker just ahead of the forward (No. 1) boiler room still have fuel oil in it. The park found this out when a bulkhead gave way and flooded the No.1 boiler room!

A company came in and pumped the oil out for free. They gave the park a jar of the oil, which was proudly displayed by the volunteer showing us the restored boiler. (He is holding it in his hands in the picture of the boiler room.) It is Navy spec fuel oil, and probably dates back to just after World War II. You can look down in No. 1 boiler room as you make your way down to the No. 2 boiler room and see the oil "watermark".

Finally, one of the Texas' screws is on display in the park. You see it as you drive into the parking lot.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

James,

Thanks for all that good stuff on a huge steam powered engine room.

The USS TEXAS is one of the top historic ships in the United States. She served in WWI, WWII and Korea a record unmatched by any of the Iowa class "modern" battleships.

After the overhaul about 10 years ago, the ship was refloated and as James said re-painted. I also like the earlier blue scheme better.

Ted Miles