1997 Titanic Reciprocating Engines in Real Life! (SS Jeremiah O’Brien Engine Room)
2022 ж. 1 Жел.
1 303 433 Рет қаралды
James Cameron filmed some of the engine room scenes from Titanic inside the SS Jeremiah O’Brien liberty ship in San Francisco. I filmed this video from his viewpoint. This was filmed at the front end of the engine. This ship has 1 engine. It’s nearly deafening in there. It also gets hot in there. It gets ventilation from a hatch on the roof and from large pipes that extend from the upper decks of the ship. I extended my video so we can further appreciate this wonderful machinery. I have more footage but l decided not to include it because l wanted my footage to be unique. I just wanted to showcase the engine from a similar viewpoint as James Cameron. The engine room scenes are short and underrated.
The much massive steel moving that quick is both amazing and terrifying.
I worked in a machine shop for a while, and some of those machines moved huge chunks of metal around like they were nothing. There was a CNC punch machine that was terrifying. It would move around 1/4 plates of steel so fast, I was worried that a clamp would break and some Final Destination shit would go down.
Ikr
when they explode , they dont just explode.
@@NonEuclideanTacoCannon 😂
@@NonEuclideanTacoCannon this is only 1/3 size of real titanic engine
All that metal...and yet...perfectly balanced....and how quiet it is...excellent.!
It wouldn't be quiet in real life. With turbine electrical generators and ventilation fans and dozens of drafts from powerful boilers it was like the screaming of a thousand banshees in hell.
This -IS- real life. And the boilers are different rooms?
@@satunnainenkatselija4478 yes and no. Due to the reciprocating movements of masses, there were inherent vibrations. However, careful engineering including counterbalancing, weight distributions etc. reduced these an impressive amount. Also, the relatively low speed, i.e. few revolutions per minute, made these vibrations comparatively benign. You'd know you're on a moving ship, in the aft low area of it, but it was not really that bad. They put the 3rd class people their, any-ways. The turbines, however, in that era, were not yet perfected, and created vibrations, but due to their nature, much faster ones. The liners of Titanic's time that went with turbine engines for higher speed all struggled heavily with vibrations that were very unpleasant. They went through several alterations and additional strengthening of the whole stern area, to reduce those vibrations, but they never quite managed to control them. And this was know at the time Titanic and her sisters were designed. As far as I recall, the Olympic class liners were deliberately designed with reciprocating engines, in part because of the greater comfort (white star line focussed on comfort and luxury, over pure speed) Though I recall Turbines were more efficient under certain circumstances, and that's why the excess steam of the two engines was fed to a turbine for the central propeller. Military ships mostly used turbines, but they were much more about speed and much less about comfort of the poor souls aboard.
This is smaller than the titanic engine
@@metsasuomalainen3691 indeed, but very similar in type and worked very well for filming
As a machinist what they did back in their day with what they had was absolutely amazing
We built the world everyone else is busy tearing down
and no computers..
Yep , Brains and maybe a slide rule ! RIP .
I'm not even a machinist, just a hobby enthusiast who watches KZhead videos, and even with my lack of experience, the precision and craftsmanship on such massive parts with the tools and equipment they had at the time still mesmerizes me.
Machinist here also. Trying to picture the size machine and tooling it would have took to make those parts. I also can't imagine the engineering, math, trial and error to get those push rods to work like they should all before computers. Just amazing.
The engineers who designed steam engines were truly artists in their own way.
All Dat for a random magical 🧊 to turn it to rust. Dis beautiful engine going underwater to drown.
Auf der Elbe gibt es noch einige dieser Maschinen im täglichen Einsatz. In Schaufelraddampfern.
I remember watching Titanic on the big screen. Just as she was steamimg away from port, the crankshaft was loping along like it was just a tad above idling speed But when the captain gave the go signal for the ship to stretch her legs, when those reciprocating parts picked up speed, it was the most fascinating thing to watch. Felt the fear seeing something that massive moving that fast!
well now you know it was realistic cause just look at that beast go
almost a religious experience....this is my favorite part in the movie! Would love to stand close to those pistons. btw, is that one guy taking the temperature?
@@jasonnicholasschwarz7788 not almost it is a religious experience so pray to the huge mighty engine pray to it yes yes he it can't let it over heat now
@@raven4k998 very unusual for a lady to watch such stuff, isnt it?
@@raven4k998Just think that little country of the coast of France had her industrial revolution and the rest was history 🎉
Hold it.... Hold it.... Now engage the reversing engine!!
lmao. says every man when they have to pull out.
Designed with rulers and protractors. Such a beautiful symphony of polished steel!
No computers, CNC machinery, 3D printers, laser cutters, or any of the fancy tech we take for granted this time around.
Imagine the size of the lathe. Then remember 99% of the world didn't yet have electricity access and people still got around on horses. That means the metallurgist and tool and die makers all bassically lived with one foot still in the stone age.
@geigertec5921 the transistor is truly one of the top 10 inventions of the 20th century. With that we could start building digital computers and control systems, where previously everything is mechanical analog.
These engines are works of art, but more so. I wouldn't pay to see some art in a gallery, But I would pay to see something as graceful as this engine ! amazing.hats off to those engineers who maintain these marvels of engineering, great footage too .
Go to munich technic museum. They have big engine on display.
Next time you are on a Cruise ship, seek out an engineer. He may take you for a tour. That's what happened to me.
Whatever remains of this magnficence must be preserved at all costs.
@robharding4028: ‘’I wouldn't pay to see some art in a gallery’’ Bit odd.
Engineering room and loud 📢
It shows the level of craftmanship to be able to make engines this big and fully balanced in an time when things like computers where only glimp of what people could dream of.
The very engine you are watching still carries passengers through the SF bay. No computers. Just good old fashioned mechanics.
"We're gonna need a bigger socket set."
Pass me the 10… (hands 10 mm) no, we need the 10 inch.
Every ship had to have at least one "Hulk" crew member, he was the one that loosened and tightened these nuts with the sledgehammer. Nowadays we use hydraulic jacks.
I told you that fifty years ago !
@@MihalisNavara That what we’d call using brains AND brawn.
Hard to imagine the forces on the bearings from that much weight moving that fast!
if you wanna know if a bearing is to hot spit on it if it spits back its too hot
@@angus4202 or put Angus on it, if he spits his gutts then its just right lol
With adequate lubrication the parts ride on a film of oil inside the bearing, you're assuming metal to metal contact which defeats the concept of a bearing for a rotating part.
@@asbestosfibers1325 It's a joke.
@@asbestosfibers1325 I thought it was funny.
Fun fact: About 2 minutes after the iceberg hit, Captain Smith had ordered the engines to "Half Ahead". The slower vibrations of the engines, even on the upper decks, were so noticeable to the passengers that many questioned why they slowed down, even before they were ordered up on deck. In the movies, including Cameron's, whenever passengers are seen asking why the engines stopped, it was more like "Why did the engines slow down?" This was the first sign for most passengers something had happened.
With engines so massive and roaring the entire time across the ovean it can be felt throughout the ship
@@kingtrytonsurtout avec les moteurs alternatifs Rolls-Royce de l'époque
@@xavierlecuivre3060k
the first sign that something had happened was the distinctive sound of the propeller blade breaking off
no, I know worse than that, the transmission broke completely, we reversed while the engine had not reached its neutral point, it seems logical, right?
Thank you for sharing. In comparison to Titanic, this is a small engine - three cylinder, compared to Titanics four - but both are triple expansion. I think the condenser appears on the right at about 3:42. Of the hundreds of these ships that were built, it is good that at least one is still operational for all to appreciate how they work and what they did. Also of interest might be USS Texas. Almost as old as Titanic and has two three cylinder triple expansion engines. (Currently in drydock).
Actually, the Texas has a pair of four-cylinder engines bringing her more in line with Titanic in some regards. Still not nearly as big of engines, but still quite large; certainly larger than the Jeremiah O'Brien's engine.
Sadly, Texas‘ engines will never run again 🙁
@@lutzderlurch7877 even if the navy green lighted it the ship is most likely not capable of producing a few pounds of steam and I bet the engines probably are working on rusting solid if they haven't already because I sort of doubt they do much maintenance to them. Sad that the state that holds the ship dear let it get so bad, even if public funding is low. Even the Iowas most likely will never run again because they are for the most part mechanically worn out from their service life. Nice to see a few smaller WW2 vessels running around though
@@logansylvester8093 Yeah, Texas is sitting dead since the 1940s. No propellers, either. It is sad the ship wasn't maintained in at least a theoretically working condition. But I suspect there are even some contractual clauses keeping her screws off . :(
1/3 size of real ones
It's nice to see a number of these engines being maintained for people to see, they are works of industrial art more than anything and although it requires a lot of resources to keep them maintained in working condition I think it is a worth while investment. If you ever try making a small scale version of a vertical steam engine (Stuart models has different versions including a triple expansion one) you will come to realize just how advanced of a process for the times it was to design and machine something like this. For anyone wondering what the two smaller cam rods beside the big cylinder driving ones are for they operate the steam intake/exhaust valve for each cylinder, it must be a big job to get them timed right.
I love steam engines and the massive amounts of torque they produce! I would love to have seen it in person
Well it's not so much quantity, rather instant and constant torque. But I agree with the sentiment
Good news, you still can see it in person! The Jeremiah O'Brien is still active in San Francisco, and they continue to take it out into the bay, check out the fleet week cruise that's going to be happening in October.
@@bradsmckayfor instant torque, electric motor would probably be the better option.
This ship is incredible. I took a tour of it in San Francisco when I was a kid. You were free to go anywhere on the ship, even into the engine room. I'd more than recommend visiting San Francisco to see the O'Brian at least once.
How can something like this steam engine, with all those large rods and pistons be so beautiful? This is a mechanical wonder. Even though the real reciprocating steam engine from the RMS Titanic had four pistons, this one, from SS Jeremiah O'Brien, used on Cameron's film, is the most beautiful one I've seen. Thank you very much, @Richard Gusmanov, for having shared this really precious footage of O'Brien's engine room.
knows a very nice machine, but a lot of handling, diesel combustion engines were the end of Steam
I could watch that beautiful engine for hours, its a mechanical marvel.
Me too bro
It is strangely relaxing.
Seeing the engineers spot by the rail makes me feel exactly what the engineer felt watching the engines run on the titanic. Goosebumps
It's so great that this kind of engine has been preserved in working order and that people will actually have a chance to see it run (I assume). Truly the kind of thing that can never be made again. It makes me think of steam locomotives, where enthusiasts are so dedicated to saving them, but there simply isn't enough money and resources to keep them working. I've seen a lot of rusty historic stuff sitting out there, but come to think of it, I haven't seen any of it in motion.
I’ve seen this exact engine with my own eyes while running. It’s incredible, the heat of the boilers, the noise of the equipment running and the sheer size of all of the gear is in the literal meaning, awesome
what is it, is it like a location of some sort like a muesum ?
@@8Bit9000 A museum ship called the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, a WWII liberty ship docked in san francisco. They occasionally take it out for cruises.
@@Obi_Wan_Kenobi_027 ive sailed on it 3 times back in the late 80s early 90s on their spring wreath laying excursions
@@truthsayers8725When I went, I was a Sea Cadet volunteering on it. It was a cool experience.
@@Obi_Wan_Kenobi_027unfortunately 🧊 had da high ground Dat night. Despite titanic wreck looking like da best wreck ever then other ship still if only she lived wha made her lose to a magical 🧊 Dat happens to somehow be in your path? IN YO PATH? A beautiful wonderful 🚢 with all Dat fancy wood and engines just BE IN RUST. 😒
Hi all, if you are ever in New Zealand 🇬🇸🇱🇷, remember the SS Earnslaw runs out of Queenstown. Twin marvelous triple expansion engines with all exposed internals like this. Coal fired. I was blessed to be a passenger last week. I would love to see your ship one fine day. Thanks for the Titanic memories.
I also saw the ss lyttelton (a steam tugboat) docked at Lyttelton port in Nov 2022. Apparently built way before the times of titanic and still floating.
Very few ships useing triple expansion still exist and fewer still actually operate. I've seen the ones in the USS Texas and that probably the closest to the size of titanics still left inside a ship. Saddly, the Texas will never move under her own power again, but her engines are registered as a monument to naval architecture
I got to see the USS Texas while she's in dry dock and they also mentioned the boiler rooms were flooded under water before they finally moved her to the dry dock which further damaged any important parts and surely will never run again without a unimaginable amount of money thrown into her
The exact same engines the titanic had can be found in uk at kempton park Thames water treatment works they have 2 triple expansion engines
There’s still one triple expansion engine that’s almost identical to Titanics engine in Kempton park, it is operational and they sometimes let it steam.
Perfectly balanced. As all things should be.
Terrifying to think what those moving parts can do to you, if it was able to grab you. But also impressive to think that this kind of thing ran non stop for a week or two.
You're reminding me of the trapped in the machinery scene in the movie The Sand Pebbles"
if that thing grabbed hold of you, I'd imagine you'd get turned into human soup real quick😅
@@vangledosh The railings are very close to the moving parts as the guy mentions in this clip. kzhead.info/sun/drFsebpphYmgrKc/bejne.html
They did a good job w the technical direction in the movie- when they showed the ship trying to avoid the iceberg and the bridge rings up ‘Astern’, the outer propellers reverse but the middle one stayed stationary (it was driven by a steam turbine without reversing capability). Had no idea ‘Jeremiah O’Brien’’s engines were used for the movie, no wonder the engine room looked so realistic! I assumed it was cgi…😅
A big part of it was cgi only a small portion wasn't. They made the engine look bigger than it actually was irl that way so it resembles the Titanics engine more.
@@m3redgt technically they didn't use that much cgi, was more practical effects combined with some digital overlaying. They used props at a smaller than real life scale to give the illusion that the engines were huge, and overlaid shrunk shots of the workers to sell the effect. Also filmed in higher framerates
CGI was available but wasn't used as commonly as now (CGI in every frame today), it was still a luxury in 1996
They also used a scaled down motion camera to make the engine room look bigger.@@francoismurrell4604
@@jasonz4545 Wish it still was.
I used to volunteer on the O’Brien back in high school. Still have plenary of good memories from that place, even the time when we had to scrape out the bilge in the crank pits. Yeah it was a pain in the ass hauling two heavy buckets full of gunk, each smelling worse than a dairy barn on a hot day, out of the engine room and through the house, down the gangplank and into a dumpster. But it was still fun and satisfying to do regardless, plus getting to hear stories and jokes from the old engineers was a good bonus. NO BREW NO CREW!
I was impressed by how small many of the passages were for crew, and even more so for maintenance, also impressed by just how long the propeller shafts were, that was quite the tunnel to walk through with nothing between you and a giant rotating shaft practically brushing against your hip!
You can see how they made the men smaller in the movie to enlarge the scale of the engine.
You could use the sound track here for a sleeping aid video! So relaxing.
Just absolute beauty of engineering.
Something that big and that heavy… Moving that fast, both amazes and terrifies me
How can THIS terrifing you,its amazing and vrey,very cool
My boys and I got to tour the engine room when it was in San Francisco. So cool to see this in person. Made us feel small for sure!!
Amazing engineering. In awe watching it work.
Fun fact: The American Liberty Ships were often made with no heat, no running water, and minimal electricity. These were the Liberty Ships that were for primarily cargo vessels. However, they sometimes transfered troops in the extremely spartan ships, as well. The goal of liberty ships was vast numbers, manufactured as fast as possible, and made to be relatively quick and be able to make a transoceanic jouneys. The American women were taught a new method of welding to avoid the slow process of hot riviting. They worked in continuous shifts. The American government credited their part of the victory to the invention of the Liberty ship and the Willy's MB Jeep, both of which were not intended for direct combat.
My family got to tour this exact ship on a trip to San Francisco. It generally isn't operating during tours but, we got lucky that day because they were preparing the ship for a trip to France for a D-Day celebration. One interesting thing that happened were some older ladies talking about being welders building these Liberty ships. They were hired because they were small enough, then, not so much at the time we were there, to fit in the small spaces in the bottom of the ship to do the needed welding. They were laughing at each other about not being able to fit any more. Very interesting tour. Amazing how fast they could build those things. Incredibly important to the war effort.
lend-lease with England i recall
Really neat how you took the same shots as in the movie. Great video!
Now these great mechanics are not doctors or attorneys but are people that are life long intervenors in the knowledge and working great machinery. These are the people that make this world run.
Even when in port, that engine room (on the O’Brien) is awesome.
I have been on the Jeremiah O" Brian and have seen that engine room. It was near Fisherman's Warf It is only one left in it's original configuration ,
Thank you for this video. In middle school i made a steam drivin reciprocating engine with help from my science teacher. It was bad ass I must say. When I graduated I told him to keep it to show other students that these were the most efficent engines (not including diesel )in those days of ocean liners in the beginning of the 19th century
Whats neat is in the you did like in the movie where they zoomed in much closer, and focused the foreground back to give the illusion of the engine being way bigger then it actually is. Also I never knew this was actually real for the movie. I always thought it was some kind of set they mocked up. It's cool seeing a location of part of a movie set that is already real and actually exists.
There are some incredibly ingenious and mathematically sound engineers out there who create these marvels. Thank you!
A work of engineering and mechanical art!
Would this fit in my honda civic?
Amazing just seeing how old steam technology works.
I just love the sound it makes how it makes the squeak and then the two clicks
This looks so amazing. The way is moves it looks like its alive and have to remaind yourself that its a machine
I have been on this ship. It is really amazing to see these engines in person. Thank you for posting this.
You're welcome. I would love to see those engines.
This is so incredibly satisfying.
I could sleep so soundly to that rhythmic sound!! 😴😍
Sounds like someone is fucking on a squeaky bed
I would have loved to just stand there and watch this amazing machinery run all day😍
Old engines like this are partly machines and partly works of art created at a time when people took pride in what they created and pride in their part of maintaining and operating engines like this. What a golden age to have lived in.
thank you! this is amazing work for young engineers understanding inertia and momemtum
The engine rooms shots were the best part of the movie. If I had a dollar for everytime I rewind the VHS back in the day.....
its fantastic to see the engine room where James Cameron did his filming for the 1997 film titanic but what i have always wondered when you see this engine room in titanic i notice that some engines are going quicker then others.
I could literally put a bed and fall a sleep in this room from the sound. such a smooth giant!
That's really neat! I thought it was all CGI! Real engines! On the engine side, not much to be afraid of. Built to run. Beautiful engine. We usually baby our stationaries... High pressure steam itself? Carry a broom stick in front of you in case of leaks! Fantastic footage.
Amazing machine. Not even loud like a turbine. But of course a hot rod sounds different than a station wagon. Thanks for this.
So basically it looks like Cameron scaled up the engines in size. Because in the movie men look tiny compared to the engines. This view obviously shows them much smaller
Wonderful how he made those engines look massive.
They are massive, but there is a bit of forced perspective in the movie to make them look even bigger. The Titanic's engine was even bigger than this one, but it looked much the same as this in operation.
The Kempton Park Steam engines are the closest to the actual engines on Titanic, I hope to visit them some day
In terms of functionnality and performance, these engines are closer to titanic's. However, yes, size wise the Kempton park are closer.
there is something oddly satisfying seeing those huge things working this smoothly
Incredible. Gives me goosebumps.
I remember seeing the Jeremiah O'Brien in the Port of Baltimore in 1994!
It is absolutely incredible! All that steel and stuff moving, I wouldnt want to get quite that close to it. It would just mulch anything caught in there and not even notice or slow down.
that is IMPRESSIVE man!!! :) tx for the video my friend!!!!!
Fredric Supercycle thank you for watching!
Gorgeous.
This means that the Titanic's engines were even bigger than shown in Cameroon's movie, wow!
Cameroon is a country in Africa .
Real organic engineering. Brilliant and mesmerizing.
Wow really cool. Just absolutely mesmerizing
Oh this is sublime. Totally fascinating, beautiful to watch, and also strangely soporifi.........
that is soooo cool!
C'est juste impressionnant ! Belle video !!!
wow the crank case is awesome imagine the power of them cylinders and strength these cylinders must have had to move this beast threw the water without breaking the pushrods and the timing is in itself amazing.
Props for the camera man bringing the Titanic back up from the Atlantic, restoring it, and starting up the engines just to see this masterpiece
You wish.
Basically every indian restoration video.
A camera man can do wonders
I berthed on that ship for 4 months while we were in the shipyard in San Francisco. They used it to hold the crew while our ship was being overhauled. Lot of history there.
Gives me goosebumps. its awesome
Just to think that we were capable of building such absolutely immense, and yet smoothly & well-balanced running, engines over 100 years ago. These days (2023) we'd be struggling to get a 1/10 size steam engine going without any tool more sophisticated than a sliderule.
Amazing and simply great engineering magnificent! 👍
I love the size of the nuts holding the bearings(?) together and, I assume, tying it all into the base structure the engine is resting on. Like what sort of wrench is used on a hex-nut the size of a serving platter? Amazing device! There’s a pumping station that’s part of the London sewer system that has a similar, beautiful steam engine.
It seems like all those exposed, oily parts would collect a lot of dust and moisture. Beautiful design!
Went to see the Titanic movie tour at Wembley. They had some of the props from the film including a perfectly detailed scale model of the whole engine room. It was used in the engine room scenes and the actors were superimposed into the model. It was around 5-6ft wide.
That's amazing, but if the Titanic's engines were larger than the ones in this video, I'm still terrified.
Looks at those massive pistons, holy sheet.
Oh my goodness this amazing sound is real🥹
I love those short scenes
Haven't seen this ship, but I have seen her sister the Brown when she visited Norfolk a few years back. These engines are very impressive in person.
Gigantic size machine.. Marvelous..
An Absolutely amazing engineering marvel. Especially considering that it was done in the 1900's.
Car engine : We must oil... this specific part. Boat engine : Oil goes WEEEEEEEEEEE
Nice footage, and addition of the Titanic footage for comparison. I'm assuming you were onboard during fleet week.
That is correct! This is also my first cruise on the ship.
@@richardgusmanov9102 glad you got the opportunity! I know they're always looking for volunteers.
@@WesleyHarcourtSTEAMandMORE these types of machines are underrated.
@@richardgusmanov9102 absolutely. They need to be preserved and get the love and attention they deserve
Ever since l toured this ship l spent the majority of my time inside the engine room. It’s my favorite part of the ship. I recently had a renewed interest in the Titanic. Since l found out that the engine room scenes were filmed here I decided to take a tour. This wasn’t my first time touring this ship. I toured it when l was a kid. I think l was 13 when l last took a tour. I don’t remember what the experience was like. These types of engines are quite complex for their age. They appear to be more complicated than internal combustion engines. I know how an automobile engine works but not a steam engine.
Triple expansion reciprocating? Nice work!
Belle mécanique ! Belle créativité
I was on a short cruise on the John Brown when it came to Toronto about 15 years ago. I could go to the upper level of the engine room but not down to the crank pit level.
Fantastic :)
Having to constantly oil the engine is crazy. They were designed to weep oil so the engineers need to have balls of steel to reach into it every 10-30 minutes
What must it have been to fall asleep to the beat of that great heart!❤
Magnificent machine
this makes me so happy
Beautiful , just to gaze upon !♥
My stepfather, as a young man, being a naval expert, worked in the engine room of a steamship that made the Trieste Calcutta route…
The heart of the ship, a credit to the volunteers of the Jeremiah O'Brien for keeping the engine in working order and running smoothly. Nice thing about a steam reciprocating plant, if it's in good order it's fairly quiet compared to a turbine job with all whining and the growling of the reduction gears, to say nothing of the racket a diesel plant makes.