SOBC has a buggered standby Generator

[Neil]

The ONLY night sailing in '93 was on route 30- leaving Tsawwassen at midnight, and Departure Bay at 4:30am, five days a week. In '92, the round the clock sailings were on route 2, also five days a week, and route 30 was as it is today (8 sailings a day). If I had a scanner, and wasn't so clueless at computers, I could print the schedule out. Sorry.

[Dane]

Thats what I was talking about, '92. Wouldn't there have been 4 ships assigned to Route 2?

[Low Light Mike]

I think that when the Mid Isl Express (the route, not the breakfast) was started in 1991, that was also when they ended the 4-ship-summer on route-2.

By creating a new route in Route-30, they were able to "justify" the cutback from the old summer standard of 4 ships on Route 2.

The creation of Route-30 seems to have had a lot of ideology and intentions behind it....and linked to other Ferry & Terminal & Community issues.

[Dane]

That seems to make sense, 3 ships on 2 and 2 on 30 would be an increase of overall service (and a substantial increase in capacity).

[Mike C]

maybe they should put the Esquitmalt on route 30 in the summer at peak times for heavy traffic?

[Dane]

Seems to be a much better fit out of Langdale though. It's not a huge help with its limited over height abilities anyhows.

[northwesterner]

dane said:

Seems to be a much better fit out of Langdale though. It's not a huge help with its limited over height abilities anyhows.

Rip out the platform decks.

I'll lend you a sledgehammer, Dane...

[Dane]

I'd sledgehammer the whole damn thing. I thought the upper clearance was just generally more on the New West ramps or no ramps?

[Neil]

Everyone has to have a role in life, so I may as well be 'The Old Guy Who Bores Everyone With his Old Schedules'.(Note to HMCS Nanaimo: small 'h' on 'his'. I know my place.)

Here's the general service strength on routes 2 and 30, peak season early '90s.

1989- route 2: 4 vessels, 16 sailings
1990- route 2: 4 vessels, 15 sailings (3 C's, and maybe the New Westminster). route 30: 1 vessel, 4 sailings. (Alberni)
1991- route 2: 2 vessels, 8 sailings. route 30: 2 vessels, 8 sailings.
1992- route 2: 2-3 vessels (some sailings were 2 hours), 8-13 sailings (inc. late night). route 30: 2 vessels, 8 sailings.
1993- route 2: 3 vessels, 12 sailings (most days). route 30: 2 vessels plus one supp., 8-9 sailings.
1994- route 2: 3 vessels, 12 sailings every day. route 30: 2 vessels, 8 sailings.

[Airchime]

The Spirit of British Columbia is experiencing a problem with the stand by generator. As a result, the 7am sailing from Tsawwassen and the 9am sailing from Swartz Bay are cancelled. Engineers are working diligently to fix the problem in time for the scheduled 11am sailing from Tsawwassen.

So, to try and bring us back to the original topic, both Spirits each have two Power Take-Off (PTO) generators which work off two of the four main engines. If I recall correctly, all power for the ship comes off the two
PTO's. There is also a CAT genset in the Engine Room that acts as a Stand-by generator. Lastly, another CAT genset is located under the funnel (known as the Emergency generator).

My question then is: Why, if the PTO's do all the work and there is an Emergency generator, would you cancel the sailings on a busy weekend to fix the Stand-by generator? Are the Stand-by and Emergency generators not set up to do the same thing (in which case you have a problem for sure if the Stand-by goes out)? Is there something I'm not getting?

Like the other members have said here before.......I'm here to learn!!

[hergfest]

I believe it is a safety issue to have the standby generator operational, especially after the Oak Bay incident.

[Retrovision]

On a totally unrelated note:

What is the real-number $-figure on fuel for one round trip by an S-Class Vessel on route 1 (TSA-SB)?

[Dane]

I dont know the answer, but when I did my job shadow they said about 250-300 cars waiting at one terminal can justify an extra round trip (so one would assume paying costs or getting close too it)