Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-06-06
CROSSING FROM
OCEAN TO OCEAN

Forty electric locomotives Of unique
design are used TO tow shipping
through the huge locks Of the Panama
canal. When the canal was being
planned 1t was apparent that the vari-
GUS winch aud capstan systems In
vogue for towing ships through exist
Ing canals and locks would not do ut
all for Panama. After a thorough
study Of the entire problem OF maneu-
vering ships through the locks at PAN
anna 1t was evident that they could not
safely proceed through the locks under
their own power and that substitute
for the ships power should embrace
the following requirements:
Ability to place the ship In proper re-
Mtion to the lock.
capability for keeping the ship in its
course.
Accelernting and retardins the ship
without rupturing the lines.
The lines when once attached should
be used without change for lockage In
flight.
In passing through the canal from
the Atlantic to the Pacific vessel en-
tiers the approach channel In Limon
bay. which extends to Gatun. a dis
lance Of about seven miles At Gatun
1t enters series Of three locks In
flight and IL raised eighty-dve feet to
the level Of Gatun lake. 1t then
steams at full speed through the great.
er part Of the channel in this lake for
a distance Of twenty-four miles to Bas
Obispo. where 1t enters the Culebra
cut. 1t passes through this cut. which
has a length Of nine miles, and reach
es Pedro Miguel. where 1t enters a
lock and is lowered thirty feet. Then
it passes through Miraflores lake for
distance Of one and one-half miles
until It reaches Miiafores, where 1t is
lowered hfty-fve feet through two
locks to the sea level. after which it
passes out into the Pacific through an
eight and one-half mile channel.
The main features Of all the lock
sites are identical. and the following
brief description Of the Gatun locks.
with special reference to the arrange
ment Of the towing tracks. ship chan
nels. inclines and approaches, gives q
clearer conception Of the towing
scheme In general
There are two channels at Gatun.
one for traffic in each direction. The
channels are separated by a center
wall. the total length Of which is $3.50
feet. There are two systems Of tracks.
one for towing and the other for the
return Of the electric locomotives when
returning idle. This, however, refers
only to the outer walls. For the CEN
ter wall there is only one return track
In common for both the towing tracks.
The towing tracks are naturally placed
next TO the channel side. and the syS-
tenn Of towing utilizes normally not
less than four locomotives running
along the lock walls. Two Of them are
opposite each other in advance of the
vessel. and two run opposite each 9TH
er following the vessel. The number
Of locomotives Is. however. increased
when the tonnage Of the ship de-
mands It
Cables extend, from the forward To-
comotiyes, and connect with the port
and starboard sides. respectively. OF
The vessel near the bow. and other ca
bles connect the rear locomotives with
the port and starboard quarters of the
vessel. The lengths Of the various Gu.
bles are adjusted by special winding
drum on the locomotive to place the
vessel substantially in midchannel.
When the lending locomotives are start.
ed they tow the vessel. while the trail
ing locomotives follow and keep the ca.
bles taut. BY changing the lengths OF
the rear cables the vessel can be guild
ed. and to stop the vessel nil the loco
motives are slowed down and stopped.
thus bringing the rear locomotives In
action to retard the ship. Therefore.
the vessel Ia always under complete
control quite Independent Of its Own
power. which is not used. and the dan.
ger Of injury to the lock walls una
gates Is consequently very greatly les
sened.
These towing tracks have specially
designed rack mil extending the entire
length Of the track between the rails.
II IL through this rack that the loco
motive excrts the traction necessary
for propelling lnrge ships nnd climbing
the steep inclines. When the locomO.
tive reaches one Of the inclincs between
the locks. the grade Ut which may be
M much NJ ~ per cent. or when 1t Ia
towing II ship. the cog rail system Ia
utilized to enable the locomotive to
climb the grade and in the other case
to exert traction necessary for pulling
the ships. The cog or rack rail IL laid
between the track rails and the loco