Compass Chronicles 2016 February

In the early 1950s, a new machine was given much publicity in American trade magazines and Newsweek, raising considerable interest. The Cooper-Bessemer Corporation’s 1,500 horsepower model, a free-piston gas generator in combination with a gas turbine, was claimed to deliver twice as much power per fuel unit as other engines, saving from 10 to 25 per cent in installation costs and needing 30 to 60 per cent less space in a plant.

The S/S Ticonderoga is the last surviving example of the walking beam-powered paddle wheeled excursion steamer in the US. According to a Compass Chronicles article from 1958, the vessel is an important historic example of America’s contribution to steamboat travel and a nostalgic reminder of a more leisurely time.