How to operate a 116 year old steam ship
Ғылым және технология
The paddle steamer Schiller is much more than a means of transport, it's an ancient relict that has been navigating the Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee) since 1906. Thanks to constant care and restauration, this swimming mighty machine can still be enjoyed today. In this video, we go for a deep dive into how this ship is operated, all the way from the captain down to the machine room.
A huge thank you to the Schiller's crew and the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company for letting me film everything and making this video possible!
Пікірлер: 378
This engine room is so spotless it looks more like a museum display than a working ships engine room...
@cieludbjrg4706
2 ай бұрын
It's Switzerland. They like to keep their engines clean. They wax polish their trams!😄
it is annoying how ubiquitous people think old means dumb. you could make the argument that newer things on average are smarter than their predecessors, but that will never mean the older machines are dumber. once a marvel of engineering, always a marvel of engineering.
@genoobtlp4424
11 ай бұрын
It’s never dumb, just more reliant on the mk1 brane for peak effectiveness
@howl_drew
3 ай бұрын
People forget the ingenuity and imagination from engineers back then. nowadays almost everything can be driven by a computer and some engine(s) and maybe some hydraulics or pneumatics. A lot of the beauty, that was "engineering", has vanished because of this.
@sepur_lempung34official
2 ай бұрын
Old things is cool in my opinion And i love it. Especially steam engine on heritage railway on UK
@Fish-pi8lv
2 ай бұрын
Yea I agree, it was never dumb, but as more effective methods are made, it gets dumber to the modern day
@pnewt3378
14 күн бұрын
Much much more brain was used back then compared to the present
I have Never seen an engine room that clean! It looks better than new!
@timburr4453
9 ай бұрын
Be it a watch or a steam ship, the Swiss built it right and take care of it immaculately
@SMGJohn
7 ай бұрын
@@timburr4453 Well considering its a tourist ship its only logically to take care of something thats meant to be displayed. If it was operational for ferrying people, the machine room would look like any other.
@RobinCernyMitSuffix
2 ай бұрын
@@SMGJohn but... it is used to ferry people? It's in regular service to this day and not just a tourist ship as it's part of regular public transport. There are quite a few steam ships still in regular service in Switzerland, together with newly built ships.
That is the cleanest, shiniest steam engine that I have ever seen! Nice video, thank you.
@gowdsake7103
Жыл бұрын
I dread to think how much time is taken cleaning
@GBB-Gelbbergbahn
Жыл бұрын
every steam ship in Switzerland is like that we have about 14 of them
@Demonslayer20111
Жыл бұрын
@@gowdsake7103 my god they are beautiful though. That time is not wasted. What a work of mechanical art!
@gowdsake7103
Жыл бұрын
@@Demonslayer20111 Oh I agree its astonishing
@hawkdsl
Жыл бұрын
Actually shocking.
What a beautiful vessel. You can tell the crew are proud of her - I have never seen a working steam engine so shiny like that!
Excellent showing not just the mechanicals but the human care factor. These are special machines. Those are special people.
Everything is spot on : the rhythm of the video, the shots, the explanations… Thank you for all the good work you put on this one !
What nostalgia! I went to high school in Switzerland in the early 1960s, and I remember riding on the lake steamers--including watching them retract the funnel to pass under the bridge at Stans. I had the use of a sailboat at Horw, and gave the steamers plenty of room. And thanks for leaving the original commentary audible--bin chaib' uslaender, kann aber imme no' es Bitzli verstaa...
@andrep8287
Жыл бұрын
Never mind, chaib' usländer, I'm an expat too. I remember the times too, when the funnels had to be retracted to pass beneath the bridge in Stans area to get the tourists to Alpnachstad, where they would transfer to the Mt.Pilatus cogwheel railway, the steepest in the world ;-) During those years (1966-1968) I was doing my apprenticeship in Lucerne, to become a certified travel-agent. I trained at Wagons-Lits/Cook Travel on Haldenstrasse. But, because the office-renovations had not been completed yet, the whole office-staff worked out of the main-deck of one of the other Lake Lucerne steamers, the URI, which was docket by the pier next to the 'real' office. It was fun whenever other steamers passed by, and their waves caused our file-drawers to open and close. Ah....the memories (and, guess what....57 years later, I'm still working, although no longer in the passenger-travel business, but rather in the road-transportation industry (and, living in Canada for over a half-century).
That is not a steam engine ... it is moving art!
@roboftherock
Жыл бұрын
I would have said 'That is not JUST a steam engine ... it is moving art!'
@robertcovell2787
Жыл бұрын
@@roboftherock sure
A perfect balance for a teaching video...not too much information, nor too little. The gorgeous scenery and weather surely assisted the good cheer aboard the Schiller, but it's mostly due to you. Your questions were informed, not silly, and technical people LOVE that. Plus the Schiller is pristine and inherently beautiful. Even her engine is handsome. Thank you!
Compliments to the engineers who keep that engine room immaculate. Incredible.
@timburr4453
9 ай бұрын
the swiss build things right, build it to last, and immaculately take care of it, be it the watch on your wrist or a ship
It's appropriate that this ship is in Switzerland. That engine is as precise and beautiful as a Swiss watch!
Amazing video. Not a single piece of metal with rust on it. It's beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
@ranekeisenkralle8265
Жыл бұрын
I suppose that's a side-effect of the machine needing lubrication all the time: the oil they wipe off leaves enough residue to prevent corrosion ^^ And chroming things also not only helps, but looks fabulous on a machine like that.
@genoobtlp4424
11 ай бұрын
Probably also helps that it’s a fresh water ship as that is generally less corrosive
It's absolutely incredible to see that machine slow down to a near stop in mere seconds, and suddenly starting to move in the other direction quite quickly with a lil burst of high pressure steam! A decade or so ago I got the opportunity to take a ride in a 1909 steam car (as a passenger), as perfectly maintained as this ship, and the torque you get from that high pressure steam is just unbelievable. From standing still to 30-40 kph in a little less than an instant! If that car had rubber tires it would've left some of it on the road.
@royreynolds108
Жыл бұрын
It is possible to "burn rubber" at 60 mph or about 100 kph in a steam-powered auto.
Great video. That steam engine is absolutely gorgeous.
The machinery is stunningly beautiful. Those chrome control handles for the engine operator look absolutely spotless. Like it just came "off the line" so the speak.
@roboftherock
Жыл бұрын
I quite agree, the whole IS stunning. Here in Scotland we have PS (Paddle Steamer) Waverley, which has a triple-expansion steam engine. Its engine room is similarly clean, although it is more open to the passengers than here. Just as an aside, the expression at the end is 'so to speak' instead of 'so the speak'.
I've seen newly built ships, but none can even come close to how beautiful and sparkling clean that whole ship is, given that it's more than a hundred years old! The engine looks like it belongs inside a massive swiss watch, with how beautiful and gracefully it moves.
The echoing of the horn sounds absolutely insane. It's such a beautiful little ship.
The most impressive thing is that this museum on water actually still works as it was intended all these years later, not put away and changed out with modern equipment. Absolutely beautiful
Having been on the PS Waverley, the world's last seagoing paddlesteamer (this one is a lake steamer), countless times I can't help but notice how comparatively clean and pristine this vessel is.
tolles Video!
The way that whistle echoes off the valley around it 🤤
engine so clean and shiny👌👍
An excellent view of an excellent ship. Long may she sail the lake.
I have had the pleasure of riding on this ship. I spent most of my time watching the engine work from the observation area above the engine. It was great.
WOW that ship is immaculate. It's cool to see all the digital controls in the engine room. Having the boiler pressure managed automatically is really nice and makes the whole thing a lot safer.
what a beautifully maintained engine and a beautifully presented video.
Thanks for sharing this impressive video! It brought back fond memories of sailing on the Schiller in 1984. Back then we were so impressed with the immaculate condition of the engine, and today it hardly shows a speck of dirt. Thanks for sharing the cammaraderie of the crew; it takes a team to make us tourists have a memorable excursion.
Wow, look at the shine of the components in that engine room. Beautiful, thanks for uploading.
Wow, that is the most beautifully polished, painted and clean ship engine I've ever seen!
25:14 should be the sentiment of anyone that finds themselves in the care of an old, amazing piece of history.
The machining on those parts are beautiful. And man, fresh water boats look so nice and corrosion free.
I hope one day to have the opportunity to ride and view this beautiful ship!!! 🤠👍🇨🇭
It’s amazing how clean this ship is . Everything is well taken care of and polished to a T .amazing upkeep on such an old vessel 👍🏻
That engine room is beautifully pristine! Very nice.
Every time you hear a bell, thank somebody.
That's (on the bridge) indeed a language of its own!
Beautiful scenery, fabulously maintained ship, fascinating steam engine, professional and pleasant crew, what a wonderful life experience. Many happy memories are made on this 100+ year old ship.
I am very grateful for your English narration. While I am able to understand basic German, Switzerdeutsch is as good as Greek to me (it sounds like a mix of German, Dutch and the Swedish chef from the muppet show!😆). A huge thanks to the staff of the ship allowing you to pester them and for explaining everything!😄
No joke, your video's are one of my favourite on KZread. Fantastic. Greetings from belgium
I remember taking a boat trip on Lake Lucerne in my childhood, maybe even on this very ship! The view onto the running engine from above was mindblowing to me then, and I'm glad to finally get a proper behind the scenes view of it all. Thank you so much!
The echo of the whistle on the lake is superb.
Thank you so much for sharing this with the world! We need to preserve these working legacies! 👍👍👍👏
Thank you for making this video and of course the crew showing around the places
For a machinist, this would be a dream job taking care of this thing. Its magnificent. I want to make one 😂
That must have been insane technology for 1906... crazy engineering.
Superb video! Thanks to all
This is absolutely amazing. Such a beautiful steamer and what a very professional crew.
Merci vielmals für diesen Einblick!
The lake of my hometown❤
That engine room is gorgeous! Everything is spotless and shiny
"Insanely beautiful" is right, but not just those little parts he referred to - the entire engine is unbelievably clean and new-looking. The craftsmanship is evident in the machining and the design of everything. I just want to run my hands across every painted and bare-metal surface in this thing.
The deckhand’s got slick moves.
Fond memories of days on Lake Lucerne in those steamers. Thank you.
That is the single cleanest engine room I’ve ever seen, (including several on brand new ships.)
Wow! What a video! Wasn’t quite sure where you were going to go with this channel in the summer season, but you have definitely hit the sweet spot. Amazing! You are great at breaking it all down simply making it easy to understand. Really looking forward to more stuff, keep up the great work!
Fantastic video! I've ridden these steamers many times and never realized just how much was going on below decks.
Fascinating! Excellent description of steam and the engines. Thank you.
This is a treasure, she is very well cared for.
Thanks for competently and quite appreciatively presenting the operation of that beautiful old steamship. We used to, over a hundred years ago, have ships similar to that navigating the inland waters of Washington State. Unfortunately, they are all gone now. Thanks again for a wonderful glimpse into the past.
This is not only awe inspiring power...it's the beautiful engineering, the smooth efficient movements, the rhythmic flow and pulse of the machine. It's a tribute to what great things humans can do you can see how much love this ship gets, everything is so well maintained, clean. What a wonderful crew they must have. May it last another 500 years
That's a BEAUTIFUL steam engine! It makes me so happy to know she's still going strong after 116 years
Perfect timing. I’m about to take my new-to-me 116 year old steam boat for a spin
That ship is a brilliant mix of Victorian era technology and modern technology, a computer controls the boiler but they still use pneumatic tubes for communication, it even has a digital version of a classic engine order telegraph and a full set of modern controls, I love it.
A perfect example of engineering, respect and pride!
AMAZING video! Everything is perfect, keep up the great work!
Absolutely superb video! Beautiful ship and the cleanest engine room I’ve ever seen. I always wondered a Stevenson’s link reversed an engine. Now I know. The enthusiasm and clarity of explanation from the crew was seriously impressive. Many thanks.
A trip on this fabulous piece of living history is definitely on my Bucket List! Thanks for the excellent tour!
The polished hardware is incredible! Imagine having that engine built today?
@rosiehawtrey
Жыл бұрын
Part of my family own Marriages Mills. They bought a steam engine in 1898 for their Colchester site. My parents were in Malaysia in 2016 siting in a bar and happened to mention their surname. A businessman walks up and asks if they're anything to do with Marriages Mills - dad said yes. He invites them on a tour of his factory but doesn't really tell them why, just that he has a surprise for them related to Marriages Mills @ Colchester. So they go around the factory and have a meal with the guy and he shows them what powers his factory. The engine, in absolutely perfect condition, that was ordered from Paxmans in 1898 for MM Colchester site, still running, still with the original buildplate and specplates powering the entire factory on a daily basis. It even ran the generators for electrical power on site. Painted red with black ends if I remember the pictures...
And that is why preservation is not just important, but necessary. Modern machines are something to behold to be sure, but steam power, be it compound steam ships, or locomotives, even steam motor vehicles like cars, are just an art piece in and of themselves. They are beautiful, and the intricate mechanical motion of these engines will never fail to impress.
The propulsion engine...some kind of Beautiful. As is the entire ship !
Just stunning! Thank you for the tour. I loved every bit of it.
Excellent video!
That is a beautiful ship. Thanks for sharing.
Schilling video! Grüße aus Lübeck! :)
Thanks to you, Captain Mike and staff. Great documentary!
Excellent video. Thank you.
Amazing video, better than anything on TV
I can't exactly say what it is about them that makes it so but Steam Ships are undeniably the most beautiful and elegant era of sailing yet
What amazing machine!
Absolutely fascinating! Thank you!
Beautiful! Your videos are the best.
This is the cleanest engine room I have seen anywhere! I had the pleasure of riding on this beautiful ship while in Lucerne! I was absolutely enthralled by the motion and size of the machinery!
Interesting and informative, thank you
What an amazing video - thank you for sharing!!!!!
Wow this is so clean and well maintained
Excellent video and the ship looks superb. I was staggered to see how nice and spotlessly clean the engine room is, not to mention the engine and all its components are so clean it looks brand new. Excellent work. Bravo!
What a great video!! Thanks for making it!
What a beautifully maintained engine its immaculate
Grandiose Reportage. Da habe ich viel gelernt, das mich immer interessierte, und hier in Premium Qualität serviert bekomme.
Beautiful thank you for posting it.
Great job as always...can't wait for the next one. Keep up the good work.
Quiet as electric, powerful as electric but 50 times cooler then electric, Steam is mans first self powered machinery and crafted with such elegance and mathematical accuracy, its very nice to see such machines being kept alive today.
What a beautiful places, thanks for sharing
The Engine Room is immaculate. Lake Lucerne and the Schiller, added to the bucket list. Great video.
Absolutely amazing
Fantastic video!
I can’t believe e how clean and pristine this ship is. It looks brand new. Well done Captain & Crew!
This video was outstanding. Thank you so much for posting it. I really enjoyed watching.
The first thing I saw was a beautiful engine room. Lots of new electronics. Good video.