Coos Bay in Coos County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Tug Power
First Came Steam -
The first tugboats in the Coos Bay area had steam engines, and steam powered tugs were in service up to the 1950s.
Steam power had some advantages: wood and coal to burn to make steam were abundant and cheap, and the engines were fairly simple, reliable and powerful.
- then Internal Combustion
Gasoline and Diesel engines began to replace steam in the early 1900s. The advantages they have over steam: instant starting [a steam boiler could take several hours to make enough steam to run the engine], smaller size and greater efficiency in converting fuel to energy.
The Koos No. 2 Engine
[What you can see in the window]
A Cummins V-12 cylinder marine diesel.
This engine is rated at 450 horsepower which provided enough power for the 49 foot long Koos No. 2 to tow log rafts and move sawdust barges. This is the fourth engine, installed in 1958. This engine had run more than 100,000 hours by the time of its retirement in 1987.
How Much Power?
Smaller harbor tugs may have less than 400 horsepower, while larger ocean going tugs may have as much as 4000 horsepower.
Real muscle power...
A marine Diesel engine for a tug the size of Koos No. 2 weighs more than most cars.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 43° 22.084′ N, 124° 12.712′ W. Marker is in Coos Bay, Oregon, in Coos County. Marker is on Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 101) north of Central Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located directly in beside the restored Koos No. 2 tugboat, in an interpretive kiosk along the Coos Bay Board Walk. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Coos Bay OR 97420, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Tugboat Ancestors (here, next to this marker); What is a Tugboat? (a few steps from this marker); Shipping (a few steps from this marker); Koos No. 2 (a few steps from this marker); The Changing Waterfront (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Changing Waterfront (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Changing Waterfront (within shouting distance of this marker); Steve Roland Prefontaine (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Coos Bay.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 18, 2018. It was originally submitted on February 18, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 390 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 18, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.