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Ramon lotor Kerry is Driven by Large Gasoline Engine of Electric Ignition Type—Details of Design T A TIME when large diesel engines are attracting so much attention, it is noteworthy that an internal combustion engine of the electric ignition type should be built in a size approaching that of the propelling machinery of the large mo- tor ships. This engine, which was built by the Union Gas Engine Co., San Francisco, has been installed on the motor ferry boat Ramon. The marine motor in large, as well as small sizes, has come to stay and this type of power is receiving the close attention of marine engineers. The success and economy of large oil- engined vessels has been established beyond question and the prejudice against the gasoline and oil engine of the electric ignition and diesel types that had long been held by ship owners, has been largely dispelled. The motors first installed could not always be relied upon to start up at short notice. This was brought about often from ignorance of the motor itself, the weakness of ignition and the inability of the engineer to swing the larger types of engine. These difficulties have now been overcome. In addition, the general knowledge pertaining to the internal combustion engine has become a part of every-day existence. The development of the FIG. 2—CARBURETOR AND EXHAUST HEATED INLET MANIFOLD internal combustion type of engine is well known even to the layman. Ramon is shown in Fig. 1. She is a double-ended steel, railway ferry boat, propelled by an eight-cylinder gaso- line engine of 600 horsepower. The engine is of unusually massive con- struction, weighing approximately 120,- 000 pounds and measuring 45 feet in length. RAMON is constructed entirely of FIG, 1—FERRY BOAT RAMON WHICH IS DRIVEN BY A 600-HORSEPOWER GASOLINE ENGINE 460 By Charles J. Belden steel and is utilized to ferry passenger and ferry trains across an arm of San: Francisco bay. She was designed and built by the Oakland, Antioch & East- ern Railway Co., and her successful operation has been watched with con- siderable interest by Pacific coast en- gineers. The most noticeable feature of the hull, which measures 236 feet over all and 58 feet beam, is the absence of curved plates and the adoption of a box-like design with ends that are extremely flat in order to present a large area of displacement to obviate tipping when loading or unloading cars. There are two longitudinal bulk- heads running the entire length of the vessel, forming a central girder which gives extreme rigidity to the hull. Four transverse bulkheads across. the full width of the boat divide it into 11 watertight compartments. The pilot house is supported by steel tow- ers, at the base of which are the deck houses. A pneumatic steering gear controls a balanced rudder on either end. Wooden decking laid over the steel deck plates insures the safety and comfort of the passengers in transit. There are three tracks on the main deck, each 220 feet in length, having a total capacity of nine cars. The arrangements for propelling