OLD RIVER STATION - Greater Cincinnati Water Works OLD RIVER STATION - Greater Cincinnati Water Works OLD RIVER STATION - Greater Cincinnati Water Works
Welcome to Cincinnati Triple Steam


Host for the World's Largest
Triple Expansion, Crank and Flywheel, Water Pumping Steam Engine
Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
 Public tours are available, brochure here

Weighing in at 1,400 tons these 104 feet high triple expansion crank and flywheel water pumping steam engines are the largest ever built. At 1,000 h.p. they are not the most powerful as there are smaller triple expansion engines with a larger horsepower. The four engines reside at the Greater Cincinnati Water Works where we invite you to take a tour and explore a state-of-the-art, high volume, and high quality water pumping system for a growing community in the early 1900s. We present this site as an effort to preserve an important part of our industrial heritage that has contributed to the success of making us who we are today.

Pocket hoppers, charging cars, and hot wells were a familiar vocabulary when steam powered water pumping engines prevailed. The efficiency of steam engines increased dramatically during that period of time with the use of the multi expansion cylinders. The coal to water efficiency for a crank and flywheel triple expansion water pumping steam engine with enhancements measured near 25%.

Cincinnati Triple Steam is a tribute to the men and women that have contributed to the successful effort by the Greater Cincinnati Water Works to provide a reliable, high volume and high quality water supply for the Greater Cincinnati area. The success of their effort continues today.

Mystery Device, can you help identify this device? Mystery device solved - Details Here

 
Top level of the eight stroy high engines

Also see archival pictures from the Hooven, Owens and Rentschler Co., formerly the Ritchie, Lane & Dyer Co. of Hamilton, Ohio, where more Corliss Engines were built than anywhere else in the world.

Tours and the web site are an all volunteer effort and we do appreciate donations. 100% of all donations are allocated to enhancing the tour experience. There are no administrative costs. Donations are via PayPal™ below. Thank you in advance.