High-resolution Photo Gallery of Steam Tug Hercules
The Only Remaining Steam Tug on the West Coast
A great subject for a historic ship model
In 1907 the San Francisco firm The Shipowners and Merchants Towboat Company ordered two ocean-going tugboats from John Dialogue and Son of Camden, New Jersey, builders of tugs, pilot boats, and small steamers. At the turn of the century many harbor tugs were built with wooden hulls and powered by a compound two-cylinder steam engine of about 500 horsepower. Hercules and her sister Goliath instead were built with 150 foot riveted steel hulls and triple expansion three-cylinder 1000 horsepower steam engines.
The only remaining ocean-going steam tug on the West Coast, Hercules was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. She was was documented as part of the Historic American Engineering Record, a program of the National Park Service.
Our photo gallery of steam tug Hercules features high-resolution photographs from that survey that are kept by the Library of Congress.
Also, check out our Free Ship Plans of Steam Tug Hercules.
Recently, we've been concentrating on Oar-Powered Vessels and Sailing Vessels, so maybe it's time to come back to the 20th Century, and offer a free ship plan of a historic Motor Vessel.
Few motor vessels have more character or make a more handsome ship model than the steam-powered tug boat. As a model ship, these vessels offer a lot of appeal, especially for someone desiring a radio-controlled model. There are even working scale steam engines that can be built into a model tugboat for the ultimate in operating realism.
And what better choice for that ship model than a historic tug such as Hercules? The last remaining ocean-going steam tug on the West Coast, Hercules was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. She was was documented as part of the Historic American Engineering Record, a program of the National Park Service. We've brought together the photos and drawings from that survey on our Hercules Plan Page and Hercules Photo Gallery.
