What Went Wrong: Lake George Disaster
Still, the Ethan Allen might have righted itself if not for other factors. An uneven seating arrangement gave the boat a 2.2-degree list. When the wake and the force of the captain's turn increased the tilt enough to cause passengers to slide, ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Plus: Train Of The Future
Railroading helped define development in the United States, but by the 1970s it seemed doomed to gradual decay and obsolescence. Today, it is a growth industry. "Railroads have led in innovation to a degree that people don't realize," says Gary ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
What Went Wrong: Chemical Safety On Railroads
The National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed that the switch was in the wrong position. It has not released transcripts from interviews with the crew that might explain why. A Norfolk Southern spokesperson declined to comment on the ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
The Wonder Story Of The Panama Canal
Click to download printable PDF version of this article. [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
A Few Good Mechanics: Editor's Note
For a man fascinated, as he was, by all things mechanical, Panama must have seemed the very center of the universe. And everywhere the sailor went, someone offered him a job. Though he had only a seventh-grade education, he had trained as a ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
The Panama Canal Today, Ready For Resurrection: Slideshow
1. PM editor-in-chief Jim Meigs (foreground) and his father, A. James Meigs, at the top of Panama?s Ancon Hill, while researching the cover story for PM?s Feb. ?07 issue. The canal?s Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks are visible in the distance. ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
The Panama Canal's Ultimate Upgrade
Three shallow basins adjacent to each chamber in the new locks will collectively capture 60 percent of the water from the locks as they are emptied. This water will be used to partially refill the locks when another ship comes through. As a ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Coming Soon: Boeing's Radical New 787 Dreamliner
The company that ushered in the age of affordable commercial flight with the 707 in 1957 is trying to revolutionize the industry again. Boeing?s 787 Dreamliner combines lightweight materials with advanced communications systems and thrifty ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Highway Of The Future: Interstate Intelligence
To implement VII, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the 50 state DOTs and the carmakers would all work together to create a virtual traffic information network. The state and federal DOTs would tackle infrastructure, installing 100,000 to ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
This Is My Job - Harbor Pilot
The art of docking ships in New York Harbor has run in Jeff McAllister's family since 1864, when his great-great-grandfather James founded the company that still bears the family name. Guiding vessels such as the 985-ft. container ship shown here ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
What Went Wrong: Wreck Of The Selendang Ayu
The Great Circle Route is a 6200-mile oceanic superhighway that connects North America and Asia, following the curve of the planet. It extends north from Seattle through the Aleutian Islands, skirts the Arctic Circle in the Bering Sea, and curves ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
This Is My Job - Commercial Diver
A day's work for Port of San Francisco diver Brent McLain might entail struggling against a 5-knot current while dragging 200 ft. of hose, using power tools in total blackness, and fending off curious 700-pound harbor seals. Along with two other ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
