Rheintauer - A Ship with no paddles but wheels and steam.

[rheintrutz]

I asked Eddy Matthews  if i was allowed to research here for a Ship with no paddles but wheels and steam.
He agreed until i have all the information i need for a new Papercraft for the Kallboys.
After that, he'll move that thread to the "off topic" area.

Well, now I'm looking for any kind of information about the Rheintauer ships.
In the 19Th Century on the River Seine in France there was ships that
pull themselves along a Chain that was laid in the River by steam power.
In Germany this idea aroused interest, but the German Government saw some
difficulties. So the River Rhine runs faster and there was more Traffic.
The Government demanded, that a ship has to be able to dodge out of the way for
Steamers, Sailing Ships and Wood Rafts. But that was impossible with the heavy chain.

After some tests with replacing the chain by a steel cable, this was possible
and the government allows to build a Company for this.
 
In the years from 1874 to 1905 there was eight Ships, that towed barges upstream.
 
For some more Information see here:

http://translate.google.de/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fde.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSeilschifffahrt_auf_dem_Rhein&act=url
 

I'm planning to create a Papercraft of one off this Ships.
But for that very special ship hull,  i need more information.
There is also a Book "Als die Hexen Schiffe schleppten" from Lars u. Scholl (1985)
that i own. In this book is a drawing (the same that one you can see on Wikipedia).
But unfortunately there is no complete Body Plan.

Therefore I'm looking for Body Plan of a Rheintauer, or of as ship that has s similar Hull.
Also I'm looking for further pictures (Unfortunately in the Book are very less pictures).
 
Many greetings from the River Rhine
Holger

[greateastern]

Holger, is this what you are looking for?

[rheintrutz]

This is Great!

Thanks a lot. I hope i can use this Body Plan, because it is unfortunately in low resolution.
But well. I'll try.

Thank you very much.

[AlistairD]

There was a similar chain driven "Kettendampfer" system on the Elbe from Magdeburg to Buckau
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettenschifffahrt

[rheintrutz]

Hello AlistaidD,

Yes, i know them, but they was not used on the Rhine.
The Prussian Government didn't alow that, because the chain driven ships was not
able to dodge if Woodrafts came down the Rhine.
Also the chain went across the middle of the ship. On the Cabletowers the Cable went along the side.
And so it was possible to drop the cable in case of emergency and use the propellers to get out of the way.

A Papercraft of a Chandriver Ship is still available:
http://cfp.muerell.de/products/33/details

Greetz
Holger