Date:  Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Contact: Marta Coursey, Director of Communications, 206-515-3918

NOV. 6 UPDATE: Vessel work was completed and the Steilacoom II returned to service with the 6:30 a.m. sailing from Port Townsend on Friday, Nov. 6.

NOV. 3 NEWS RELEASE
PORT TOWNSEND – The Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) announces the cancellation of service on Port Townsend/Keystone route beginning Wednesday night, Nov. 4, to rebuild one of the 50-car Steilacoom II’s auxiliary generators. All sailings are cancelled on Thursday, Nov. 5. Customers are advised to use the Mukilteo/Clinton and Edmonds/Kingston routes for travel between the Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island. Engineers estimate that the Steilacoom II will be ready to return to service Friday morning, Nov. 6.

WSF is scheduling this necessary work to take advantage of previously scheduled tidal cancellations on the Port Townsend/Keystone route this week. The last round trip Wednesday, Nov. 4, is cancelled due to tidal conditions. Crews will tie up the vessel in Port Townsend after completing the 7:30 p.m. sailing from Keystone Wednesday night. The vessel will be out of service all day on Thursday, Nov. 5. If crews discover the need for more extensive work after taking apart the auxiliary generator, the service cancellation could be extended. WSF will notify customers as soon as possible if a further delay is necessary.

Last week Port Townsend/Keystone ferry service was cancelled from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday due to a failure of one of the two auxiliary generators on the Steilacoom II. The auxiliary generators are necessary to operate the vessel, as they provide power for all of the vessel’s critical equipment. After last week’s problem, crews performed preventative work and identified the need for a complete rebuild of the second auxiliary generator. The work must be performed this week to ensure the continuing operation of the generator.

To sign up for free e-mail alerts about service disruptions and other route information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/email_alerts.

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