December 6, 2016
Hampton Roads Harbor’s Magann W.F. Corp recently repowered the steel tug Miss Anne with the help of Western Branch Diesel, Colonna’s Shipyard and Volvo Penta. Her original Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines were removed and replaced by a pair of 650hp D16-MH Volvo engines mated to Twin Disc 5170MGX gears.
Magann personnel removed the old Series 60 engines, gears, and controls and prepared the vessel for the installation of the Volvo engines and Twin Disc gears. Magann project manager Jeff Torrey and crew assisted by Team WBD installed the new Volvo engines ahead of the vessel going into Colonna’s Shipyard for keel cooler installation and shaft work. Upon leaving Colonna’s Shipyard, Miss Anne returned to WBD’s Portsmouth, VA branch dock.
Magann personnel assisted by WBD’s Larry Ross, along with Volvo’s Drew Pelton completed the installation of the new engines and gears including engine alignment, exhaust, fuel, electrical and Volvo EVC 2 control systems. Once all work was complete, Miss Anne endured two full days of successful bollard push tests and river trials with Volvo representatives and WBD personnel on board. The repowered tug spent a couple weeks working in the harbor before returning to the WBD Portsmouth dock for some control and gear system updates by Volvo and Twin Disc factory representatives.
Posted in All News, Marine, Projects | Tagged D16-MH, Magann, Portsmouth, repower, service, tugboat, Twin Disc, Virginia, Volvo, Western Branch Diesel |
August 12, 2016

Team WBD just completed a new generator installation for a hospital in northern Virginia. With the help of a 300-ton crane, which was used for its reach to get the unit lowered inside the moat of the hospital, crews removed an old Cat 3412 600kW generator to make space for our new MTU 1600 Series 600kW unit. This new unit was installed with a 600kW load bank and a bypass isolation transfer switch with an integrated UL 2085 fire rated sub-base fuel tank. The complete enclosure and fuel tank were built by AMPS.
Posted in All News, Power Generation, Projects | Tagged customer satisfaction, expert installation, MTU Onsite Energy, Power Generation, Virginia, Western Branch Diesel |
April 27, 2016
Easy does it as these massive Volvo Penta D16 MH engines were lowered into place in the belly of the tugboat Miss Anne. These engines are rated at 650 mhp and produce a massive amount of pulling power and low-end grunt once mated to their TwinDisc MGX-5170 DC gears. After the engines were in place, Team WBD also assisted in the installation of full Volvo electronic controls and helped with final prop shaft alignment before the tug entered the water again.

Posted in All News, Marine, Projects | Tagged Marine, tug boat, Twin Disc, Virginia, Volvo EVC, Volvo Penta, Western Branch Diesel |
January 22, 2015
Team WBD branches collaborated together to complete the repower of a large haul truck in just two days! Our St. Clairsville branch with help from our South Charleston branch recently replaced an MTU 16v4000 engine in a T4400 rock truck which Western Branch Diesel originally repowered back in 2006.
The T4400 formerly had a 16v396 powering it, but in 2006 Team WBD replaced it with the 16v4000. Upon removal of the engine after over 8 years of service, our crew realized this engine had over 31,000 hours on it and was ready to be replaced. Our South Charleston branch answered the need with a WBD rebuilt 16v4000 engine, that had been rebuilt at the South Charleston location and was part of their expansive engine and transmission inventory. With our two branches working together on the job site, we got the customer back up and running within 2 days; our customer was very pleased.
Posted in All News, Projects | Tagged customer satisfaction, engine service, Mining & Quarry, MTU, MTU 4000, Ohio, repower, service, West Virginia, Western Branch Diesel |
November 10, 2014
Western Branch Diesel team members from our St. Clairsville, Ohio branch recently completed a total repower and cooling system upgrade of a Crane Carriers Drill Rig. As seen in the photos, this 1980 crane has been in service with the original Detroit Diesel 8v71 engine and standard transmission. Continue reading “Team WBD Completes a Repower for Coastal Drilling / North American Drillers” »
Posted in All News, Projects | Tagged air conditioning, Allison Transmissions, customer satisfaction, Detroit Diesel, Ohio, RedDOT, Series 60, St. Clairsville, staff, Western Branch Diesel |
October 6, 2014
Recently Team WBD had the opportunity to service two of these Hydrochem chemical cleaning rigs by totally stripping everything off of the trailers and rebuilding the Detroit Diesel 16V-149’s along with installing a pair of rebuilt Allison 9,000 series transmissions. We also replaced the control systems and installed Espar heaters on both units and finished by refurbishing the trailers. These fully-equipped and operational trailers serve as fluidized cokers in refineries to remove heavy coke build up without direct entry into the refinery. These completely refurbished units will be working in Canada starting this month.
HydroChem has been a leader in industrial cleaning for over 70 years and continues to drive innovations in safety and performance. They have developed some of the most advanced solutions for the cleaning and maintaining of equipment in the refining, petrochemical, power, and other industries. They are also the pioneer of the WaterLazer which is now the most recognized name in hydrocutting technology. HydroChem continues to innovate new systems for removing tar, corrosion, scale and other contaminants and heavy metals from many surfaces including turbines, piping and floors and walls.
Posted in All News, Projects | Tagged Allison Transmissions, Detroit Diesel, engine service, service, Western Branch Diesel |
August 26, 2014
Welcome to Amherst Madison’s M/V Alabama workboat; also known as the “Sweet Home Alabama” to the crew. Amherst Madison has been plying the great Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, pushing barges with their workboats since 1893. Charlie Jones (President of Amherst Madison) made a command decision to repower the Alabama in April 2014, with a pair of the new MTU 8v4000M54r EPA Tier-3, each rated at 1,000 HP at a low 1600 RPM, matched with the tried and true Twin Disc 540 gear package. Jones based his decision upon the 5% reduced fuel consumption of the 8v4000M54r’s compared to the Cummins Tier-3 QSK-38 alternative, superior service and parts support from Western Branch Diesel/MTU and upgrading to the current EPA Tier-3 emission requirements. The propulsion engines that were replaced with the MTU’s were the legendary 2-cycle Detroit Diesel 16v149’s that gave Amherst Madison good performance for many years. With Western Branch Diesel providing sales, service, and parts support as diesel propulsion engine specialists to the commercial marine market since 1946 and Amherst Madison providing inland waterway workboat services since 1893, this is the beginning of a wonderful working relationship. Roll it on the river!
Posted in All News, Projects | Tagged Amherst Madison, customer service, Detroit Diesel, Diesel Engines, Marine, MTU, MTU 4000, Ohio, Ohio River, service, Twin Disc, Western Branch Diesel |
July 21, 2014
Currently under construction is Bayliss Boatworks’ largest build to date: a 90′ Sportfisherman named Singularis. Team WBD is proud to have assisted in the powering of this massive boat with a pair of equally massive and powerful MTU 2000 16V M94’s rated at 2,600 horsepower each. These engines satisfy their thirst with four 1,000 gallon fuel tanks aboard Singularis.
Continue reading “Bayliss Boatworks’ Largest Build to Date Receiving Big MTU Power” »
Posted in All News, Projects | Tagged Bayliss Boatworks, Beaufort, Diesel Engines, Marine, MTU, MTU M94, Singularis, Western Branch Diesel |
March 26, 2014

Left to Right: Rob Miltz (WBD), Baird Pascal and Bruce Angel (Hatteras) and Herb Haneman (WBD)
Western Branch Diesel (WBD) is delighted to have the opportunity to power the first hull of the all-new Hatteras GT70 with a pair or MTU 2000 Series 16V M94’s. With our recent MTU territory expansion into North Carolina, this delivery also marks the first pair of engines that WBD has delivered to Hatteras Yachts. It is great to see the GT70 M94 project come to fruition as we develop and strengthen our relationship with this legendary North Carolina-based builder of some of the world’s finest yachts.
Continue reading “Western Branch Diesel Powers the New Hatteras GT70” »
Posted in All News, Projects | Tagged Diesel Engines, GT70, Hatteras, M94, MTU, MTU 2000, North Carolina, Western Branch Diesel |
March 22, 2013
Team members from Western Branch Diesel and Bayliss Boatworks recently mounted the main propulsion engines in Bayliss’ newest in-progress custom sportfish boat, the 77′ “Clean Sweep.” This boat will be powered by MTU M94s at 2600 bhp each, and we’re very proud and excited to be involved in another awesome sport fishing machine being built by John Bayliss and his crew in Wanchese, NC.
Posted in All News, Projects | Tagged Bayliss Boatworks, Diesel Engines, Marine, marine engines, marine propulsion, MTU, sportfish |