otnmbrd wrote:

Interesting .... thanks. I would have thought, considering the mass
involved that you would have had to reduce "ahead" steam first, prior
to "pulling one lever".

Sorry, I neglected one point of your post because it is so much a part
of normal or emergency operation as to require no thought ... of course
the throttle is closed prior to changing direction, no marine steam
engine is routinely started at full throttle. The shaft speed may not
change much when and as the throttle is closed rapidly but closing the
throttle is part of the sequence of operation.

Rick