A stop-and-lock on a turbine plant takes a bit less skill, since all
you have to do is shut of steam on the ahead throttle and crack open
the astern throttle, then slowly open it further. Less things to
break, too.

Nav wrote:
You would not disengage the main gearbox?

How?

... Do you think the main turbine
gets spun backwards by the reversing turbine?

In most turbine powered ships, yes. The propulsion plant is a locked train.


... Two other common methods
are CPP and clutches with reversing gears (the clutches are particularly
interesting from an engineering aspect).

For what kind of plants? AFAIK clutches are quite rare on steam powered
ships. Diesels, yes... provided they aren't using variable pitch props.

DSK