Panama Canal locks, Engineering system in Panama City, Panama
The Panama Canal locks consist of three double chamber sets that lift ships 85 feet (26 meters) above sea level through controlled water transfer. Each lock chamber measures 110 feet (33 meters) wide by 1,000 feet (305 meters) long, while electric locomotives guide transiting vessels precisely along steel cables.
Construction started in 1909 when workers poured the first concrete foundations at Gatun. The entire structure was largely complete by 1913, though minor adjustments continued until the canal officially opened in 1914.
The massive steel gates weigh over 600 tons each yet swing so smoothly that small motors can open them. Visitors often watch how ships glide through the narrow chambers while locomotives on both banks control their movement.
The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon when temperatures are cooler and ship transits are easy to watch. Most viewing platforms are accessible at ground level and offer shaded areas to observe lock operations.
The entire system operates purely through gravity-fed water flow from Gatun Lake without using any pumps. Miraflores locks alone consume about 52 million gallons (197 million liters) of freshwater per transit, which flows directly into the ocean.
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