with intermediate stops at Van Courtland's Dock, Peekskill, West Point, Cold Spring and Cornwall. Return trips from Newburgh departed at 6:30 am Monday and 7 am Tuesday through Saturday. The steamer did not operate on Sundays. Thomas Powells excellent passenger accommodations, exceptional speed and good management quickly made her a favorite with the traveling public. On 18 June, she went from New York to Cauldwell's—a distance—in just 2 hours, reaching Newburgh 40 minutes later, the average speed over the total distance being . On 16 August, the steamer went from New York to Newburgh, a distance of —including five intermediate stops totalling 20 minutes—in 3 hours 6 minutes, at an average speed of just under , reinforcing her reputation as one of the fastest boats on the Hudson. thumb|The steamboat Niagara One boat considered a possible rival to Thomas Powell in terms of speed at this time was Mountaineer, a steamer of about the same size and tonnage that had entered service the same year. In July, Mountaineer had easily beaten Thomas Powells predecessor Highlander, and opinion was divided as to which of the two newer boats was faster. On 13 August, Mountaineer departed Hammond Street, New York, some minutes earlier than usual, and thus came within sight of Thomas Powell as the two boats made their way to Peekskill. Approaching Yonkers, Mountaineer was about two miles behind Thomas Powell, but reportedly put on "a great head of steam" and appeared to be catching her rival when a loud explosion occurred and she was enveloped in a cloud of steam. Thomas Powells captain immediately put his vessel about to go to the aid of the stricken steamer, which had blown a sheet from her steam chimney. Several passengers and crew who were scalded in the accident were taken aboard Thomas Powell, along with the other passengers, for the completion of their passages. Thomas Powell continued to operate between New York and Newburgh in the 1847 season, her owners renting a berth at Warren Street for the sum of $2,000 annually. On June 8, the steamer reportedly completed the journey from New York to Newburgh in 3 hours flat, with a total running time of 2 hours 35 minutes, at an average of —a speed said by a contemporaneous journal to be obtainable by "few boats, and very few railroads" in the country at the time. The following month, the steamboat