[Radio Officers, &c] FWD Speedy ship now up for scrap
Jerry Proc
From: sirius [siriuspr...@sympatico.ca]
March 10, 2010 5:27 PM PST
Speedy ship now up for scrap
by Kent German
Cnet.com
Ten years ago during a visit to Philadelphia, I passed a large ship docked at a pier on the Delaware River. The ship looked like an ocean liner and though I sped by in a car, I noticed the faded name "United States" on the bow. I wondered, could it be the same revolutionary passenger liner that still holds an Atlantic speed record a half a century after its speedy voyage? As it turns out, it was.
The SS United States has been moored in Philadelphia since 1994, but now it appears that its days could finally be numbered. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported today that the ship's owner, Norwegian Cruise Lines, is seeking to sell the United States for scrap. Norwegian bought the liner in 2003 with the intention of refurbishing and returning it to service in Hawaii as part of NCL America. But as the Hawaii cruise market began to lose money, NCL kept the ship in Pennsylvania.
If the United States ends up in the scrap yard, it will be a sad end to a short, but spectacular, career. When the liner was launched in 1952, it was a technological breakthrough of its time. Thanks to a sharp-edged stern, a bulbous prow, powerful engines, and unique propellers -- the design of which was kept secret for many years -- the United States was very fast. Its top speed was 43 knots (49.5 miles per hour), but even its typical voyage speed of 34 knots (39.1 miles per hour) was enough to win it attention.
On its maiden voyage, it completed the eastbound Atlantic crossing from New York City to the Isles of Scilly off Great Britain in three days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes. That was more than 10 hours faster than the previous record holder, the Queen Mary, which is now moored in Long Beach, Calif. Even today, the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, the only passenger ships to regularly cross the North Atlantic on the same route, take about seven days.
Days later on the return westbound trip, the United States made the journey in three days, 12 hours, and 12 minutes. It still holds the speed record for that route and it is the last ship to claim the Blue Riband in both directions.
Though passengers appreciated a fast ship, the United States was conceived during World War II when ships like the British-flagged Queen Mary transported thousands of soldiers from Canada, the United States, and Australia to Europe. The U.S. Navy wanted a troopship of its own for future wars and thus the United States could be converted from carrying passengers to troops in just 48 hours. To guard against torpedoes or a Titanic-style disaster, the United States also had a compartmentalized design and dual engine rooms. And as precaution against fire, the use of wood was limited to just a few places on the ship. Instead, much of the structure and furnishings were made of aluminum. The abundance of metal may have made the ship sterile to luxury-seeking passengers, but it made it safer and lighter, which contributed to its speed.
In the end, however, the United States came along too late. By the mid 1950s, airplanes were carrying passengers across the Atlantic in only a number of hours. And by 1958, the Boeing 707, the first successful jet airliner, had entered service. The United States sailed until 1969, when it was withdrawn from the North Atlantic run. It never played a role as a troopship.
But even now as its fate looks grim, individuals and organizations are raising money to save the SS United States either by buying it themselves or seeking another bidder to refurbish it. The United States Conservancy estimated it needs $3 million to buy the ship and maintain it for two years.
What's unclear, however, is what the organization plans to do with it after that time. Though it is on both the National and Pennsylvania Registers of Historic Places, the federal status doesn't provide any protection against the SS United States being sold to a ship breaker.
***********************
[End of forwarded content]
Regards,
Jerry Proc VE3FAB
E-mail: jerry...@sympatico.ca
Web: http://jproc.ca
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Glenn VK4DU
Wow!
73
Glenn
Cc: radio-o...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [Radio Officers, &c] FWD Speedy ship now up for scrap
the United States was very fast. Its top speed was 43 knots (49.5 miles per
hour), but even its typical voyage speed of 34 knots (39.1 miles per hour)
was enough to win it attention.
Peter VK4QC
Mike Zbrozek
Richard Monjure
In the Radio Officer's Union, we had a guy named
Rich Ostrowski, who actually served on the BIG U.
We respected him for many reasons, but that was one
of them. Also, he was the FIRST certified MARINE
ELECTRONICS OFFICER in the Union, a hard thing
to achieve.
I am 99% sure he is retired now.
I met him at the ROU school and he seemed to be
a good guy. I wonder if he's on this list?
You out there, Rich?
73,
RM
Richard Monjure
The steel in the old, BIG U must be weakened by rust and age.
I wouldn't want to sail on it, even if it was re-built.
Yes, much better to build an "SS United States II."
73,
RM
Jerry Proc
Hello Group,
I saw a video about the SS United States on the National Geographic Channel some 2 years ago. The owners at the time, paid a Ukrainian based company several million dollars to strip out all the asbestos that was used for cabin insulation but nothing happened after that. The ship continued to remain berthed in Philadelphia in perpetuity.
From:
radio-o...@googlegroups.com [mailto:radio-o...@googlegroups.com] On
Behalf Of Mike Zbrozek
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 8:42 PM
To: radio-o...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [Radio Officers, &c] SS UNITED STATES
Hello Group -
The SS United States has been heading to the scrap yard since I started sailing in 1980.
I saw it in Norfolk Va in the early 80's. I cant imagine how much money it would
take to get this rust bucket to sail again. Better to build a new one. I think its time
to send this ship to its well deserved spot in the sky. Its been sitting along somebodies
dock for many decades.
73
Mike K8XF
----- Original Message -----
From: Jerry Proc
To: CTDA
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 8:00 PM
Subject: [Radio Officers, &c] FWD Speedy ship now up for scrap
From: sirius [siriuspr...@sympatico.ca]
March 10, 2010 5:27 PM PST
Speedy ship now up for scrap
by Kent German
Cnet.com
Ten years ago during a visit to Philadelphia, I passed a large ship docked at a pier on the Delaware River. The ship looked like an ocean liner and though I sped by in a car, I noticed the faded name "United States" on the bow. I wondered, could it be the same revolutionary
Mike Zbrozek
Hello Rich -
IT would be nice to see a brand new SS United States II, built in the USA.
Even using a few tons of steel from the original after the steel is melted
down.
OK on your fine speech regarding radio and cw, etc.....well said.
73
Mike K8XF
----- Original Message -----
Douglas
"Use it up, wear it out. Make it do or do without."
--- On Tue, 4/27/10, Richard Monjure <rc...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> From: Richard Monjure <rc...@yahoo.com>
> Subject: [Radio Officers, &c] ROU had the contract for R/O's on the BIG U.
> To: radio-o...@googlegroups.com
> Date: Tuesday, April 27, 2010, 8:44 PM
> Hello List,
>
> In the Radio Officer's Union, we had a guy named
> Rich Ostrowski, who actually served on the BIG U.
>
> We respected him for many reasons, but that was one
> of them. Also, he was the FIRST certified MARINE
> ELECTRONICS OFFICER in the Union, a hard thing
> to achieve.
>
> I am 99% sure he is retired now.
>
> I met him at the ROU school and he seemed to be
> a good guy. I wonder if he's on this list?
>
> You out there, Rich?
>
> 73,
> RM
He relieved me once on the M/V Sealand Achiever.
He was not a fan of Capt Alan Hinshaw. As Ostrowski walked aboard to relieve me, he started to walk right off the ship when he saw Hinshaw. I had to assure him that Hinshaw was also leaving for vacation. Capt Hinshaw has an ego problem, to say the least.
Ostrowski sailed a voyage or two under the GMDSS system but finally packed it in. I think he tried a AMO or a MEBA District One ship or two after the demise of the R.O.U. He and I stayed in touch until recently. He's been living in Maine in a house he built himself.
Speaking of MEBA, I assume those who sailed ROU or District One on this list are aware of the now shaky condition of the MEBA pension trust?
It was fully funded for years but now won't be able to meet future obligations without financial input from the operating companies. The stock market downturn really hurt it. However, the past lack of need for pension contributions was the one thing that made the MEBA labor contract competitive. As a participant in the MEBA pension trust, I find this worrisome...
73,
Doug Losty
Robert LION
Robert LION
Robert LION
Glenn VK4DU
Replying in upper case is the EQUIVALENT OF SHOUTING…
J
73
Glenn
Peter VK4QC
:)
73 Peter
-- 73, Peter VK4QC
Art Simpson
Richard Monjure
Yeah, Captain Hinshaw was an arrogant jerk. And remember that
very WEIRD Chief Officer on there?
I remember when I relieved you Doug, and Ralph Sabelhaus was
your apprentice. (Then mine.) Hinshaw came on there and
gave me a 15 minute lecture on how he wasn't going to tolerate
any padded O.T. Yeah, real nice talk to have with a man
you just met, and don't even know. (For goodness sake,
give a guy a chance!)
Then, the harmonic filter on the MRU-35A failed. A switch had
arched over and welded itself together. I could not re-use
that one switch segment. The manual said that the harmonic
filter was essential to prevent the emission of signals out
of band. So I told Hinshaw about it and made sure he understood
that, while the unit was perfectly fine for emergency use on
2,182 kc/s, that we should avoid using it on HF.
I ordered the part, the cost of which was insignificant.
The same afternoon, that WEIRD 1st Mate came in, out of the blue,
requesting to make an HF radiotelephone call. On those Sealand
ships, this was rarely done. I told the Mate we had equipment
problems and it would be better to use the Inmarsat-A phone.
It was obvious. Hinshaw sent him in there to see if I was
telling the truth. WHAT A JERK.
You ran a nice station there, Doug. I wonder if that ship
is still in service, and if so, if they kept the old Mackay
console in place?
I remember the Main receiver on that ship. Man, was it sensitive -
Me and Ralph copied the WCC traffic list, upon arrival Algeciras!
The thought of someone throwing all that gear away makes me sad.
73,
Rich Monjure
Henry Mei'l's
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Robert LION
Glenn VK4DU
So, are you saying that we should all type in upper case?
From: radio-o...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:radio-o...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Robert LION
Sent: Thursday, 29 April 2010 02:35
To: radio-o...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [Radio Officers, &c] ROU had the contract for R/O's on
the BIG U.
YOU CAN TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT, IT DOESN 'T MATTER TO ME ...,, I [PREFER TO TYPE MY EMAIL TEXTS IN CAPITAL LETTERS, EASIER TO READ... BUT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, TOUGH S..;. TO YOU, I DONT CARE...
BOB