SS United States saved!

Today's [01 FEB 11] edition of the WSJ carries the story. The same photo (except in B&W) appears. Apparently the EPA held up the sale over concerns of Toxins aboard. The article doesn't state how those questions have been resolved, however 'have been addressed' in a statement from the EPA.

The three million dollars to purchase the ship from NCL was provided by Gerry Lenfest, Philadelphia PA.

The SS United States is mentioned near the bottom of this Wikipedia entry for H.F. Lenfest Foundation: H. F. Lenfest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

*RE: SS UNITED STATES*
Thanks Franz for the above 'heads up' here. This project, with the grant, came about a number of months ago appearing in history, shipping, trade journals here. The Lenfest Foundation stepped up to the plate and big time. A lot of questions/logistics/plans need to be worked out. SSHSA's quarterly 'PowerShips' has designated the UNITED STATES as their 'Ship of the Year.'

The one downer is that in recent years the ship's entire interior was gutted out in Europe due to the threat of asbestos, which designer William Francis Gibbs employed during her construction in 1952 as a state-of-the-art high speed vessel built for possible U.S. Navy use. Her interior now down mostly to steel/aluminum members.

On sea trials the UNITED STATES hit the incredible top speed of 43 knots with the 'official' speed released to the public then as 38 knots. Lots of secrecy then with security preventing any photos of her hull configuration. The Cold War was raging then. Being aboard the ship in the 1960s was a thrill for me. Yet, her interiors somewhat a disappointment using lots of sleek chrome, vinly, shatter proof glass panels, tile etc. in keeping with the modern trend--and all as fireproof as possible. The U.S. LINES put out sleek publicity photos, folders, articles touting "And there isn't a stick of wood aboard." The public had a good roar over that drawing the line's attention to the solid wood butcher's block in the ship's galley and use of wood handled scrub brushes--not to mention the pianos aboard.

At the pier the US appeared to 'ride high' in her stern; when underway at sea her props dug in the water lowering the stern. In later years frequently viewed the US in lay-up at Norfolk, Va. There was some semblance of maintenance and security aboard. Now-and-then steam would be rasied at the pier to roll the turbines over, work pumps, generators etc. along with tugs turning her around at the pier for easier access to her port/starboard sides. Some years ago I was given permission to study the archives/papers/plans for the ship at Mariners Museum in Virginia in addition to many of William Francis Gibbs' materials. I remember the ship fondly and wish whatever plans are in store for her all the very best. Well, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.

There is a connection to river steamboats here. The UNITED STATES with a higher scrap value than the DELTA QUEEN and unable to run in any trade either was sold for $3 million. The DELTA QUEEN's present owners have not announced the results of the bidding process that supposedly ended over two months ago. This is purely speculation on my part, but could it be that cash strapped Ambassadors International did not accept any of the bids tendered for the DELTA QUEEN? It is well known that their asking price was nearly $2 million more for a smaller vessel with no more ability to currently operate as an overnight boat carrying passengers for hire than the much larger UNITED STATES. Also well known is the numerous inept business decisions that management of Ambassadors International and its wholly owned subsidiary Majestic America Line constantly made in the past while attempting to operate an American flag cruise line. Have they still not learned from their numerous missteps? If so, it does not bode well for the DELTA QUEEN.

It is no secret Norwegian Cruise Lines had the UNITED STATES for sale for a protracted length of time at a exorbitantly high price, but due to the conditions of their purchase of her, the UNITED STATES could not be sold out of country for scrap. Now that she is sold, the future looks good for the remaking of the UNITED STATES into a pierside attraction on the East Coast. So for the UNITED STATES good luck to her, and maybe Ambasadors International can learn something from her recent sale by Norwegian Cruise Lines.

It's time to pass the DELTA QUEEN on to new owners; ones with the expressed business plan to operate her as a tourist boat on the rivers of America. Ambassadors International needs to realistically reappraise the value of the DELTA QUEEN to themselves and others, and then to proceed from there. I hope it happens soon.

Dale, please post a few pictures of the interior of the United States for us not so fortunate to have been on her during her "Day in the Sun".

*RE: UNITED STATES photos*
Hi, Jim:
I've my photos and period UNITED STATES brochues etc. packed in 'dusty boxes.' I will dig then out but, so far, I've never posted photos/graphics direct to Steamboats.org. Many are 35 mm. color slides needing conversion to prints. UGH! I'll see what I can do. For the interim I 'think' you can type in on your computer search engine and hit GO for US photos. Many of these taken, naturally, by photo professionals with some web sites featuring photos from passengers who were aboard. I'll see what I can do. Thanks for your interest in a fabled ship but one very big 'steamboat.'

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.

Thanks Frank. I hope someone from said company is capable of reading your post and understand what you said!

*RE: UNITED STATES plans/Steam pressures*
Hi, Steamboating colleagues:
Interesting postings/questions above. I hate to 'milk' this out on a site devoted to just steamboats as we know them but a 'shy lurker' E=Mailed here last night RE: the above and more on the UNITED STATES. Bear with me and then I'll shut up.

Question: No, I couldn't possibly have examined all the drawings/plans for the ship at Mariners Museum. They have strict archival control providing samples of the designs and related archival material. I had to 'sign in' with identification [Sorry, no camera] seated in a closed room with the head librarian watching from a nearby office though a glass window. There are some 120,000 individual blueprints required during her building. I recall most plans either on onion skin paper or fine linen or heavy white stock paper in black ink in use then--no white on blue prints we usually see. Alan Bates well knows these methods from his own design work. The US has 1,500 miles of welding. Some 1,500 railroad cars brought in materials/components from contractors far and wide to be assembled by 3,500 workers at the yards at one time.

There are/were four 18 ft. propellors; eight 'Babcock & Wilcox' boilers delivering steam to the turbines at 1,000 degrees under 900 psi. I know it's hard to believe but her power was greater than an aircraft carrier of the day (1952) and beyond that needed for the IOWA Class battleships. All interior fittings done so for quick conversion as a troop carrier when needed. Yes, her hull did have to be repainted after the speed trials as paint was blasted off down to the steel. A correction: I didn't actually 'dislike' the interior of the US, finding her rather 'cold, sleek, modern' inside. This a far cry from what I'd seen on the old QUEEN MARY and ELIZABETH with their acres of fine wood panels, inlays, rich Art Decco fittings and carpets with high window drapes so heavy they were lifted up and down for cleaning by a crew of men using block and tackle. Those lounge stewads on the MARY & ELIZABETH worked long hard hours cleaning, polishing, vacuuming keeping all in order. The first thing that 'hit me' boarding those two ships were the fragrances of cut flowers, furniture wax, food and English lavender soap in the cabins. Up on deck the down draft from those huge funnels smelled the same as the smoke from the DELTA QUEEN. Well, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.