I know this is nothing about railroading but on my way up from Flordia ethier outside of Richmond VA or in it on highway 90. There is what looks like a steamship from the early teens or twenties. Does anyone know the name of this ship and what it is used for or History of this classic vessel?

I realy hope someone can help me out with this Mystery ship.

BEDT15@aol.com

It is the Annabelle Lee, it is of modern manufacture though.

dieselmouse@att.net

I am sorry but if you are talking about a riverboat it is not what I am talking about this is an Ocean going ship about 300 to 400 feet in length Black Hull and Cunard Line style funnel colors and it looks like she is a swamp I was just amazed and wondered if this ship preserved which i find it is not it would be amazing because it woud be one of only a handfull of American Merchant ships saved see we only care about Navel Vessels and do not care about our Merchant History I know of a ship layed up in Baltimore that should be saved but rite now it is not because cities are fighting to save a Battle ship or an Air Craft Carrier and not the last member of he fleet , and in fact the largest ship preserved is not American figure that, and we have had chances to save ships like the Montery and that never happened but hey i wish there would be backing in saving the Santa Mercedes in Baltimore and bring her to New York at the Intriped I knw i cant spell museum to stand for the American Merchant Marine and also I hope some day there could be rail enthuisest who care about a large steam engine with oil burners but hey like i say at school on a ship i am a deckey and on land I am a railfan.

BEDT15@aol.com

Have you tried the Steamship Historical Society of America? I have been a member for years and enjoy the quarterly publication that covers both history and current affairs.

I just visited its website for the first time and notice that it has a discussion board. You might try posting your inquiry over there.

Brian Norden

Steamship Historical Society of America
bnorden49@earthlink.net

I noticed it too a couple of weeks ago as I was southbound on I-95. It is South of the new interchange, and South of Deepwater terminal.

The ship had it's bow to the highway, looked to be about 200ft long, with a black hull, and white superstructure. I have never noticed a ship berthed there before, so it naturally caught my eye. It only seemed about 50-75 yards away from the Northbound lanes. That's about all I can report.

NFDRwy@Cox.net

I know of a ship layed up in
> Baltimore that should be saved but rite now
> it is not because cities are fighting to
> save a Battle ship or an Air Craft Carrier
> and not the last member of he fleet , and in
> fact the largest ship preserved is not
> American figure that, and we have had
> chances to save ships like the Montery and
> that never happened but

Excuse me, but I'm in Baltimore, and I have NO idea which ship you're talking about.......... If you mean the SS John W. Brown, the last sailing Liberty Ship, she's in very good hands......

lner4472@bcpl.net

It sounds like an old Merchant Marine Steamer; there are still a few kicking around.

One possible guess is the S.S. Independence, which I have heard is to be sold on February 26th. (She was operational with American Export Cruises, Kahului, Maui, HI.) I've posted a picture of a collection of postcards I found on the net; the Independance is on the bottom. Is that it?

AIRSHIP, ex-Golden Bear, is also threatened with eviction, but I think it is still in Oakland, CA.

I'm a member of the "linerslist" group on Yahoo, and have asked there as well; no answer yet.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

james1@pernet.net

The S.S. Independance was rebuilt since the picture I posted, the one below is more recent. She is obviously no longer white-on-black; so maybe she is the wrong vessel.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

S.S. Independance

james1@pernet.net

> It sounds like an old Merchant Marine
> Steamer; there are still a few kicking
> around.

The one I saw from I-95 was definately some sort of a freighter, with what appeared to be holds both fore and aft of the bridge/living spaces.

The Independence rings a bell (no pun), however.
It looks like a cruise ship we refitted at Newport News Shipbuilding a few years ago, and the the owner would'nt pay for the repairs. I understand some sort of lien was placed against it, until payments were made. What I recall most about the ship was the goofy paint job on the funnels. Talk about ugly...

NFDRwy@Cox.net

> The Independence rings a bell (no pun),
> however.
> It looks like a cruise ship we refitted at
> Newport News Shipbuilding a few years ago,
> and the the owner would'nt pay for the
> repairs. I understand some sort of lien was
> placed against it, until payments were made.
> What I recall most about the ship was the
> goofy paint job on the funnels. Talk about
> ugly...

It is the same; after the outfitting she was used on cruises around the Hawaiian islands until the host company (who also operates the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen riverboats on the Mississippi) went belly-up last year.

Her sister ship, the S.S. Constitution, was to undergo a similiar refitting, but after the trouble with your yard, she was instead sent to Portland, WA; where she was eventually stripped of parts for her sister. She then sank on her way to a scrapper in the Far East in the year 2000.

Hummm, perhaps she is a refuge from the James River fleet? On her way to being scrapped, or sunk as an artifical reef perhaps? She kinda sounds like the former training ship PATRIOT STATE, which was at the MA Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, MA before being replaced by a newer steamship. She has a black funnel, and cargo cranes for the front hold.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a


Surviving World Steam Project
james1@pernet.net

Hey James, whatever happened to the old British freighter INCHCLIFFE CASTLE?

Dave

> I know of a ship layed up in

> Excuse me, but I'm in Baltimore, and I have
> NO idea which ship you're talking
> about.......... If you mean the SS John W.
> Brown, the last sailing Liberty Ship, she's
> in very good hands......

here actually 3 ships that I know of including the Santa Mercedes/ Patriot State, they are New Maritime the greatest Merchant Marine College in the United states and the first in the USA Training Ship T/s Empire State V, and T/s Patriot State of Maine Maritimes former training ship but none of them are as historic as the Santa

BEDT15@aol.com

> Hey James, whatever happened to the old
> British freighter INCHCLIFFE CASTLE?

> Dave

Dave,

That ship has not turned up in any of my searches. Doing a quick Google search for INCHCLIFFE CASTLE shows that the rusty British tramp steamer --under the care of ship's engineer Mr Glencannon -- featured in the writings of John Guy Gilpatric, was as fictitious of Mr. Glencannon himself.

There are several surviving side paddle wheelers, named after Scotish castles. Since releasing "Surviving World Steamships" in November, I have been sent a CD-ROM containing photographs of British steamers, including some of the Castles. They will be included in the May update.

The infamous British tramp steamer of yore was the basis for the Liberty Ship.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a


Surviving World Steam Project
james1@pernet.net

Does anybody know what's become of the old ferry Kalakala which was rescued off the bottom up in Alaska, and was undergoing preservation work in Seattle? Their web site seems to come up missing these days. I also had heard the city no longer liked the ship. So, now I'm ???????? Mark D.

> I know of a ship layed up in

> Excuse me, but I'm in Baltimore, and I have
> NO idea which ship you're talking
> about.......... If you mean the SS John W.
> Brown, the last sailing Liberty Ship, she's
> in very good hands......

Could he mean the South America, which I believe was one of the last overnight sleeper steamers on the Great Lakes?

Steve Zuiderveen

SZuidervee@aol.com