Bob, Hume;

I don't mean to hijack your forum with steamship posts. But I know there are several individuals here who would be interested in this.

An "S.S. Rotterdam Foundation" has been formed to save the S.S. Rotterdam, currently named the S.S. Rembrandt. The largest steamship built in the Netherlands, and I believe one of the first passenger steamers built with the steam plant in the rear rather than in the middle, she was launched in 1959. She is currently stored out of use; another steamship that could not compete in today's shrinking cruise market and high fuel prices.

There is an online e-mail form asking for the city of Rotterdam to bring her home and establish her as a floating museum. Please take a moment to fill it out and submit it.

I know of at least three American and one or two British passenger steamer that were either lost at sea on their way to the breakers, or broken up just in the past 10 years. Several others, including the S.S. United States, the TSS Manxman II (which appeared in "Chariots of Fire" and other movies), the recently mentioned S.S. Independence and others are facing uncertain futures at this point. I hope we are able to save as many of these as humanly possible.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Steamship Rotterdam Foundation

james1@pernet.net

> Bob, Hume;

> I don't mean to hijack your forum with
> steamship posts. But I know there are
> several individuals here who would be
> interested in this.

> An "S.S. Rotterdam Foundation" has
> been formed to save the S.S. Rotterdam,
> currently named the S.S. Rembrandt. The
> largest steamship built in the Netherlands,
> and I believe one of the first passenger
> steamers built with the steam plant in the
> rear rather than in the middle, she was
> launched in 1959. She is currently stored
> out of use; another steamship that could not
> compete in today's shrinking cruise market
> and high fuel prices.

> There is an online e-mail form asking for
> the city of Rotterdam to bring her home and
> establish her as a floating museum. Please
> take a moment to fill it out and submit it.

> I know of at least three American and one or
> two British passenger steamer that were
> either lost at sea on their way to the
> breakers, or broken up just in the past 10
> years. Several others, including the S.S.
> United States, the TSS Manxman II (which
> appeared in "Chariots of Fire" and
> other movies), the recently mentioned S.S.
> Independence and others are facing uncertain
> futures at this point. I hope we are able to
> save as many of these as humanly possible.

> -James Hefner
> Hebrews 10:20a

The Sad thing is they may have just lost their fight :-( as in the aritice in Maritime Matters

BEDT15@aol.com

> The Sad thing is they may have just lost
> their fight :-( as in the aritice in
> Maritime Matters

Another one to worry about soon will be the FRANCE. Last of the transatlantic liners still in service using steam. (QE-2 went diesel years ago) France is now known as Norway. It has been the flagship of the Norwegian Cruise Lines, but is getting long in the tooth and I'm thinking if it hasn't been pulled out of service yet, it soon will be.

United States would be a disaster to lose, as it is so special and significant in its mission and engineering. Fastest liner ever. For a reason. Should be preserved as a museum. Who's got the $$$?

Still, I'm wondering about the Kalakala, circa 1920's, in Seattle. Was rescued from kodiak(?) AK and towed to Seattle whereupon it was tied up at a pier undergoing preservation work. Now diesel, but originally steam, I believe.
Mark D.

Re the Key System ferry Kalakals. I have an article from Jan 27th saying that she was to be evicted from a Lake Union pier at the end of the month

The foundation is a long way in debt with over $1 million owed. Does not look good.

The SF Maritime Park is doing better with the Northwestern Pacific ferry Eureka, Her new superstructure is now finished. It is supported with four Queen posts that are 14"x14" by 30 feet long. Some lot of douglas fir!



ted_miles@nps.gov

> Another one to worry about soon will be the
> FRANCE. Last of the transatlantic liners
> still in service using steam. (QE-2 went
> diesel years ago) France is now known as
> Norway. It has been the flagship of the
> Norwegian Cruise Lines, but is getting long
> in the tooth and I'm thinking if it hasn't
> been pulled out of service yet, it soon will
> be.

> United States would be a disaster to lose,
> as it is so special and significant in its
> mission and engineering. Fastest liner ever.
> For a reason. Should be preserved as a
> museum. Who's got the $$$?

> Still, I'm wondering about the Kalakala,
> circa 1920's, in Seattle. Was rescued from
> kodiak(?) AK and towed to Seattle whereupon
> it was tied up at a pier undergoing
> preservation work. Now diesel, but
> originally steam, I believe.
> Mark D.

The only two passenger ships I want saved besides the Santa and the Big U are the Norwgian Ameica Line sisters the Sagafjord and the Vistafjord, the last reminders of perhaps one of the greatest Ocean Liner conpanies ever, and Cunard built a reputation of luxury because of these two ships that are still among the greatest afloat. But you see the Sagafjord now Saga Rose was the last Passenger ship built for the Atlntic Trade and also the last two class ocean liner ever built. I am a published Historian of NAL and someday my book will be out. But I am first off a railfan then a Merchant Marine then a Shipping Historian.

BEDT15@aol.com

By supporting this project, we can demonstrate that we too are serious preservationists, not just overgrown adolescents playing with trains. This ship should make a fine museum/hotel like the Queen Mary. It's important to do it now before the vultures begin picking it apart (a problem with the long dormancy of the USS United States).

I signed up for the e-mail list, but couldn't find the petition, where is it on their website?

> Bob, Hume;

> I don't mean to hijack your forum with
> steamship posts. But I know there are
> several individuals here who would be
> interested in this.

> An "S.S. Rotterdam Foundation" has
> been formed to save the S.S. Rotterdam,
> currently named the S.S. Rembrandt. The
> largest steamship built in the Netherlands,
> and I believe one of the first passenger
> steamers built with the steam plant in the
> rear rather than in the middle, she was
> launched in 1959. She is currently stored
> out of use; another steamship that could not
> compete in today's shrinking cruise market
> and high fuel prices.

> There is an online e-mail form asking for
> the city of Rotterdam to bring her home and
> establish her as a floating museum. Please
> take a moment to fill it out and submit it.

> I know of at least three American and one or
> two British passenger steamer that were
> either lost at sea on their way to the
> breakers, or broken up just in the past 10
> years. Several others, including the S.S.
> United States, the TSS Manxman II (which
> appeared in "Chariots of Fire" and
> other movies), the recently mentioned S.S.
> Independence and others are facing uncertain
> futures at this point. I hope we are able to
> save as many of these as humanly possible.

> -James Hefner
> Hebrews 10:20a


ryarger@rypn.org

Bob,

The email was what I was referring to; there is no petition per say. I am sorry about the miss-statement.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> By supporting this project, we can
> demonstrate that we too are serious
> preservationists, not just overgrown
> adolescents playing with trains. This ship
> should make a fine museum/hotel like the
> Queen Mary. It's important to do it now
> before the vultures begin picking it apart
> (a problem with the long dormancy of the USS
> United States).

> I signed up for the e-mail list, but
> couldn't find the petition, where is it on
> their website?


Surviving World Steam Project
james1@pernet.net

Olaf,

My only problem with what I call selective preservation, is what if the ones you want to be saved (say Sagafjord and the Vistafjord) are scrapped after all, then:

1. It is too late to save the others, they have already gone to scrap.
2. The same arguements you gave for NOT saving other ships (or whatever) could be used againist you, and they will be scrapped as well.

I have always thought the best course of action was trying to "save it all", in the hopes that one or two of the better orgainized or funded groups will succeed.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> The only two passenger ships I want saved
> besides the Santa and the Big U are the
> Norwgian Ameica Line sisters the Sagafjord
> and the Vistafjord, the last reminders of
> perhaps one of the greatest Ocean Liner
> conpanies ever, and Cunard built a
> reputation of luxury because of these two
> ships that are still among the greatest
> afloat. But you see the Sagafjord now Saga
> Rose was the last Passenger ship built for
> the Atlntic Trade and also the last two
> class ocean liner ever built. I am a
> published Historian of NAL and someday my
> book will be out. But I am first off a
> railfan then a Merchant Marine then a
> Shipping Historian.


Surviving World Steam Project
james1@pernet.net

> Bob,

> The email was what I was referring to; there
> is no petition per say. I am sorry about the
> miss-statement.

> -James Hefner
> Hebrews 10:20a

Click on the SOS Rotterdam


lamontdc@adelphia.net

I completely agree regarding the France and United States. It's hard enough to save one ocean liner, but saving two would be a monumental task. Then there is the fun of maintaining a static exhibit whose very hull is constantly corroding in it's natural environment. What I'd love to see is both the United States and the France docked side by side in their original colors, under a glassed canopy next to the U.S.S. Intrepid, in the Hudson. These two ships are evocative of a world that has all but slipped beyond our grasp and memory. Using one as a hotel and the other as a floating convention center, the ships would be comfortably ensconced in one of the ports they were meant to call home. Ah, but could they pay there own way? I doubt either of them will ever turn a propeller under there own steam after retirement, yet what a pair of profiles on the Manhatten waterfront!



glueck@maine.edu

> Olaf,

> My only problem with what I call selective
> preservation, is what if the ones you want
> to be saved (say Sagafjord and the
> Vistafjord) are scrapped after all, then:

> 1. It is too late to save the others, they
> have already gone to scrap.
> 2. The same arguements you gave for NOT
> saving other ships (or whatever) could be
> used againist you, and they will be scrapped
> as well.

> I have always thought the best course of
> action was trying to "save it
> all", in the hopes that one or two of
> the better orgainized or funded groups will
> succeed.

> -James Hefner
> Hebrews 10:20a

That is why I need to graduate make money and buy them lol


BEDT15@aol.com

> I completely agree regarding the France and
> United States. It's hard enough to save one
> ocean liner, but saving two would be a
> monumental task. Then there is the fun of
> maintaining a static exhibit whose very hull
> is constantly corroding in it's natural
> environment. What I'd love to see is both
> the United States and the France docked side
> by side in their original colors, under a
> glassed canopy next to the U.S.S. Intrepid,
> in the Hudson. These two ships are evocative
> of a world that has all but slipped beyond
> our grasp and memory. Using one as a hotel
> and the other as a floating convention
> center, the ships would be comfortably
> ensconced in one of the ports they were
> meant to call home. Ah, but could they pay
> there own way? I doubt either of them will
> ever turn a propeller under there own steam
> after retirement, yet what a pair of
> profiles on the Manhatten waterfront!

See I have an idea but it will never happen bring the S/s United States to NY Harbor and dock her next to the Former United States Line freight Terminal Peir which still has the USL signs that are lit it is owned my the city of NY and is located in a better area a the city and establish it as a National Mechant Marine Museum with other ships such as the Santa Mercedes and the MV Orion/UNS Vixen, a ship that was at one time the Largest Luxury Yaught in the world, she was built in German in 1929 and in WII she was coverted to the UNS Vixen and then Latter the cruise ship Orion and in fact is for sale for a Millon dollars. See these 3 ships are important to save for a future.


BEDT15@aol.com