Save the SS United States, Buy a Plank

Klinger

The Chicago CTA guy
Just spreading the word. All of us here know how important it is to preserve our history. We save locomotives from scrap, we restore boxcars, coaches, locomotives. We rebuild old abandoned ROW's, replace ties on existing ones, rebuild portions of some for display purposes. We all support efforts like that in Como, where the railroad has been gone for longer then most of us have been alive, but the buildings and structures live on.

I posted a few months ago about the story of the SS Rotterdam. This 1950's ocean liner was saved from scrap by her country, and was lovingly restored to her original interiors and now serves as a floating attraction in her home port of Rotterdam.

America has ship that serves as a national Icon as well. At least, it did. The Story of the SS United States has been almost forgotten by time. The ship that still holds both Trans-Atlantic records (nearly 60 years and counting), carried several of our Presidents including Harry Truman, and a young William J. Clinton. The ship was so safe, it transported the Mona Lisa.

She is in such great danger of being lost to time. She is the largest passenger ship ever built in America, for America. She is one of only a select few Ocean Liners left in the world, with more and more being lost every month. Yes, its a long shot to preserve this maritime wonder, but let the word impossible never leave your mouth.

Save our flagship, buy a plank! (It worked for the USS Constitution)

http://www.ssusplankowner.org/
 
(b
omacr.gif
t)- A shallow depression in the water, in which you pour large sums of money into. See: Money Pit
 
(b
omacr.gif
t)- A shallow depression in the water, in which you pour large sums of money into. See: Money Pit

She is the only one of her kind. Once she is gone, she is gone, with little or nothing to remember the flagship of a nation.

She is just as important to America as the Liberty Bell

A worthwhile money pit
 
(b
omacr.gif
t)- A shallow depression in the water, in which you pour large sums of money into. See: Money Pit

...You're talking about political issues, right? :o

Preservation is not a money pit. People put in money to keep preserved things going as a reminder of our past, for the Future to see.


I think this is indeed something that a few million can be slammed into to save...
 
This reminds me of the West Side Lumber Co.....

Glen Bell (founder of Taco Bell) discovered the success of railroad tourist operation. He bout the West Side Lumber Co. with all track and equipment included; for $750,000. He had more then 4.5 miles restored with many locos in operation. Then, some of the towns people complained the railroad blocked crossings and was to loud.

The city of Tuolumne agreed and forced him to leave.:'( After investing 10 million in to the railroad. He left, selling the West Side Railroad to never be seen there again.

Just hope this does not happen to your ship.:eek:

JRT
 
Unlike West Side Lumber, I would be more then happy to see the SS United States turn into a Casino (most ships have Casino's now)

Worst case scenario, it becomes razor blades....And no one wants to see a sleek liner turn into that.
 
http://www.ssusplankowner.org/
I will admit that the artists rendition of the USS United States docked along the Delaware possibly south of Penns Landing, does look attractive. As Steve Winn pulled all his plans for a gamling casino in South Phila waterfront, possibly he is the last chance for restoration of a floating gambling casino on the Delaware. I will have to talk with him, and buy him a drink at our next executive meeting, along with Donald Trump.:cool:
 
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It's pretty far south of Penn's Landing, by the Ikea (which, sadly, is on top of what used to be a Conrail/CSX intermodal yard,) and, I believe, much further south of where the planned casino was to be. Nevertheless, I think it's in a good spot if it were to be turned into one.
 
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