SS United States in 1991: Part 2 of 2

[@km-ti8gc]

This would have made a beautiful museum and people could have stayed on board in the cabins in order to explore everything. Feel sick to think this is going to be at the bottom soon.

[@motaz1975]

an ocean liner to the casual eye but she was built like a battleship.

[@jimbilton1956]

Mind blowing complexity. I wish somebody could give a commentary as to what all the components are in the engineering spaces. Completely fascinating. She MUST be saved and restored.

[@bradjames6748]

Boilers, turbines and many pumps to move water and many pipes to move high psi steam, I can't begin to imagine how hot and loud those spaces would have been.....

[@EskCan44]

@@bradjames6748 Probably somewhere in the vicinity of 110 decibels at 110 Farenheit.

[@robertnewman5556]

The SS UNITED STATES SHOULD NEVER. Have been gutted. I sailed on her when I was six years old in June1953 from New York to South Hampton. We returned to the US on her in August 1953.

[@aegonthedragon7303]

They gutted her to remove asbestos from the walls. If they didn’t she wouldn’t comply with any modern safety standards and would be broken up.

[@pdmacguire]

@@aegonthedragon7303 You can see the asbestos, it was literally everywhere.

[@lesigh1749]

@@aegonthedragon7303 They didn't need to gut her though, they could have removed the asbestos without utterly destroying the interior but that would be costly ad take longer. They chose instead to simply rip it all out, and at that moment the ship was doomed. nobody was ever going to be able to justify the cost to refit her entire interior.

[@ryankenyon5010]

Fantastic footage! Thanks for sharing.

[@EskCan44]

Pretty spooky stuff, back when she was an operational ghost ship...

[@michaelcallahan5358]

Our Flag Ship and Ship of State. The only one left! The SS American ended up on the beech to slowly eroding away to nothing.

[@glennpaull903]

Excellent / enjoyed both segments - thanks for sharing

[@CruiseTalkShow]

Great footage of the SS UNITED STATES

[@jeffreymaynard5367]

she had her power on wow

[@RodgerMudd]

The propeller shaft is huge!

[@robertquiery1039]

I was on the USS United States 1964 from Southampton England to New York City so fantastic ship and it should be restored and turned into a museum

[@joewhite5818]

I Great video from understanding the ship power comes from the back up diesel generator filmed way before the great ship came to Philadelphia

[@stevenikazy2943]

Jeff, my thoughts exactly. She was just a dark hulk the times I have been aboard. Hopefully she will light up again.

[@earlatkins9559]

It still had power. The interior was still in decent nick, and should have been left alone. Refurbishing would have been easier if the interior spaces had been retained. The video is fine. Both parts are a tribute to the memory of the ship. A bit of narration would benefit those who don't know where they are on the ship.

[@brettmiller8306]

@Thirdgen83 I was just in England and saw the SS Great Britain. I understand its a vastly smaller ship but just look at the condition she was in before her restoration. Same for HMS Warrior. The United States could absolutely receive the same treatment if there was the will to do it. Tragically, it appears that no such enthusiasm exists (or not nearly enough anyway) and that she will likely end her days as razor blades. Quite sad.

[@bjo7964]

This is America....we treat everything and everyone like garbage when we are done using them

[@1958Cadillac-v2g]

@@bjo7964 speaking for yourself I assume. That's not how I treat things or people. Nor my family or friends.

[@bobbyrayofthefamilysmith24]

@@bjo7964 US has a good reputation for saving ships UK doesn't even have one battleship preserved

[@edbrown6985]

I agree.it is a relic from the past though and nobody is going to risk a very large sum of money on it because there isn't much of a chance of getting the investment back.i live in the area and have seen it a hundred times.its in a crappy spot and moving it will cost millions of dollars.now it's facing eviction and costs like a thousand dollars a day just to sit there and rust.and sooner or later its gonna start leaking.and i heard the guy say the brass and valuable metal has been stripped and sold. She's a very tired old ship and is facing a very uncertain future.

[@SteveTheFazeman]

If I'm not mistaken, it appears that the ship was docked at Pier 2 Norfolk International Terminal at the time of filming.

[@ShelterCats]

I think you are correct. She didn't leave there until 1992 I think.

[@AggregateDood]

As I watch you ducking and squeezing through all of those tight spaces in the screw shaft alleys, all I can think is, if you had to R&R a section of shaft how would you lift and remove it? There's no room to get a crane in to lift it and if you could lift it, how would you move it back to an area where you can maneuver it around enough to lift it out of the ship?

[@rodneygolden2796]

I would wager to say that these images/ footage 1:20:14 are from one of the the reduction gear sections of the propeller shaft system, considering the humongous worm gears inside the enclosure(s) as shown. One HELLUVA transmission wouldn't you say? I think this is NOT a job for your local AAMCO branch to take on upon repair cycle time.LOL.😢

[@rodneygolden2796]

Tv

[@d.cypher2920]

It's a shame that vandals have just ruined many items, like bathroom sinks and toilets...that's no accident. You don't just break that many porcelain sinks and bowls. *phukkin idiots. Honestly, everyone does stuff they're not proud of when young. Yet, this ship is a National Treasure. Her hull design was actually so advanced and fast, it was a highly protected state secret. As, most liners were designed to be converted into troop transports in the event of war breaking out.* In my opinion: those a holes who did this, should be sentenced to: have to repair the damage they did. ☀️😎🇺🇸☀️

[@MrJeep75]

Wonder what happened to the boats

[@trevorn9381]

They were removed and sold for scrap. They were open lifeboats and did not meet the SOLAS requirements in the 1990s. New boats were to be installed when it was refurbished but that never happened.

[@lesjones5684]

Very interesting 🤔

[@DARisse-ji1yw]

2022....

[@AbbyNormalGarage]

My dad @ 43:03 with everything works. 43:50 now he’s closing the doors. Shame it will never work again the Turks cut the contactors out of the controls.

[@peterlv68]

was she running off her own generators?

[@TFD1982]

At the time

[@DavidThomas-me6pi]

why all the damage to the inside?

[@TFD1982]

Probably looters

[@berntd]

At 1:14:10 ish, are those the controls removed from the bridge? Do they still exist on the ship?

[@lesigh1749]

There is nothing in the Bridge now. That looked like an engineering workshop though, it too is gone, the ship is an empty shell apart from the engine rooms, and the engines are rusted and inoperative now.

[@realBaronFletcher]

The guy wearing the cow print. What the hell was he thinking?

[@bobbyrayofthefamilysmith24]

He's a Rienstone cowboy.

[@edbrown6985]

The ship was stripped years ago.its a floating wreck.its 2024 and the cost of renovations is prohibitively expensive,it can't even move on its own and just moving it would cost a considerable amount of money.its not in a spot where a restaurant or hotel would risk money setting up a business,it's at an old pier in an old part of the city and anything of value has been taken long ago.

[@bobbyrayofthefamilysmith24]

Why did they completely gut the Interior and not scrap the rest of the ship? Was there some grand plan at the time? Seems odd to keep just a shell for 20 odd years.

[@TFD1982]

There was a plan but it feel through and sat the ssusc bout it

[@trompbakker9545]

stripped because of asbestos

[@bobbyrayofthefamilysmith24]

@@trompbakker9545 dam the whole interior was asbestos lol carpet doors chairs beds 😂😂 the only thing not asbestos on that tub was the rivets

[@ElectronicsForFun]

you mean a ship that mas been gutted and rusting away in the wind, has power?

[@ObamaTookMyCat]

this is before they gutted her. And i am actually curious if she is still capable of generating her own power? Obviously not by the boilers, unless you are a boiler technician, but she did have backup diesel engines in the superstructure.

[@bobbyrayofthefamilysmith24]

@@ObamaTookMyCat Probably stripped the wiring and electrical components. Generator still there but doubt it would work now

[@jimmiles33]

@@bobbyrayofthefamilysmith24the electrical system has been damaged by the haphazard removal of fittings over the years. The emergency generators could be made to run, no problem.

[@jgordon7719]

Looked shabby back then

[@bradjames6748]

53000 bhp per shaft!!!! Total hp 212000

[@Dbodell8000]

So sad she's just a gutted out rusting hulk now.

[@johnbergstrom2931]

I admire the SS United States for her speed, but what an awful passenger experience to be inside. The spaces are sterile, cold and institutional, not to mention packed full of asbestos. If I were a transatlantic ocean traveler in the 50's/60's I would have chosen the Queen Mary, hands down. If the SS United States is saved and restored, I hope they will design the spaces with some warmth and humanity.

[@michaelgrey7854]

Man this was an aspestos death trap!!

[@MrJeep75]

Much better shape then, then it is now should of never striped it

[@bradfordthompson8326]

Oh wow They should spray on some old crankcase oil in side those man hole covers on those thrust bearing and turbines and put lights inside the turbines for the hotel tours and COLLEGES students to study and be inspiration...and leave

[@kellypayne91]

Looks like it was ransacked.

[@ElectronicsForFun]

you should see what is looks like right now. the inside of it is gone! everything that could have been removed was removed and with force.

[@bradfordthompson8326]

We God Prayers for the LINER Cosmetic paint. And all the LINER boilers pumps machinery and turbines intact A mechanical, civil, diesel Colleges could share "The United States as a PERFECT CLASS ROOMS TO INSPIRE NEW ENGEINERS ,MECHANICS AND MARINE DESIGNS.....AND FIX UP THE LINERS THEATERS AND BALL ROOMS FOR THEATERS COLLEGES FOR DANCING AND FUTURE ACTORS TO PUT ON THEATERS AND MOVIES FOR HOTELS GUESTS...YES. "THE UNITED STATES LINER " WILL HAVE A NEW MISSIONS TO INSPIRATION OUR ECONOMIC YOUTH WORKERS OF THE FUTURE AND HELP SAVE A HISTORIC SHIP...

[@kirkconway]

I know that the conservancy is raising money to own the united states. But like it sits right now? would bre a monumental job to get her back to liveable condition's. I just hope it can be done and we dont lose her to just fade away.

[@TFD1982]

I hope so too I want it to look like exactly this but minus the trash everywhere

[@nyx3322]

@@TFD1982 dont worry I'm do my best to own it

[@alexsmith8765]

why upload 240p?

[@ObamaTookMyCat]

because its 1991....

[@EskCan44]

it's videotape from 1991 that was digitized and uploaded to youtube, hence the low image quality.

[@TFD1982]

Uh 1991 bun it’s vhs

[@mikeh2006]

The original quality of these cameras is very good.

[@uweschmidt6052]

Ich würde mein ganzes Geld geben, um das Schiff zu retten.

[@ShelterCats]

Hey everyone! Check out my (slightly) updated and (slightly) upscaled. Best I can do in iMovie, now all in one 4 hour video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eH7GfKNjaLOibbc

[@stephencarey5074]

Duff cameraman - even worse than me. Interesting stumble round the machinery spaces, but could have been a lot better done for posterity. How on earth the ship's crew managed to understand it all with no labelling beats me. I can get an average steamship going, but all the boilers here would need retubing (couple of million each), the turbine rotors would have sagged over the years, so more $$$, all the piping needs testing and so on. Not a viable proposition especially as she was thirsty in fuel. If someone really thought it viable, a QE2 style re-engineering would be possible, with two of the shafts removed. However my professional opinion as a marine engineer is to make a really good professional video of the machinery spaces as a proper tour - could even laser scan it - and have that for posterity as few of this vintage remain or have been videoed. Then scrap her.

[@MI-mx3rh]

Stop shaking the camera FFS

[@Thirdgen83]

That ship is too far gone. Nothing but an empty hull. Sad, but they ought'a just scrap it...

[@JM811Cars]

Why do that when she is still salvageable?

[@Thirdgen83]

She's NOT salvageable. No one has the MONEY it would take for a restoration and refit. It's sad, but that's the reality.

[@JM811Cars]

She IS salvageable. Anything is possible if you have the money! :)

[@Thirdgen83]

Yes...and WHO has the money??

[@JM811Cars]

That is why there is a Conservancy team working to raise the funds to salvage her. They received a $200,000 donation last month from one man alone. In all, they've made millions of dollars to help save her.

[@Wanamaker1946]

This is a stone ugly ship. It should’ve been crapped years ago. There are zero indexations of any beauty whatsoever. We have the Queen Mary is the prize of how eczema travel was in its zenith. I wish we still had the Aquatania and Olympic. Both lasted into the 1950’s and could’ve been saved as museum ships. The issue is, they rust away by their very nature. The hull of the US is still sound. Why not sell it to someone who will do something new altogether and be done with it. This isn’t worth of all the hand ringing over. It’s mediocre at best. The USA was never known for passenger shipping Lines. They totally screwed up the Leviathan. There was a beautiful ship worth saving for posterity.

[@EskCan44]

I don't think the Big U would be so popular if it weren't for her aquadynamics and speed. Yes, it would have been remarkable to preserve a four stacker such as the Aquitania or Olympic... And a truly impeccable vessel such as the Normandie... Her fate was arguably worse than sinking or mere scrapping alone.

[@michaelgrey7854]

I agree. It was just a military ship disguised as a ocean liner.

[@bradfordthompson8326]

It can be Beautiful again sandblasting the exterior and just Cosmetic paint .and do just a few ball rooms and first class cabins .. Cosmetic paint the boilers and engine rooms etc for hotels and shopping shops DO in few years installments. Using Federal grants ....We thought the United States was a national monument so she be eligible for grants ..Could they just Cosmetic paint the sides ,stacks etc .just make the ship look nice She be a fun place to stay if she is docked at, EXAMPLE MIAMI FLORIDA cruise Terminal dock so hotels guests could stay on the "*THE UNITED STATES "* AND WALK 50 FEET OVER AND BOARD THEIR MODERN DAY CRUISE SHIP TO MEXICO ETC. AND LET THE HOTELS SHOPPING SHOPS,HARDWARE SHOPS SUBWAY MCDONALD'S, SPORTS HAIR CUTS SHOPS ETC HELP PAY FOR "UNITED STATES LINER COSMETIC PAINT " THE DECK WRINCHES WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORK ETC JUST SANDBLASTING THE SURFACES AND MAKE NICE....IT BE EXCITING TO DRAW PLANS OF SHIP AND HAVE COLOR CODED SO VOLUNTEERS COULD RENT A PRESSURE WASHER AND THREE GALLONS OF PAINT HE OR SHE COULD COME AND STAY IN A STATEROOM AND SPEND A WEEKEND PRESSURE WASH 600 SQUARE FEET AND PAINT 3 GALLONS OF PAINT AND A FREE TOUR OF THE LINER WOW IT BE A FUN ADVENTURE 😀