Battleship Texas, To the Bottom of the Beast's Belly!

[@papaskeet3]

My dad was on that ship in 1944 and 45 and brought us kids down to Galveston to see her that was 50 years ago. I’m gonna get my brothers my sister and we’re gonna come down as soon as shes back in the water. My dad was a fireman on the Texas.

[@DaveSCameron]

Respect from Liverpool from a lad who lost his grandfather on board HMS Celendine in 1943. 🛟🎚️📚

[@b.thomas8926]

Being an old Oil and Gas guy, I just cant help but think "Confined space permits everywhere!!" lol Amazing what they took for granted back then that today we'd cringe at, safety wise. Thanks for these videos. I can tell its hard work.

[@djlau1]

can you inmagen that alot of ships like the at the bottom of the sea with engines like this that nobuddy thinks about only the main steam engines of the ships pretty sad that they are forgotten about

[@HughTube-ni6kb]

Oxidization robs spaces of free O2 - you have to be very careful when entering confined unvented spaces in ALL ships!

[@b.thomas8926]

@@HughTube-ni6kb I'm used to working with H2S and other toxics, I've gone through full rebreather training etc. I'm a permit writer, worksite hazard management trained. I know the drill, just not used to working in the marine environment. Did not know about how oxidization reduces O2. That's a new one on me. Good to know, though. Anytime we do confined space, we just assume the air is bad. Better to be safe than sorry. Thanks for the info though.

[@masonbryant5469]

As a ship builder at the shipyard that built Texas I’m thinking the same thing😂

[@donQpublic]

As someone who is currently restoring USCG 47’ MLBs for return to service. I’m amazed at the size and scale of this restoration considering she will never be returned to service. On many levels.

[@nogoodnameleft]

Another great video, Tom. Thank you. None of the other museum ships have an incredible resource dispenser like you. I mean they all have great experts, historians, and speakers but none of them go into the Belly of the Beast numerous times over the years and film EVERYTHING like you do with Texas.

[@grantmcfarland3690]

These videos do an EXCELLENT job documenting how critical and extensive the 2014-2016 repairs were. I don't see how the ship is moved to Galveston in 2022 without the work done in '14-'16. Thank you for filming and documenting all of these spaces and the work done on them.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

You are right, it could not have been safely moved, much less taken out of the water without the structural repairs.

[@nogoodnameleft]

That engine frame repair work was amazing. If they hadn't repaired those frames those precious rare engines would have fallen all the way to the bottom and possibly even permanently destroyed Texas by completely piercing the bottom of her.

[@GoldensRLife]

Good stuff, Tom, thank you!

[@TrabberShir]

These videos are amazing documentation for posterity. Thank you for all the work you put into them.

[@voxxpopuli1649]

Excellent... Makes me want to start buffing out all that dust and rust and put a fresh paint finish on everything... I have the urge to top it all off with a high gloss clear coat...

[@howardsimpson489]

The repair welding was beautiful, very professional. If that was volunteers, they deserve medals and clear paint.

[@bluerebel01]

Another informative video. Thanks for sharing.

[@stischer47]

Wow! The thought of being on the hull level while the Texas was at sea gives me the shivers knowing what would be both above and below.

[@mickjames666]

Thank you Tom! Love your videos on these American Battleships. God bless America and all Military past and present 🇺🇸

[@kenneth4992]

Wow I wished I could have been there with you. GOD Bless you and your family

[@bryanh1944FBH]

EXCELLENT! Most excellent. In the wiring chase, I can't help but think about the fortune of copper that is in the wiring of this ship.

[@markwales3630]

I really love how you keep going back to the layout diagram to keep us oriented as you go through the video!

[@oneparticularharbor144]

As this was considered an ‘old ship’ in WW II, it’s pretty amazing that she is still here. I’m also surprised at some of the technology which seems to be in transition itself It would be interesting to identify some of the old original piping, wiring etc with what was done during upgrades between and during the war. Having worked in ‘old boats’, I’m sure the yard workers that have worked on her various war refits and repairs had a different opinion about the conditions in those spaces, especially before things like , oh- OSHA regulations ....

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

It is difficult to say how much of the ship's wiring is original since it didn't substantially change in design and appearance during her 32 years of service life. Steam lines outside of the boiler rooms are largely original, but completely replaced inside boiler rooms. Everything in the engine rooms are pretty much original. All fuel tanks, lines and pumps were installed 11 years after Texas was commissioned. As far as working conditions, I don't think they would have had much of an opinion about OSHA back then since it was still just a small town in Wisconsin!

[@JP-uk9uc]

Rules made to weigh people down with burdens hard to bear while they don't even lift a finger....

[@charlieaustin2818]

Mr Scott I always enjoy your detailed presentations. I am convinced the Battleship Texas has a friend in you. I look forward to your next video and encourage you to press forward as each one is an educational gem that will outlive us both. Thank you!

[@dewitp]

Amazing, you get in to the places nobody else shows, fantastic stuff.

[@simonhjc]

Wow! Im no expert but looking st the rust i think it was only just saved. What an incredible job

[@thurin84]

this was awesome! i dont know why these obscure compartments fascinate me so, but they do! thanks for battleship spelunking for us to reach these obscure, difficult to access compartments!!! and major kudos to the workers who installed the replacement decks! i cant even imagine what a nightmare it was to remove the wasted steel, and get replacement steel down there and welded in place! those guys earned their pay!!! was it this wasted decking that the cool paperweights are made out of?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I was shown around some of the work by the owner of the company doing it. It was incredibly difficult and precise. The paper weights are made from steel removed during that project, but it was made from structural steel, not deck material.

[@rschowe4015]

Tom Thank you for being our "eyes", excellent video

[@amanvasamantino5368]

These videos are amazing

[@SuperPirate100]

Thank for the tour , I'm ex merchant navy and its very interesting to get a good look at how Texas was built .

[@HM2SGT]

Great stuff! I always appreciate exploring nooks and crannies, even though I am not built for it. A bit too tall, somewhat too well fed, and a little too old and creaky and debilitated by old injuries.😅 I'm looking forward to the exploration of systems and machinery that have been superseded by superior devices.

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

Cool video! The cableway was filled with asbestos! Safe as long as it is left alone!

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Very true, there is a lot of the stuff still on the ship and it has been encapsulated. They are really careful with it. If any damage is spotted, the compartment is immediately closed and a licensed contractor either removes it or repairs it.

[@colvinator1611]

Once again , great presentation and explanation. The nitty gritty of a vital piece of naval history. Thanks again, Colin UK.

[@kebabsvein1]

One day I want to know my own ship, Narvik, as well as Tom knows BB-35! Keep up the good work

[@BrockRuby]

Again a fantastic vid of sites that we cannot visit. Thanks again for a great job!!

[@glen8449]

I cant thank you enough for seeing all this. I am no expert on it. But the work sure looks nice on Texas. Getting her back to ship shape.

[@MWL4466]

Great video Mr. Scott. As a 30 year machinist, i find them fascinating. Its so important to keep these old warships for posterity.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I absolutely agree! If you want to see some brilliant machine work, take a look at the 14" gun's breech plug and screwbox that it locks in starting at 10:00 in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qICkiad5iNuIsM0

[@MrPig40]

Tom Scott, the younger one, recently announced he's stepping back from KZbin. Only ONE Tom Scott remains!! Lol

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Darn, just when I had stepped back, too! I won't be completely gone, but I will only be posting something that I find interesting every once in a while.

[@davecaron1213]

I would love to see some of these compartments cleaned and painted. Keep up the good work.

[@robertpoore7604]

Nice job 👍

[@Rob-157]

Excellent video. 👍🇺🇸

[@DavidSmith-cx8dg]

A fascinating look at some of these rarely visited spaces . Such a pity to see the flood damage to the emergency switchboard and other equipment and structures . The cable passage isn't dis- similar to many I worked in and seems to have stayed dry . Down here the vast majority are probably original . A good idea to add the extra w/t doors so the spaces are easier to inspect . Thanks for the tour .

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Thanks for the nice comments! I haven't found it in early drawings, so I don't know if it is true, but I was told that there was a door there when the ship was commissioned in 1914. However, it was removed and plated over after the ship was inspected by British Royal Navy officers who were concerned about it. Their experiences in combat was that shock from explosions may spring watertight doors and hatches, and could spread flooding. I have seen documents referring to the British recommendations, so I think there may be some truth to it. Anyway, it only made good sense to install a door there and I certainly appreciate saving a bunch of ladder climbs!

[@pattomuso]

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to "Texas" in 2010 when on holidays from Australia!

[@Grantthetruthteller]

Those covers over what you described as a tank...my question, did anyone have to go through those tiny openings to do maintenance or repairs in those tanks? If someone did they must have had balls the size of coconuts. It would be hard to imagine a more hellish place to be ordered into. Maybe that could be a topic for a video...the most hellish places on the ship. My hat is off to the crew that had to maintain the ship.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Yes, they could and likely did squeeze though them. It was necessary to be able to inspect and deal with any problems in every nook and cranny of the ship. I created a video on the fuel system where the issue of entering a fuel tank was discussed. That was certainly the most deadly environment on the ship. In order to do it, they pumped the tank until empty, hooked a portable steam line to it and pumped live steam in. It would condense on the tank walls and the heated condensate would wash down and be pumped out. Once reasonably clean, they would open the manhole and continue to pump steam for 24 hours. That did a pretty good job of completely clearing the tank of residue and fumes. Like any safety procedure now, no one entered any of these spaces without being observed and being attached to a safety line if it involved a climb.

[@madisonbusman7688]

Great video! Thanks!!!

[@brucelytle1144]

Wow! You need a bunch of red lead! I'm an old chief electrician and am used to going in all the nooks and crannies on ships. I am amazed at how much bare steel you have, get it protected! It's amazing how fast that'll rot without a good coating on it!

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I appreciate your comments. Red lead would be nice, wouldn't it? Unfortunately, its use is prohibited by every governmental agency in existence. I have no problem with that considering how toxic, and persistent, it is. Worse, they having to spend large amounts of money to pay licensed contractors to remove it wherever they are working due to the safety hazards it creates. Fortunately, there are modern, safer coatings that will do as good or better job. To address the heart of your point, most of the corrosion problems you see here cannot be addressed without substantial amounts of money that simply are not available. In the meantime, they are currently addressing the source of the problems with $60 million in hull repairs, chasing down and eliminating weather deck penetrations and ventilation plans are being developed. As a result, water intrusion and humidity will be a small fraction of what it has been for the last 75 years which should greatly reduce new corrosion problems until what you see can be addressed.

[@brucelytle1144]

@@tomscotttheolderone364 you might want to look into a Cargo-Caire (tm) unit. MARAD used to use them to keep RRF ship interiors dry. They are very simple to operate and maintain. MARAD may have a spare laying around somewhere!

[@brucelytle1144]

@@tomscotttheolderone364 I do understand the budget constraints of a program such as yours. I worked on RRF ships for 3 years. At first there was 5 of us rotating on 4 ships, then they went to 10 man crews per ship (on different ships). Every quarter, I'd be told what my budget was, and asked how I was gonna use it. Always wheeling & dealing with contractors and such. Phew! Take care of that steel! Protect that $60 million investment! Have any coating manufacturers in Texas that you could sweet talk into donating some?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

@@brucelytle1144 As a volunteer, I don't have any direct involvement in the project or decision making. However, I know that they have worked with some select paint vendors for a few years to not only determine the best coatings to use, but also obtain the best possible prices.

[@TheTeisings]

What a cool looking ship.

[@scowell]

Super! Much rather see the ship than a talking person.

[@ASMITH00007]

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

[@krautyvonlederhosen]

When using the term, “down below,” these depictions truly show the meaning.

[@vietrandy1]

Incredible 😲

[@davidbarnsley8486]

So most of this area was underwater for quite some time It is so wrecked , glad to see it getting repaired The underside is so vast

[@eherrmann01]

Thanks Tom, I really enjoy these "spelunking" videos. I am, however, concerned about you going into these spaces alone. When I worked in a shipyard, we were never allowed to go into such places without a buddy.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Thanks, we always took precautions, especially with air. I never went anywhere that was questionably unless it was first ventilated.

[@andyballard5311]

I would love to roam the bottom of a battleship. Awesome video

[@pirateron9080]

Great video tour of this mighty ship. As a Navy veteran, it makes me proud to know that we are doing everything to preserve this last Dreadnaught. As I go through my own journey as the USS Kitty Hawk CVA/CV-63 is being dismantled as I write this. It was my home from 7/71-2/75. 😢

[@curtisquick5471]

Is there any documentation available for the repairs done from 2014-2018?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I am not aware of any published documents. I am sure that Texas Parks and Wildlife, who had responsibility for the ship, has detailed documentation, but I haven't tried to access it.

[@wfoj21]

High agree - This tour is showing a lot of Inner Bottom - "new steel" added probably in that time frame. - I Just went to their WIkipedia article - limited mention,

[@rolengoldslick9053]

imagine if she got her electricals and engines refurbished... could see all of those lights and systems come alive for the first time in decades

[@HughTube-ni6kb]

Min 3:28: Drac's salivating at all the knife switches!

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I also have that issue. However, I have resisted touching any of them over the last 25 years. Since the insulated handles on many have become extremely fragile, that is the only way that I can be 100% sure that I won't damage them.

[@chuck3441]

Wow, how in the world did all that metal get cut out and replaced, unbelievable your people have got this machine made structural sound and water tight.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

It was a real feat of skill and imagination on the part of the contractor that performed the work. They even made major repairs to the main keel and to framing against wasted outer hull plating that was half its original thickness. I've never heard of that being done while in the water and with a ship this size. Even more difficult, they couldn't use new steel plates cut any larger than the smallest door or hatch that was used.

[@dave.lawrence.3894]

GREAT Video... Very interesting... there is a lot of history in this ship... when was this decommissioned???😮😅😊

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

The ship was decommissioned at San Jacinto on March 12, 1948 as part of a ceremony when she was handed over to the state of Texas.

[@dave.lawrence.3894]

@@tomscotttheolderone364 Very good.... 😊

[@mdtransmissionspecialties]

I’d say they used the tank d98f & d99 to drain it if the stuffing or packing failed. They could’ve drained the tank and had full dry access to it. Great video as always Tom.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I just got around to looking at a drawing of drains and it appears that you are correct. They no longer exist, but each of the compartments had a drain and check valve that directly drained into the shaft alley. This would have the effect of limiting flooding to those two small compartments if the shaft stuffing box failed. They could be emptied in a controlled fashion by opening the valve, then use the bilge pumps located in the alleys to move water to the engine room bilges.

[@mdtransmissionspecialties]

@@tomscotttheolderone364 Very cool! Thank you Tom. I hope you are doing well! :)

[@burroaks7]

very cool

[@johnshields6852]

My uncles were on the USN and USAF on the 50/60's, one piloted the F4 phantom in Vietnam, thank God for our military and those who serve and those that served in the past.🇺🇸🙏

[@92greenz34]

Thanks again for all your hard work, and documenting this wonderful ship for future generations! I noticed your commentary on the addition of that water tight door added for convenience. I am under the impression that door is new, as in it has been fabricated recently? If that is not the case, where did they source it from? Are there other watertight doors added to spaces that never originally had them over the lifetime of its use with the navy?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

This is the only location on the ship that I am aware of that had a new door added where there was none. I was told many years ago that a door was located in either this bulkhead or the opposing one on starboard side when the ship was first commissioned. It was removed upon the advice of British Royal Navy officers who inspected the ship as a potential source of progressive flooding. However, I have looked and cannot find a door in early builder's drawings. As far as where this one came from, there are manufacturers that produce varieties of prefabricated watertight doors, manholes, etc. for use on ships and offshore rigs. I think it's reasonable to assume it was purchased from one of those sources since it would be far more cost effective to buy a well built, well finished and truly watertight door instead of trying to fabricate one on site.

[@ownSystem]

Amazing Navy even today impressed level of confidence and courage and determination and winningness of our troops during ww2 and proud this Texan Boat would be interesting if they restored this baby she deserves a good makeover by the state

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

They are currently working very hard to do that. $60 million has been spent over the last 1-1/2 years to perform extensive hull repairs that will vastly increase the life of the ship. That in turn will provide an increased ability and time to perform extensive restoration to the inside. However, none of this is with the goal of making her operational, but a sustainable museum and tribute to those who served on her.

[@paulbrancato8262]

How many of these spaces, such as D-3 and D9 and their twins on the other side, had enough headroom to stand up in?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

You have to duck a little in D-3, but D-9 is a struggle. The same is true of their twins on the port side. The other area that is a serious struggle is the very large blower space A-111 on 3rd deck, just ahead of turret 2. Because of the half deck just above it, you have to walk around in a crouch.

[@DaveSCameron]

Fantastic opportunity for those of us who honestly don’t have a clue how profoundly scattered the bowels of battleships were and I’ll throw cruisers etc . in as well, such a maze must’ve been beyond hell if hit in battle. #Lestweforget ⚓️🛟 📚☘️🇬🇧🙏

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Much of the scattering of equipment and tasks was forced by the need to divide the ship's lower decks into small compartments. It was done to limit flooding to small areas and its effects upon the ship's buoyancy and stability. Fortunately, most of the areas in the video weren't occupied during battle, so escaping them wasn't an issue. Escaping occupied spaces was fairly straight forward and their crews practiced that in abandon ship exercises. However, you are certainly right about it being hell if done while in combat. Escaping flooding with lights out and possibly through heavy damage would be problematic, if not impossible. A perfect example is the poor souls trapped in Battleship Oklahoma's engine and boiler rooms after the ship capsized.

[@chrisbrady-t1u]

I was stationed on a carrier.If youve seen one of them grey things you seen em all

[@Patriot1776-0]

If that ship could talk ...seen a lot of history...the stories it could tell...your grandparents probably served on it ...wow...

[@gateway8833]

I can’t even imagine working in those spaces.

[@johnclark1612]

I've drank many beer on the Texas but it's a secret from a long time back....ago

[@samdesmet7637]

She needs fluid film! Aweosme to see the inside of this ship. Thank you.

[@car296rd]

Someday you can do the steering room video if you can get access to it

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Funny you should ask! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6SaeZiBjceYrs0

[@touco9077]

Shaft alley, been there done that!

[@justin8894]

Power!

[@matrix3509]

I know its a pipe dream, but it would be awesome to see reproductions of all that rusted out equipment be made to replace the destroyed stuff, especially the diesel generators.

[@brucefine8182]

As a class lineman I would love to work on the power that supplies the uss to Texas with all the original equipment as possible and repair to working order you need to have a call for all lineman in this country to come and repair it we can get her back to combat ready in no time

[@howardr222]

Did you just for fun ever calculate the cost to reactivate Texas with all engines and weapons systems fully operational. My guess is more than building a new battleship.

[@HM2SGT]

Indeed. But if money and common sense were no object- of course then we get into the ship of Theseus argument… 🤷

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Much like trying to reproduce a more modern equivalent such as an Apollo Saturn moon rocket, I don't know that anyone could legitimately calculate either the cost of restoring the ship or building a new one. The exercise goes far beyond the simple cost of materials and the labor to do the job. Unless modern equivalents of machinery and parts are used, one must include the cost of rebuilding the infrastructure required to produce them. Plus, many of them are so unique in form and function, there is no modern equivalent. Those would require reverse engineering, creating molds for castings and highly specialize production tooling. Not the least of these would be rebuilding the 14" barrels that would required casting new barrel liners that would be forged with special presses. They would also require furnaces and shrinking pits to disassemble and reassemble 60+ foot long tubes. Even worse, if you built a faithful reproduction of the ship from scratch, you get into big problems with things like her belt, lower casemate and upper casemate armor. The ability to cast, machine, forge and heat treat those simply doesn't exist anymore. Even simulating it with mild steel would be difficult because of the need to forge, bend and machine such large pieces.

[@CooperJohnson01]

Honestly a lot of the stuff at the buttom of the ship just need a basic chipping and sanding, and then cleaning and repainted now the heavy rust damage equipment not much you can do there someone would have to re-fabricate a lot of the covers, box’s and piping, most of the lighting just needs a good rewire hopefully that’s in the books for future plans

[@thece8702]

Why did they remove the aft end of the shafts on the Texas when decommissioning? Some other museum battleships still have theirs don't they?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I can tell you why the decision to remove props and shafts was made on Texas, but I cannot regarding decisions to leave them in place on later ships. Records indicate that the Navy made the decision in order to limit flooding. It was not done to demilitarize the ship, nor was any other system, including weapons, altered or disabled. The seals that are between the shafts and hull openings are called stuffing boxes. These are designed to slightly leak since having them tight enough to not leak would destroy them as the shaft rotates against them. Even if they could tighten them enough, they would likely fail over an extended period due to deterioration. Access to them from the inside is almost impossible, meaning that if they did flood, there wouldn't be a good way to reach them to stop it. The practical solution was to remove the props and shafts, then seal the hull openings by welding plates over them. Their fears were well placed because leaks and flooding did occur between the rudder post and its hull opening. The result was serious flooding of the steering gear room and aft steering.

[@davidnewell809]

Question... all these compartments with the inner bottom as a floor. In service would there have been flat decking installed? Or did the crew walk on the inclined steel as you are doing?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Some of the larger spaces used as large storerooms had portable floors in them to make them flat. None of these did because they were normally unmanned. The only reason to enter them was for occasional maintenance or to retrieve a spare part.

[@davidnewell809]

@@tomscotttheolderone364 Thanks!

[@justsoicanfingcomment5814]

Can we all take a moment to appreciate, Just how lucky this ship was to not be kept in Florida? Otherwise it would have sunk decades ago....

[@detroitandclevelandfan5503]

Do you know if they reworked the inside, when she dry docked?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

They have not been working on the inside since it doesn't require a dry dock to do that. They will be assessing what type of restoration work will be needed prior to reopening the ship and that will take priority. However, they have been performing major repairs to the foremast, bridge and aft fire control tower using grants for funding.

[@detroitandclevelandfan5503]

@@tomscotttheolderone364 Thanks for the info

[@boblovell5789]

Would asbestos lagging have been a problem at some stage ?. Maybe be some still exists but strictly off limits.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

While much has been removed, there is still a great deal on board that has been encapsulated. Most of it is in compartment not open to the public. Regardless, is meets all safety and environmental requirements. In spite of that spots here and there are occasionally damaged. When that happens, the space is immediately sealed and a licensed contractor is brought in to either removed the asbestos or re-encapsuate it.

[@briancooper2112]

Has a final location been located?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

No, Galveston is currently the only potential location on the short list, but there are critical issues that must be resolved before it can be finalized as the new home port. Until then, the ship will finish her dry dock repairs over the next 4-5 months, then tie up at a lay berth where repairs and restoration will continue.

[@HarveyParsons1975]

Dose USS Texas have a broadway ?

[@StevenRoth-e6r]

I did notice a lot of asbestos pipe insulation stil in place.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

You are right! Much has been remediated, but most remains. However, everything that can be reached has been properly encapsulated. Anytime damage is seen to any of it, the space it is in is closed and a licensed remediation contractor either repairs or removes it.

[@moralar6282]

Las partes que se quitaron como los ejes y las hélices, donde están?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

One prop was left with the ship and still exists. The Navy took the other prop and the shafts. Those disappeared.

[@moralar6282]

Gracias por la respuesta. Saludos desde Colombia...@@tomscotttheolderone364

[@robine5280]

I don't know the story on this one but was it on the ground? I am amazed how much corrosion would happen on a floating ship 😳 Edit: Had to google it, it wasn't. Absolutely amazing that steel this thick is eaten away on a floating vessel just by neglect.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Simply calling it neglect is too simple. There have been a lot of people and staff who dedicated their efforts to save the ship over the last 75 years, and they certainly have my respect. One thing to keep in mind is that Battleship Texas was far the largest and most complex ship to be turned into a museum in the United States at the time of donation in 1948. She was also 34 years old and worn out. While a considerable amount of work was put into her by the Navy to prepare her for donation, no one understood the level of continuous effort and money it would take to maintain her as a static museum. One result is that key mistakes were initially made that initiated the corrosion problems. Solutions were put into effect over the first 40 years that were intended to solve problems using low cost solutions, but they merely added to them. At the heart of it was continued lack of understanding combined with chronic under funding. Fortunately, those shortcomings are now being addressed using modern materials and techniques by some pretty farsighted people and significant infusions of money.

[@joepinto509]

To bad she's not restored to 💨 ng conditions...would be awesome to see her running under her own power .

[@LooterTooter]

Why did they put an emergency generator below the water line?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Good question. While the emergency generators are critical equipment, so are the engines, boilers, and other machinery that make up easily 90% of the ship's machinery, all located below the waterline. Placing it low in the ship offered the greatest possible protection from enemy shells and even torpedoes. Due to the manner in which the lower decks are compartmented, most cases of flooding would be isolated from the generators. One other thing. The emergency generators were added to the ship in 1942. There were none prior to that, so there was the matter of making places for them where none existed. Both compartments were simple storage rooms prior to installation, so the locations probably looked pretty attractive since it didn't require major moves of other equipment to install them.

[@scottpatnode92]

is tonnage 125,0000 tons?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

The ship is in a very lightened state since she contains no fuel, ammo, supplies, men, etc. That places her displacement at about 27,000 tons.

[@ChickenWang0]

I toured it in 2005

[@cblan3319]

All these confined spaces and NO VENTILATION OVERBOARD????

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Practically all of second and third deck spaces are open and air naturally exchanges pretty well throughout them. Many compartments on 1st platform, including engine and boiler rooms are open enough to ventilate well. The problem areas are on 2nd platform and hold deck levels where compartments are mostly accessed through vertical trunks and are typically closed. There isn't anything there to create toxic fumes, but even minor corrosion can consume the oxygen in their air. Blowers are used to ventilate any that are opened and prior to entry. Those that I entered with shooting the videos had been open for extended periods and periodically entered. They were also shot when there was a lot of activity on board, preparing the ship for tow to dry dock.

[@frankbodenschatz173]

Tom, are you going tomcontine with your videos?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I've pretty well run out of usable video content, especially with the ship in dry dock and inaccessible. There are some things that I could do, but I don't want to risk overlapping any potential videos that Battleship Texas Foundation may produce now or in the future. That makes it extremely difficult to come up with new content without it turning into a slide show. Also, my wheel house is Battleship Texas and I don't care to stray outside of it for subjects. I've been kicking around a couple of ideas, but nothing that will be done in the immediate future.

[@frankbodenschatz173]

@tomscotttheolderone364 Thanks Tom, I for one really love you videos. Look forward to more when u get back to them later. Can you comment on the progress of the 5", 40mm, and 20 mm systems updates as well? Do you know it they're attempting to reconstruct the fire control director 🤔 levels atop the main mast at a later date?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

@@frankbodenschatz173 They are pushing to finish the 5" guns asap since the ship is due to go back in the water mid February, and they need the heavy cranes to reinstall them while on the dock. Their carriages need to be lifted and trucked into place, then the 9,000lb barrels need to be slid in through the aircastle gun ports. About half of the 3" guns are complete. Most of the 40mm and 20mm still need attention. While work continues at a steady pace on those, they aren't as much of a problem since they are lighter and easier to handle. For that reason, their installation can wait until the ship is tied up at a pier. I am not aware of any plans to install replicas of the 5" and 14" directors in either fire control tower. That would be pretty low on the list since they wouldn't be particularly visible to guests. Higher on the list would be 3" gun director replicas since they are clearly visible to guests and would substantially improve the ship's appearance. The biggest improvement occurring right now are the windows being reinstalled in the aft fire control tower, immediately behind the smoke stack. They were plated over decades ago when the original windows failed. Without them, it is simply an odd looking structure whose function is not apparent to anyone who doesn't know what it is supposed to be.

[@frankbodenschatz173]

@tomscotttheolderone364 thanks for the update, Tom! Looking forward to more content!

[@samson9535]

The USS Texas is a Super Dreadnought class battleship, not a Dreadnought class BB.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

"Dreadnought" and "Super Dreadnought" are general design categories, not classes. If I described them as such, then I was wrong. "Dreadnought" is well defined and Texas clearly meets it. However, "Super Dreadnought" is poorly defined and frequently misapplied. I don't care to use it for Texas based merely upon the fact that she has 14" guns, because there is far more that should go into defining the term. Most of her design is simply a repeat or mild upgrade of what can be seen on earlier U.S. designs. However, the following Nevadas and later classes saw significant design changes, like heavier armor and all or nothing armor layout that made them clearly superior to her. Regardless, that is strictly my opinion and you are entitled to yours.

[@jimjoe9945]

Any consideration in getting a laser rust removal machine? Removes rust. paint, oil without damaging anything. 2000 watt machines cost approximately 16k. Leaves no debis to get rid of like sand and paint.

[@paulhunter1735]

It's an absolute crime that this ship was ever allowed to get in the condition that it's even in now let alone how bad it was before the repairs were done before. Since this ship is the last one in existence it should be treated like a national treasure instead of being allowed to rust away. I know the caretakers do what they can with the funds that they have so i of course don't blame them. I blame our government. The US government spends millions of dollars a year on national parks and lets not even get into the billions of dollars they send to countries that don't even like us. This ship should be taken to a dry dock and repaired to like new status or at least as close as they could get it since many of the parts that have rusted away can't be replaced. I'm very proud of the team that currently does what they can to keep her afloat and the dry dock workers that are helping to heal her wounds.

[@greghelms4458]

Sorry if stupid question. But how and why was the ship allowed to “long term flood”?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

That's a fair question. First, let me say that those in charge of her all the way back to 1948 when she came to Texas have been devoted to her survival. However, they were always challenged by the lack of funding and staff. At the time the ship was donated to the state of Texas, neither the Navy or the state were interested in spending the great amount of money required to dry dock and resolve all of the leaks on the old, riveted hull. That was only a small part of the problem. When the ship was towed and put in place at her new home, they moored her using steel cables and also flooded her trimming tanks, torpedo blisters and many fuel tanks with brackish water to settle her on the bottom as a low cost solution to holding her in place. That was a very short sighted mistake that greatly increased corrosion and flooding. It wasn't until the mid 1980's that it was clearly understood that the ship was close to being lost and a major effort made to save her. Their repairs saved the ship, but they didn't have the money to perform everything that was needed. For that reason, the ship continued to flood in limited areas and damage continued. The current repairs are now resolving all of that and it is hoped that they will add decades to her life. All in all, 110 years isn't bad for a ship designed to last for no more than 30!

[@PostalWorker14]

Looks like the Titanic

[@armaletalia3254]

I wonder how much asbestos is on that ship.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

A great deal has been removed, but a lot still remains. What is still there has been properly encapsulated and is regularly inspected. Any damage to it is either repaired, or the asbestos is removed by a qualified and licensed contractor.

[@timarm64]

One thing I would be very interested in is how many crew men manned some of these rooms?

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

Most of these spaces are storerooms and would not be occupied. The equipment in them only needed attention unless it failed. Even the emergency diesel generator could be remotely started, so it didn't normally require any crew to be present. However, the engine rooms that we went through would have been heavily manned with at least 20 crew per room.

[@timarm64]

@tomscotttheolderone364 Thank You.

[@mr.s9739]

This ship is sooo haunted.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

No

[@mr.s9739]

One of my highschool classmates had a picture of a demon looking creature standing next to him in the guts of the Texas.

[@jimmieblue6262]

Thank God we did not have osha in WW2 we would have lost.

[@JoshuaTootell]

OSHA doesn't apply to ships

[@--Valek--]

i'd be scared of air quality. all that exposed steel will sap oxygen from the air

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

You are absolutely right to have that concern. In these cases, the corrosion took place over a period of decades and isn't particularly active. The majority of compartments, passages and trunks that I transited have been left open so that even a slight change of air will keep them adequately oxygenated. Spaces that have been closed for any length of time are ventilated with blowers before they are entered.

[@seafodder6129]

Seems to be a questionable design choice to run the shafts through F/O tanks...

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I understand what you are saying, but oil tanks could help act as a buffer against torpedo strikes. Those particular tanks are also relatively small and could be quickly drained by opening valves to the main fuel suction line if a leak developed.

[@princessofthecape2078]

I wish after this refurbishment was completed she'd be permanently dry-docked. I'd prefer to not have her in a near sinking-state again.

[@JoshuaTootell]

Permanent drydock is worse for a ship.

[@Ron-u1z]

Please get your port and starboard correct. Also fwd and aft. You rectified it once by putting a caption on screen but you are the curator. I'm ex Royal Navy and it's annoying that you can't even get these basics correct.

[@tomscotttheolderone364]

I am not the curator, Thank God!!! However, your point is well taken. My only defense is that the majority of the videos were shot quickly moving from one compartment to the next during a photo archive of the ship. Not only was it easy to become disoriented, I couldn't go back and reshoot them after the fact. Anyway, that's my story and I am sticking with it!