The SS United States may die soon

[707]

The 990-foot-long ship could be sold for scrap within two months unless the grass-roots preservation group that's working to secure a home and purpose for it can raise $500,000 immediately, the group told The Associated Press. Talks are under way with developers and investors about the ship's long-term future, but without the emergency funding, its caretakers fear they will run out of money before a deal is inked.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/25/ss-united-states_n_2948010.html

It looks like this may be the end. I really hope its current owners can raise half a million dollars soon to save her. Even if they don't get enough money, I'm glad they were able to at least add two more years to the ship's life.

[DeaconG]

That was one of the premier ships of the day, it will be sad to see it go.

I remember the first time I saw the ship, several years ago as I was cruising down Columbus Blvd (old Delaware Avenue) and looking over to see it in it's slip and going "Is that what I think it is?  OMG...not like that!"

I'm pretty sure I've got some pics of it around somewhere, it must have been either 2002 or 2004 when I saw it.

It deserves a better end than scrap.

[kkt]

It's too bad, but there's not too many options for a liner that's obsolete.  She was built for fast ocean crossings.  People who want to cross the ocean fast now take airplanes.  The cruise industry needs fuel efficient ships, not 35 knot ships.  All the distinctive furniture and decorations were sold years ago, now it's nothing but a hull.

[nexus73]

Get the book "A Man And His Ship" to see the story of how the SS United States came to be.  This ship weighed in as much as a battleship did and it went faster than a destroyer!  It was the greatest feat of ship engineering for it's time.  The fireproofing was the cherry on top of the sundae.  Only one wooden item was onboard and it was a piano that was about as fireproof as any wooden item could be.

Rick

[Road Hog]

I thought for a minute it was the 55 United States.

Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa. That gets us to 55.

[DeaconG]

I thought for a minute it was the 55 United States.

Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa. That gets us to 55.

Puerto Rico is a commonwealth, AFAIK.  The rest are territories...and I think they prefer it that way.

[Alps]

Puerto Rico is a commonwealth, AFAIK.

So is Pennsylvania. I'll gladly trade one for the other.

[DeaconG]

Looks like this story just made CNN.com:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/07/travel/ocean-liner-united-states/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

[Mr. Matté]

Also a story about it from February, CBS Sunday Morning:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57569752/saving-the-ss-united-states/