02/25/2025
For those of you who may not be aware... The SS UNITED STATES is an American ocean liner built in 1952. Built for Trans-Atlantic express luxury passenger service, she had a dual-role to quickly be transformed into a troop transport in case the Cold War went HOT, but was never called to duty. Equipped with the most efficient and most powerful steam-turbine propulsion systems of that time, she immediately won "The Blue Riband" for shortest crossing times over the Atlantic, beating the QUEEN MARY's record by nearly half a day! Her performance and specifications were CLASSIFIED, even years after her hasty retirement in 1969.
After being pulled from service in 1969, she spent years laid up in VA, then later in Philadelphia from 1996 until just this past Wedneday!
Sadly, after all this time gone by, the stripping of her original passenger interiors, and decades of decay, the efforts to revive and restore her into a floating hotel/museum were never realized. Forced with skyrocketed docking fees, eviction, and court battles, she was recently purchased by Okaloosa County, Florida. About 20 miles off the shore near Destin-Fort Walton Beach, along the Panhandle, sits numerous ships of various sizes, which were purposely sunk to become artificial reefs and popular scuba diving sites. Currently, the largest man-made object to be sunk for this purpose is already there... the former US Navy aircraft carrier, USS ORISKANY CV-34. Some time in 2026, the SS UNITED STATES will once again steal a record from another vessel... this time to become the LARGEST artificial reef!
As of early this morning, VINIK No.6, the sea tug that is current towing the SSUS from Philadelphia, is approximately 100 miles west of Cape Canaveral, FL at 4.5 kn on a SSW course.
She is heading to Mobile, AL where she should arrive in about a week or less. She will go through a remediation of toxic and hazardous materials, plus continued removal of original interior items and parts of her propulsion machinery that can be preserved for display. The iconic, large red, white, and blue funnels will be removed, with the forward funnel being saved and displayed at a future museum site located in Florida near her resting place.
The main mast and radar platforms located just behind the bridge, will also be removed and displayed at this museum. The museum's structure will be a recreation of the ship's bridge and forward section of her open boat deck, and enclosed promenade deck.
Although this has nothing to do with trains, I thought I would share all this with everyone... especially since this grand lady is nearing the coast of West Palm Beach, the namesake of my car! Although she would be too far from shore to be visible, many photos of her journey have been coming out, which I am sharing as well. A screenshot of this morning's current AIS position of the SSUS and VINIK No. 6 shows her position.
