Save The Delta Queen - Crew Video

[herrmill]

For all those enjoying Tom's journey on the American Queen, you may be interested in watching this video put out by the crew of Delta Queen as they do all they can to try & save this national treasure from a forced retirement.

Save The Delta Queen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ss0tgXYSPc)

Please be sure to post a comment & pass it along to anyone you know who may be interested in helping extend her SOLAS exemption. :)

Chuck

[avidjeepr]

http://www.cybercruises.com/deltaqueen.htm

Chuck,
It said it was rebuilt in 98' at a cost of 3.3 million dollars, it should be plenty capable of continuing service. Why are they forcing a retirement? :confused:

[Predreadnut]

I believe new regulations.

[der kapitan]

I believe new regulations.
What a :censored: crock that is! :(

They should have put those up on Wall Street---. :p

[bigford]

i checked my map wall street and main street dont meet :rolleyes:

[herrmill]

Unfortunately the Delta Queen has become nothing more than a pawn in a labor dispute between her owners MAL & Rep (MN) James Oberstar who is the head of the House Transportation Committee & a vocal opponent of the DQ.

The DQ has been exempt from SOLAS regs since the Nixon Administration but Oberstar is using the safety issue as his negotiating tool in this dispute & apparently has no concern about the DQ's future. Earlier bills has been issued in the House but killed by Oberstar & his supporters. Hopefully a new bill S. 3498 put forth by Sen. George Voinovich will pass this time around & save her from retirement.

You can read more details on what you can do to enlist more support for this last ditch measure to save her SOLAS exemption here:

http://www.steamboats.com
http://www.steamboats.org

I personally would hate to see her sidelined as another floating hotel, restaurant or casino when she has many more years of useful service as an overnight paddle steamer.

Chuck

[jerryj98501]

I have sent my four letters to my representatives already. We were on the DQ for a week and I can tell you we didn't have a problem with safety. We had a 2.5in. sprinkler pipe with two heads in our stateroom, flame and heat resistant paint, heat and smoke detector and a full crew fully certified in fire fighting. We were also at all times within three minutes to either shore in case of a problem. We also had a medical problem between two cities, they called 911 to notify them of the situation and we pulled into shore, extended the stage and by that time the 911 people were there to pick up the lady. To tell the truth, I felt better protected on the DQ than in the 18th. floor room in our hotel in Pittsburg. Contact your representatives on this matter and tell them ro renew the extension. Jerryj98501

[Kmot]

The captain of the AQ told us that the DQ can no longer have overnight passenger service because all ships that do passenger service are required to have a superstructure made from steel and not wood. He said the DQ will probably continue operating as a daytime passenger service.

[herrmill]

Sadly the AQ captain is misinformed & is just spouting the company line since the DQ's SOLAS exemption is not over yet. MAL has not fought hard to retain the DQ's exemption. It all comes down to the owner is focused on the bottom line & believes a smaller fleet is best for them.

[jerryj98501]

Herrmill, that is exactly the feeling I got sitting through a few presentations while on our trip on the DQ. The companys response to the situation was very lackluster and many on the crew expressed similar concerns. Jerryj98501

[herrmill]

Jerry,

I agree with you 150%. Alhough I'm sure it comes down to a "business decision", Majestic American certainly hasn't been a good steward of Delta Queen over the past year. Hopefully we'll see a SOLAS extension & someone with a better corporate philosophy & deep pockets will turn up. Where's Paul Allen when you need him? Are there any rich guys named Green who may be interested in reviving the old line? :)

Chuck

[herrmill]

Here is a new video put out by the crew on the undisputed safety features of Delta Queen There is absolutely no safety issue here... its all politics & has been since the start of the issue last year between MAL & the union.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiB7aQoOPhg

After watching the video, please leave a comment then contact your representative or senator to have them support Delta Queen's SOLAS extension.

Feel free to pass this it along to those who also care about an important aspect of our maritime heritage that is about to disappear before your eyes.

Chuck

[trawlerlover]

After watching that it definitely seems like a bad idea to retire the Delta Queen. It would worsen the economy and people just wouldn't be able to enjoy it. Plus after watching that video it seems safer than my house!

[herrmill]

Well folks, she's headed downstream on her last voyage on the Ohio... hopefully just for this season.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/22/america/NA-US-Delta-Queen.php

In the for-what-its-worth department, I read that MAL plans to get out of steamboat business & is selling all the Queens. Guess that's why they haven't been hard at work trying to save the DQ's SOLAS exemption. At this point, the only good thing that may come of this is that Oberstar might get kicked out of office along with that other loon from Minnesota who wants to resurrect the McCarthy era.

For anyone interested in a Delta Queen kit, I've heard that Don at Loyalhanna will be developing several accessory kits for the Hartman 1/50 hull they currently offer. I, among others here, plan to get one of these when the time is right & my bench is clear. ;)

[Norway2112]

Chuck,

Oberstar has been in office since 1975, and comes from a highly liberal area, the poor guy running against him doesn't stand a whole lot of chance. However...once new owners step in, and bring back the unions (as has been rumored all the interested parties plan to), then it would be working against the union he's trying to support to keep the boat out of business. Depending on who buys her this winter, will greatly influence the future of our beloved Delta Queen. She stops in Louisville Friday and you can bet where I'll be all day!

Phillip