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Feel the power!!!!

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Posted by SALfan1 on Monday, November 22, 2021 10:34 PM

BaltACD

 

 

Same thing along the Savannah River in downtown historic Savannah.  Ships navigating to or from their docks.

 

My wife and I were living in my hometown (near Savannah) during the first Gulf War.  We happened to be down by the river in Savannah on the day the USNS Bellatrix, a large roll-on roll-off cargo ship, sailed out of port loaded with Army equipment headed for the Middle East.  The streets on top of the bluff are probably 20 feet or more above the surface of the water, and that ship looked iike a very long, very tall gray wall motoring down the river.

Earlier we had visited Newport News, VA with someone who had access to the Navy base and drove past an aircraft carrier at the dock or near it - that beast was IMMENSE!!   Hard to believe something that huge could look tiny out in the ocean, but I'm sure it does.

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Posted by CMStPnP on Monday, November 22, 2021 10:01 PM

Backshop
We could never do Cunard since we're not the dress up types. 

Yeah that is what is holding me back.    Mandatory wear of a Tux three nights of the cruise..............otherwise you can eat in the snack bar.    Screw that.

I'm paying above market prices and thats my only option?

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, November 22, 2021 6:09 PM

York1

While looking for this picture -- Titanic and modern cruise ship:

 

 

Then found this one:

 

 

 

Wow.  I think I'd rather travel on an "Olympic" class ship than one of those mega-cruisers.  Those things are TOO damn big.  They make me nervous.

Now the "Enterprise-D" might make a cool ride!  

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, November 22, 2021 4:09 PM

tree68
 
BaltACD
We see pictures of ships all the time - but until you get 'up close and personal' you really can't comprehend just how LARGE they are. 

Indeed.

We were at a college social event at a state park hard by the American Narrows of the St. Lawrence River when an upbound ship passed.  

The Narrows aren't all that wide, but are very deep (300').

All you could see from shore was a wall of steel going by.

I will say that a 440' ship gets kind of small if you're out in the middle of the ocean...

Same thing along the Savannah River in downtown historic Savannah.  Ships navigating to or from their docks.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by York1 on Monday, November 22, 2021 4:04 PM

While looking for this picture -- Titanic and modern cruise ship:

 

 

Then found this one:

 

 

York1 John       

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Posted by Backshop on Monday, November 22, 2021 4:03 PM

My wife and I have always wanted to do a transatlantic cruise but probably never will.  We're faking it next month by doing a round trip from NYC to Bemuda and back.  

PS--We're scheduled for another cruise in May-June from the UK to Norway and ending up in Iceland.  Since we'll be leaving Southampton, we'll get the other port of a transatlantic crossing checked off.  We could never do Cunard since we're not the dress up types.  NCL is more our flavor.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, November 22, 2021 3:47 PM

chutton01

From the thread title, I thought this was about those 'Xlerator' hand dryers in public restrooms...

 

They sure beat the old-style hot air hand dryers!

Remember the instructions on them?

1)  Push button.

2)  Rub hands vigorously under nozzle.

3)  Wipe hands on pants.  

Wink

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Posted by 54light15 on Monday, November 22, 2021 3:46 PM

A Navy pilot said about the USS Enterprise from the 1960s- "It's a big ship but a damn small airport." 

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Posted by chutton01 on Monday, November 22, 2021 3:45 PM

From the thread title, I thought this was about those 'Xlerator' hand dryers in public restrooms...

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, November 22, 2021 3:34 PM

BaltACD
We see pictures of ships all the time - but until you get 'up close and personal' you really can't comprehend just how LARGE they are.

So true!

When I was a boy in the early 60's before the end of the great ocean liner era we drove down the west side of New York past the piers.  In port at the time were the "Queen Elizabeth," the "Queen Mary," the "United States" and several others I can't remember. 

You're right Balt, the sight was awe-inspiring!  How huge they were!

I think everyone may find this interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw21S4g9qk8

 

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, November 22, 2021 3:31 PM

tree68
I will say that a 440' ship gets kind of small if you're out in the middle of the ocean...

And how!  I've been there.

I couldn't help but be reminded of the old fisherman's prayer:

"Oh Lord have mercy on me!  For thy sea is so vast, and my boat is so small!"

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, November 22, 2021 2:23 PM

BaltACD
We see pictures of ships all the time - but until you get 'up close and personal' you really can't comprehend just how LARGE they are.

Indeed.

We were at a college social event at a state park hard by the American Narrows of the St. Lawrence River when an upbound ship passed.  

The Narrows aren't all that wide, but are very deep (300').

All you could see from shore was a wall of steel going by.

I will say that a 440' ship gets kind of small if you're out in the middle of the ocean...

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, November 22, 2021 12:34 PM

tree68
Sometimes on the Deshler cam (and I'm sure others as well) if it's quiet (ie, no wind noise), you can hear the thrum-thrum of the big Diesels well before they blow for the crossings.  

That said, I think I can understand that someone would be awed being that close to such a huge machine - much larger than anything else in most peoples lives.

And then as a kid, my Dad drove me up Key Highway in Baltimore - at that time Bethlehem Steel's shipbuilding division had several drydocks located along Key Highway - to move past the ships in the dry docks that towered 30 - 40 - 50 feet over the level of the street was awe inspiring.

We see pictures of ships all the time - but until you get 'up close and personal' you really can't comprehend just how LARGE they are.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by 54light15 on Monday, November 22, 2021 12:07 PM

That woman struck me as the kind of person who just had to stick her hands in the lion's cage at the zoo. "I didn't think he'd bite me" she says as she enacts a lawsuit against the zoo. 

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Monday, November 22, 2021 11:13 AM

They have the POWER to move you, no doubt about it. Better to 

STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN than get in their way. 

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, November 22, 2021 11:12 AM

Sometimes on the Deshler cam (and I'm sure others as well) if it's quiet (ie, no wind noise), you can hear the thrum-thrum of the big Diesels well before they blow for the crossings.  

That said, I think I can understand that someone would be awed being that close to such a huge machine - much larger than anything else in most peoples lives.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, November 22, 2021 10:47 AM

Sometimes you don't have to touch it to "feel the power."

I was parked by the Staples Mill Road Amtrak station a few years back in a Chevy "Cavalier" when a CSX freight came through pulled by SD40-2's, and I was less than 50 feet from the tracks.

The "Cavalier" started and rumbling and vibrating!  You suppose it was a sympathetic reaction from another GM product?  I have to wonder.

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Feel the power!!!!
Posted by CMStPnP on Sunday, November 21, 2021 9:54 PM

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