- SteamPunkAs Labor Populism
- SteamPunk: A New "Guilded" Age?
- 5th Gen. Seattleite's Dismay: "Boneshaker"
- Absinthe (AKA "the Green Fairy")
- Remembering the "Steam" in Steampunk: the Virginia V.
- "Steam" in Steampunk, part II The S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien
- "Steam" in SP pt. II, the regal triple expansion steam engine.
re: "Steam" in steampunk, pt ii:
The s.s. jeremiah o'brien
This is the S. S. Jeremiah O'Brien. This vessel is also the last of its kind-- an intact, as built, real life WWII Liberty ship. There were around 2700 of this class, the EC2s, built to provide transport by the U.S. Merchant Marine for the supplies without which the military cannot function. Everything from grain to heavy duty armaments. This was emergency construction; the J.O. was put together in 56 days! Who thought that any of them would still be around? In addition, the J.O. was actually part of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France. So in 1993, the 50th anniversary of D-Day, a crew of Merchant Marine vets in their 70s and some Cal Maritime Academy students sailed the S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien all the way from California to England and France. Met by cheering crowds, of course.
What was considered at the time to be one of those squat, unappealing metal "ugly duckings" has finally lived long enough to be seen as a respected, regal beauty. The ship now resides in San Francisco harbor, pier 45, as the National Liberty Ship Memorial, tended by a devoted all-volunteer crew. As of Mar.2012, just out of dry dock, ready to go.
http://www.ssjeremiahobrien.org
What was considered at the time to be one of those squat, unappealing metal "ugly duckings" has finally lived long enough to be seen as a respected, regal beauty. The ship now resides in San Francisco harbor, pier 45, as the National Liberty Ship Memorial, tended by a devoted all-volunteer crew. As of Mar.2012, just out of dry dock, ready to go.
http://www.ssjeremiahobrien.org