Titanic

Of Titanic and Men

 

Costa Concordia shipwreck (wire photo)
Costa Concordia shipwreck (wire photo)

The catastrophe of an Italian cruise liner,the Costa Concordia, has resurrected all kinds of connections to Titanic. Despite some eerie parallels in survivor accounts, theyare not the same. I will spare readers any cliches to Titanic as this ought to be judged strictly on its own terms. The captain, if press accounts are to be believed, made a serious lack of judgment by failing to use proper seamanship. And he may have abandoned ship without good cause. Transcripts of exchanges between the Italian Coast Guard and the captain telling him to return to his ship are damning.

It is almost predictable that politicians want to jump into the fray. In 1912 there were serious and compelling reasons to do so. Both inquiries, American and British, uncovered a lot of important details that resulted in major changes. Lifeboats for all, 24 hour communication watches, better attention to iceberg threats (International Ice Patrol), changes in shipbuilding etc. Technology has vastly improved since then. Radar, satellites, more accurate charts, better ship handling technologies. Even with the most sophisticated of technology implemented on modern day ships, catastrophes can still happen.

Mighty Poseidon wields a powerful trident and waves can knock the best designed ship around. Cruise ships and passengers caught in a terrible storm that thrashes them about have to trust the captain and his crew to get them safely through the night. Nearly every cruise ship today is designed with safety of passengers in mind. And few run into serious problems. Most western nations have strict regulations and the United States is considered the toughest (and the reason so many cruise lines register their ships elsewhere). And most ships are regularly inspected for safety compliance. The ship officers and bridge crew have to be competent and experienced. Regular drills to deal with emergencies are common.

Nothing though compares to the real thing. In An Officer and Gentleman one of the aviation candidates asks if the water simulation (where you simulate falling into the ocean after bailing out) is like the real thing. The petty officer says it is not at all like the real thing. And that is why you drill often, so that when the moment comes you avoid panic and think through the situation. There are conflicting accounts whether the crew responded well to the catastrophe. The fact that so many passengers were secured says something went right. Otherwise we could be talking about large numbers dead instead of the low number thus far.

The inevitable investigations will reveal more fully how the catastrophe happened. Right now it appears the captain and first officer made serious mistakes but one must resist coming to conclusions until all the facts are in. Press reports, especially initial ones, can be very unreliable. There will no doubt be problems found, they nearly always are. Jumping in and demanding hearings on cruise line safety is nothing more public grand standing by politicians desperate to show they are concerned. This is not 1912 and what happened was likely poor seamanship rather than a major flaw in either safety regulations or ship building design.

Additional Info:

Some very interesting images and more details can be found at Universe Today.

 

Caltrain

Caltrain 8-Ride Ticket Surprise

Caltrain is proposing getting ride of the 8-Ride ticket and raising fares for paper users. They promote this as a fare increase on paper users but fail to mention the cost to the former 8 Ride ticket holders. Akit over at his blog ran the numbers and it shows how they are going to be screwed by its elimination. Presently 8 Ride tickets get a 15% discount from purchasing single ride tickets. That is the reason many buy the ticket. Its elimination means those users will end up paying more to take the train.

Now those crunching the numbers at Caltrain must have figured this out. By saying they are tariff modifications and that any hike hits paper users downplays how 8-Riders get hit. These guys ought to be fuming mad. The wizards behind this probably figure since they are getting a Clipper discount, the ought to be no complaint. As Akit points out, this is a fare hike on 8-Riders.

Caltrain

Riding The Rails With Caltrain

Correction (13 Sept 2012):
I noted yesterday that the increased passenger levels meant no fare hikes. I forgot about the proposed “Changes To Condified Tariff” that will soon be decided upon by Caltrain. According to press release, Caltrain plans no fare increases for Clipper users but on cash passengers. They will pay 25 cents more per zone. If you use Clipper from San Francisco to San Jose, the one way fare is $8.75 or $17.50 roundtrip. Cash users will pay $9.75 or $19.50 roundtrip. They plan to eliminate 8-Ride Tickets and increase Go Pass Cost.

Mark’s view:
Eliminating the 8-Ride ticket is a good idea. It simply has been a major headache for most users. The old system simply required a machine stamp before boarding the train. The reason for this ticket was for those people who travel infrequently during a month but not enough to buy a full monthly pass. What Caltrain ought to do is offer something that BART does, the High Value Ticket that offers a discount. And consider free parking on weekends like many BART stations do as well.

Updates:
*San Bruno (temporary station)-The droning gas fired lights has been replaced by the steady glow of parking lamps. This is good news for the residents of the area. Now the parking lot is clearly illuminated. And the out of service info screen on the northbound side has been fixed. Sadly one of the Clipper readers on that side is still out of order (at least two months now).

*The Clipper machines at Fourth & King are fully operational. You can add cash or passes to your Clipper card at these machines. No really, you can! There was a long line the other day at Walgreens across from the station. While getting my favorite trail mix bars, one guy in line (the line went down that aisle) said there were Clipper machines at the station but not operating. I pointed out that there were now online and could add passes to a Clipper card. He and a friend left while others, to my surprise, stayed right there and one person saying “I don’t think you can do that….” Well folks, you can.

Observations:

*You see funny things when sitting around  Fourth & King station while waiting to board a train. If you frequent it enough you recognize the street people who constantly check the garbage for aluminum cans or anything else they might need. Some drift through asking passengers for spare change. Others just sit a while during the day. There are notable ones that mutter to themselves and saying things that only they can understand. Then again perhaps some of the ordinary people do things that seem odd. Take one gal I saw recently. Her carbonated water was too agitated when she opened it. Now most people would find some sensible way of dealing with it. Hers was to spill it out on the floor just behind one of the benches. Made for a nice puddle that the janitorial staff had to clean up later.

*Some months ago there was a directive issued that during non-commute hours and weekend trains that tickets be checked prior to boarding in San Francisco/San Jose. A lot of conductors did not like this and voiced their displeasure. Now it looks like either the rule has eased up or some conductors are just not doing it. Perhaps the change in management (Amtrak lost its long standing contract with Caltrain) has made the conductors less afraid to defy. However do not think they are not checking aboard the trains. One diligent conductor on southbound 284 checks nearly every time usually when the train pulls over in Bayshore to wait for the express to pass. And the policy of ticketing without exceptions appears to be in full force.

*Northbound train 159 is rarely on time and nearly always 3-4 minutes off but sometimes longer. It is a late afternoon train (it departs San Jose at 3:05 P.M.) and is supposed to arrive in San Francisco at 4:38 P.M. It is rare to see it pull in early (it does happen). One time it was ten minutes late into San Bruno and of course no explanation.

*News reports indicate passenger levels have risen on Caltrain. There are two possible factors (excluding weekends which draw different numbers from the weekday). One is that South of Market (SOMA or to us old timers south of the slot) has a lot more people working in the area than before. Second is that people are switching their mode of transportation to Caltrain from BART. BART is more expensive from San Bruno and Millbrae to San Francisco than Caltrain. The drawback is that from Fourth & King you have to take SF MUNI to downtown.  The good news is that Caltrain is not planning any fare hikes just now. The bad news is that they still have major financial problems. Perhaps all that money for the high speed rail to nowhere could be shunted over to Caltrain.

*There is a new Subway outlet near the San Francisco station. Head east on Townsend and just past the Golden Arches.

*Signs of doom when aboard a Caltrain: The train scheduled to leave later departs before your train.


Titanic, Titanic 2012

Belfast Telegraph Editorial:Revisit Titanic With Pride – And Dignity

The Belfast Telegraph recently had a nice editorial calling on people to remember what it is all about:

Photo courtesy George Behe
Photo courtesy George Behe

“Of course in all the excitement of the Titanic centenary and the rush to capitalise on it, everyone needs to remember that it was first and foremost a terrible human tragedy with 1,517 passengers and crew members dying. That death toll on a single night was the equivalent to half the number of people killed during the 30 years of the Troubles, a quite stunning perspective on the scale of the disaster. Nothing that is done or produced during the coming centenary year should defile the memory of those who died.”

Well said indeed.

Source: Belfast Telegraph, Revisit Titanic With Pride – And Dignity (editorial), 29 Dec 2011


Titanic, Titanic 2012

Happy New Year

The new year has finally arrived. It was greeted, depending on how you celebrated it, either with a large crowd of people waiting for that moment or a small gathering at home. Traditions vary around the world. Austrians love to dance to the Blue Danube after the last bell has struck. Fireworks are often used to herald in the new year or perhaps the banging of pots like they do in Ireland. For me it was mostly quiet and in bed long before the midnight bell. There were assorted shouts around where I live, firecrackers going off, and clinking of glasses. Sunrise brought a quiet and mildly cold morning.

Of course being 2012 means Titanic is going to be important. It is the centennial of Titanic’s one and only trip. So many events are being planned both large and small. Belfast is using the event to undertake major renovations and building the Titanic Quarter. A place where both past and present will be on display. Titanic exhibitions are being planned and plaques to Titanic heroes and victims are being refurbished or set up for the first time. Special cruises are planned to follow Titanic’s path and are nearly sold out. Of course all kinds of replica items are appearing in catalogs and online offering people something tangible they can have.

The artifacts brought up from it wreck will be soon going up for auction. Premiere Exhibitions (which owns RMS Titanic, Inc) was awarded title and allowed to seek compensation from the court. Buyers must agree to abide by the covenants that will accompany the sale. The artifacts are to be carefully preserved and for public display. So only museums and companies that seek to exhibit artifacts will be bidding for the collection or rather groupings of artifacts. And all sales have to be approved by the court before they can be finalized.

Many are rightly concerned about artifacts being sold. Salvage split the Titanic community into warring camps. On one side you had those, like Robert Ballard, who saw Titanic not unlike the U.S.S. Arizona and argued be a memorial. Titanic was a grave and ought to be treated with respect. The other side of that was that there was a lot to be learned from studying the wreck and bringing up artifacts. There was much we did learn from studying the wreck, such as that Titanic did split in two (due to the massive weight in the forward area) and that there was no long gash. Titanic was pierced to be sure but was by holes caused when the iceberg rubbed up against the hull.

All the artifacts came from the debris field between the forward and crumpled aft section. The crumpled stern was likely caused by air trapped inside as it slowly sank to the bottom. Massive implosions took place as the pressure increased and the air had no place to go. The forward section was mostly filled with water when it went down so nearly all of its air was gone. Not so in the stern leaving it a twisted wreck. When the ship split in two, it allowed all the things tossed into the water–plates, silverware, luggage, shoes, dolls, to name a few–to spill out to the bottom floor where they remained undisturbed for decades. Probably bodies too but there were consumed by the sea a long time ago.

The fiery debate over salvage proved how strongly people felt about Titanic. Unfortunately it created permanent wounds and even ended friendships. The issue, at least legally speaking, is resolved. A U.S. Federal court had extensive hearings over whether RMS Titanic, Inc. (RMSTI) had legal rights was resolved in their favor. The court though kept jurisdiction owing to the historic nature of Titanic to make sure that artifacts brought up were properly conserved and displayed. And for the most part, that has worked out. There was a dispute over whether others could lower submersibles down to view Titanic. RMSTI argued it had exclusive rights to even view the wreck. The claim was rejected in U.S. courts and you are free to take the plunge down providing you have the cash (between $30-60K).

With the centennial this year, many worry a repeat of what happened when Cameron’s Titanic came out. Titanic societies and online discussion forums were deluged with people seeking information often about fictional characters. The key difference is that this is not about the movie, but the real thing. Yes there will lots of merchandise offered on every conceivable detail about Titanic. Some of it very worthy (like new editions of old Titanic historical treatments or a digitally updated versionsof A Night To Remember). Others might be tacky like replicas of a necklace worn in that movie. Or perhaps Titanic cutlery or plates that were used aboard White Star Line ships. For years a certain soap has advertised itself in catalogs as have been used aboard Titanic. Is that tacky? Not quite since the soap is considered quite good. Of course an ice cube mold that shapes ice like Titanic is tacky or perhaps creepy. One wonders why you would want ice shaped like Titanic in your favorite adult beverage other than to get attention.

For many ignoring the hype and focusing on the real story is key. We cannot forget that one of the most remarkable ships of her day sank on her maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg killing 1,522 men, women, and children. All of their dreams and aspirations were silenced in that so very cold night when there were not enough lifeboats for all. While everyone likes to attack J. Bruce Ismay as the villain of the piece but they forget a complacent government that allowed for so few lifeboats to be required. One can argue endlessly about whether California saw or did not see the rockets Titanic fired but one thing is clear: had California raced to the scene just like Carpathia the outcome would have been the same.

Of the bravery of many, stories abound. And those are what just some of what Titanic is about. Stay tuned for the stories to be told as the year unfolds.

Caltrain, Titanic, Titanic 2012

Titanic Musings

*As the centennial of Titanic’s demise approaches, the news is full of memorabilia being auctioned off, various events, and all kinds of large and small things being done. For instance a Hampshire street is being named for Captain Rostron, the captain of the Carpathia that responded to Titanic’s distress call. A housing development, Rostron Close, was named in his honor. (Source:  Street Named After Carpathia’s Captain Arthur H Rostron, BBC News, 25 Nov 2011,)

*Every association is being mined for the centennial. For years a certain soap that was used on the ship mentions that in advertising. Now a cutlery company is doing the same thing. Arthur Price supplied cutlery to White Star back in 1912. They issuing an updated version that was used by first class passengers. The Titanic centennial cutlery will be a complete set that includes teaspoons and butter knives. The White Star logo appears on each piece. (Source:  Midland Firm Which Supplied Titanic’s Cutlery Still Going Strong ,The Birmingham Post, 25 Nov 2011, )

*Father Browne captured the only photos of Titanic at sea. An avid photographer, his collected works show facets of life back then. A new edition of his Titanic photos will be coming out soon. It will probably have updated details of his life, perhaps introductions from noted Titanic historians or enthusiasts. No date was given for it coming out so look out it in 2012. (Source:Titanic’s Final Photographs By Father Frank Browne , BBC News, 23 Nov 2011)

*The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has gotten tough about nonprofits filing their required reports. They sent out letters warning that failure to file will result in their nonprofit status being revoked. Over the years the IRS has let it slide but now many small nonprofits and churches are getting hit. Back in October the Marine Museum in Fall River, Massachusetts had its nonprofit status revoked for not filing required paperwork. When this was reported, it caused a minor stir and lots of questions as to why it happened. The local assessor was contacted and said the change in status meant property taxes would have to assessed.

The museum houses many maritime exhibits including a Titanic replica from the 1953 movie starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck. The replica was provided by the Titanic Historical Society in 1986 that stipulated that the Marine Museum would keep it in good shape. The historical society reserved the right to take it back if they failed to live up to the agreement. Ed Kamuda learned of the IRS revocation and probably read the news articles that raised questions about how the museum was being run. So he wrote a letter to the city outlining his concern about the museum closing and the Titanic replica. Recent news reports indicate that the accountant is getting all the paperwork in order. Yet something is very wrong here. One does not ignore letters from Internal Revenue demanding you file required paperwork or lose nonprofit status.  The IRS is not posturing, they usually intend to do what they say.

Memo to Ed Kamuda: Consider putting the Titanic replica elsewhere.
(Source: Titanic Society Worried That Replica At Marine Museum Could Fall By Wayside, Fall River Herald News, 21 Nov 2011)

*Caltrain Woes (ongoing)
-About two months ago Clipper card machines were added to the Fourth & King Station in San Francisco. And then they sat there for that same amount of time with a yellow sticker across from them. Well apparently they finally got them powered up but not much else. Meanwhile the pigeons have something shiny to sit on.

-There was a major problem with the Jerrold Bridge project a month ago that got barely reported in the press. They were replacing an antiquated bridge in San Francisco with a new steel one. It was gong to be done overnight so that train traffic on Saturday morning would run. Something went amiss though and when I arrived in Millbrae that morning, no trains were running into San Francisco. So everyone had to take BART. Supposedly we to be given free BART tickets but no one offered me one. My return trip around noon found the San Francisco station shuttered and the station guy telling us to board a SamTrans bus for a trip Powell Street Bart. Again no BART ticket was handed out as the press person claimed it was. Trains began running the full circuit after 1:00pm

-The *temporary* San Bruno station has the feel of temporary. One Clipper card reader has been out of order for weeks, one of the electronic signs is also just about dead. They are still putting up fixings like a walkway. There are giant gasoline powered lights that light up the parking area. They constant rumble must be a joy to the residents. And on any given day parking is thrown into mess. There is a lot of parking (and a long way to walk to the station). But due to construction one side might be closed in the morning so everyone has to park on the other. And of course the dust. Lots of it as they tear up the old station. And occasionally a homeless person decides to make one of the passenger shelters or ticket areas a temporary home.

-Everyone who rides Caltrain hears the familiar refrain about it being a nonsmoking train, keep feet off seats, please talk quietly on cellphones etc. But of course the conductors can choose to ignore it. One Saturday afternoon a couple sitting across from me had their feet up on the seats and drinking adult beverages. The conductor walks in, goes by them and back again. Never tells them to take their feet off. What happens when the train is full of boisterous people heading to a game? Conductors tend to avoid walking through the cars unless there is a real reason (they do an initial walk through and may check tickets but then stick to the first car for remainder of trip). What they miss is cars turned into party zones and other things they would prefer not to see. Some conductors seem grumpy and even mad about having to be there. Others seem to just want to sit down and have a chat with each other. Now most conductors I have met are decent and do their jobs well. But those few grumps and lazy ones are the ones that everyone notices (and tries to avoid if possible).

-Southbound 284 hit a snag in San Francisco the other night. When departure time came, the doors were closed and then we sat there. A problem with the signal we were told. Looking out the window, I saw the 6:33 head out which was not good news. Normally we wait at Bayshore for that train to pass. Eventually the conductor came on the intercom and told us the signal was out of order, this train was out of service, and for us to de-train and go to track 10. Once again a train defeated by a simple but malfunctioning piece of equipment.

-Rate increases are coming according to Holier Than You Blog . An upcoming Joint Powers Board (the wizards that oversee Caltrain) meeting has on its agenda a fare increase but hidden within “tariff changes.” According to the document, a public meeting will include discussing elimination 8-ride tickets, increasing the cost of paper one way tickets, day passes, and zone upgrades, and increasing the Go Pass price. That means if you use anything other than Clipper, you pay more. Caltrain has been doing well lately with increased passengers and revenue, which is why they are keeping talk of fare increases quiet for the moment. 8-ride tickets though make little sense these days. They ought to eliminate them and give everyone who uses Clipper a discount. It is more economic that way for people who travel more than 8-rides and less than a full month. If they want to make more money, bring back the old parlor car and sell coffee and snacks.

-Although unrelated it is sort of Caltrain news. When the N-Judah stopped running out to Caltrain on weekdays, there were howls of protest from commuters forced to take the 1 car T-Third that was slow (it was a J-Church back then, now K-Ingelside). It got so loud Mayor Newsom got into the act and the N line returned running to Caltrain on weekdays. Then they decided to shut it off on weekends saying not enough passengers used it. Fair enough but what the never factored in was all those many special events (including sports games) that brought many into a city on the weekends. Events at AT&T Park are easy to deal with since Caltrain passengers just walk down the street and they can put on extra trains out to the ballpark. But what about events further away like in Golden Gate Park , the Presidio, or the Ferry Building?The 10, 30, 45, and 47 all serve Caltrain but none go near the Embarcadero. For that you can take the T and at Fourth & King became very packed. The other bus lines can take you to Market Street where you can transfer to other lines but means also more people packing into those buses. Over at the N line stop right across from Caltrain, a sign hung on a chain (often not drawn across so people mistakenly walked up to the platform) told people the line did not operate on weekends or holidays.

My guess is that there were complaints made about the lack of transit on weekends. The T and the buses simply could not handle the extra capacity. I noticed the N running out one weekend and presumed it was for the Cal game at AT&T park. It turns out though it was a trial run to restore the N weekend service. It happened without any major notice except on the Muni updates one weekend. It said simply the N was running on weekends again to Caltrain. That is good news because now you can get to the Embarcadero much easier and the two car N line can absorb a lot more passengers than the T. Too bad it took a lot of frustration and headaches to make the wizards at SFMTA figure that one out.

Titanic

Titanic News For 22 Nov 2011

1. Titanic Society Worried That Replica At Marine Museum Could Fall By Wayside (21 Nov 2011, Fall River Herald News)
The Titanic Historical Society Inc., which donated a 28-foot, 1-ton replica to the Marine Museum 25 years ago, recently sought assurance that its famous model would not sink into oblivion. Questions over the ship’s status, society members said, were prompted by a series of Herald News stories, including one on Oct. 27 reporting that the Internal Revenue Service revoked the Marine Museum’s nonprofit standing this year as a result of its failure to file IRS 990 forms for at least three years. “We are quite concerned over the troubling news reported to us,” said a letter by Edward Kamuda, Titanic society founder/president. He wrote the letter to City Council President Michael Lund on Oct. 28.

2. Poignant Memento: Family Died In ‘Titanic’ Disaster (21 Nov 2011, Irish Times)
A remarkable photograph of a widowed Irish mother and her five young sons who perished in the Titanic disaster is to be sold at auction next month. Margaret Rice (39), a widow, and her sons Albert (10), George (8), Eric (7), Arthur (4) and Eugene (2), who lived in Athlone, Co Westmeath, all died when the infamous ship sank in the north Atlantic in April 1912. Mealy’s auctioneers said the 100-year-old photograph had been kept by the woman’s extended family and passed down through generations. It is being reluctantly sold by a descendant still living in Athlone.

3.  Westfield Students Build Own ‘Titanic’ (18 Nov 2011, Jamestown Post Journal)
The ship was built out of oversized boxes and filled a third of Mrs. Odell’s classroom. The 13 students in her class worked for over a month to create the ship. The “Titanic” contained several areas, from the steering house complete with the ghost of Captain John Edward Smith at the helm, to the furnace room with an Irish worker stoking the boiler. There was even an iceberg cracking through the starboard side of the ship.

MacHighway - Web Hosting for Mac Users, by Mac Users, Since 1997

Titanic, Titanic Exhibitions

Titanic News For 18 Nov 2011

1. ‘Titanic’ Exhibition Headed For San Diego Natural History Museum (17 Nov 2011,SignOnSanDiego.com)
The blockbuster touring show, “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” is set to land for a seven-month run at the San Diego Natural History Museum on Feb. 10, 2012. “This is a rare opportunity to view these historic pieces in San Diego,” said Michael W. Hager, the museum’s president and CEO in a statement. “It took a monumental effort to recover the artifacts, including eight trips to the wreckage located 2.5 miles beneath the surface of the Atlantic. This exhibit combines that technical story with the human drama that makes the Titanic tragedy such a well-known event.”

Info: Tickets to the San Diego showing will be $27, with discounts for members, military and others. Call (877) 946-7797 or visit sdnhm.org

2.  The Human Cost Of The Titanic Disaster (16 Nov 2011, Jarrow & Hebburn Gazette)
In Titanic: Triumph and Tragedy, chilling photographs of some of the dead, which White Star circulated in the hope of identifying them, are monstrous reminders of the scale of human loss. The approaching centenary of the Titanic disaster next spring has presented publishers with the opportunity to explore the catastrophe in impressive detail. The heavyweight has to be Titanic: Triumph and Tragedy. This veritable doorstop of a third edition, by two of the world’s most renowned Titanic experts, is illuminating on many levels. One of them is how extensively the Titanic was actually photographed, both inside and out. Moments of true maritime history were recorded, like the picture of Titanic and her sister ship Olympic – later broken up here on the Tyne – bow-to-stern at the yard of Harland and Wolff.

Charles Lightholler 1912

3. Titanic Survivor Featured In New Book (14 Nov 2011, Chorley Guardian)
The extraordinary life and career of a Titanic voyager from Chorley is being celebrated by a writer with a mission. Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller was the most senior surviving officer on the ship, and has fascinated writer Patrick Stenson for years. In a new edition of Patrick’s book, the former writer and broadcaster claims he has uncovered new evidence regarding the tragedy. The 65-year-old from Altrincham said: “I was going over the old evidence and I noticed some things that hadn’t been picked out in the inquiry. “It became quite clear that the ship was on top of the iceberg before the crew realised – it was much, much closer than people thought.”


Titanic, historic ship, and general history news.