American Queen
Coordinates: 30°01′26″N 94°00′04″W / 30.024°N 94.001°W
| 300px The American Queen docked in Saint Louis, Missouri | |
| Career (United States) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | American Queen |
| Owner: | Delta Queen Steamboat Company |
| Operator: | Delta Queen Steamboat Company |
| Route: | Mississippi River and tributaries |
| Builder: | McDermott Shipyard |
| Cost: | US$ 65 million |
| Laid down: | 1994 |
| Launched: | 1995 |
| Christened: |
June 1995 by Lynne Cooper Harvey & Paul Harvey |
| Maiden voyage: | June 9, 1995[1] |
| In service: | 1995 |
| Out of service: | October, 2001 |
| Fate: | sold |
| Career | |
| Owner: | Delaware North Companies, Inc. |
| Operator: | Majestic America Line |
| Route: | Mississippi River and tributaries |
| In service: | January 2003[2] |
| Out of service: | November 20, 2008 |
| Fate: | sold |
| Career | |
| Owner: | MARAD |
| Port of registry: | Violet, Louisiana then Beaumont, Texas |
| Out of service: | November 20, 2008 |
| Status: | mothballed and for sale |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Steamboat |
| Tonnage: | 3707 |
| Length: | 418 feet (127 m) |
| Beam: | 89 feet (27 m) |
| Height: | 109.5 feet (33.4 m) |
| Draught: | 8.5 feet (2.6 m) |
| Decks: | 6 |
| Installed power: | Steam engine and diesel-electric |
| Propulsion: | Paddlewheel and Z-drive |
| Capacity: | 222 staterooms, 436 passengers |
| Crew: | 160 |
American Queen is the largest steamboat ever built. The ship was built in 1995 and is a six-deck recreation of a classic Mississippi riverboat, owned by Majestic America Line. Although the American Queen's stern paddlewheel is indeed powered by a genuine steam plant (taken from), her secondary propulsion and much maneuverability comes from a set of diesel-electric propellers, known as Z-drives, on either side of the sternwheel.[2] She has 222 state rooms for a capacity of 436 guests and a crew of 160. She is 418 feet (127 m) long and 89 feet (27 m) wide.[3] The American Queen was featured on the March 9, 2009 episode of TLC's Little People, Big World as the Roloff family took a cruise from Memphis, Tennessee to Cincinnati, Ohio. Their trip took place in June 2008 and none of the other guests aboard the steamboat appeared in the episode, besides the Roloffs.
The Str. American Queen was retired to the reserve fleet in Violet, Louisiana, on 20 November 2008. Due to the failure of Majestic America Line (her owner) she was returned to the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) who held her $30 million mortgage. She is currently for sale and in storage at their fleet in Beaumont, Texas.[2] With this mothballing there are no overnight steamboats running on America's rivers for the first time since 1811.
References
- ↑ Stanchak, John. "The American Queen: 'Is best of old and best of new.'". http://away.com/primedia/transport/american_queen_1.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "American Queen". steamboats.org. http://www.steamboats.org/steamboat-pictures/american-queen.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ↑ "Official page". http://www.majesticamericaline.com/products/Ship.aspx?ID=1. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
