Dog, how about Tim Heidie? He was a 2nd or 1st class on Gudgeon and went over to Dolphin.

I was a few years before you Nick, but I served aboard USS Dolphin (AGSS 555) and USS Halibut (SSN 587) among others. I'm certain that we know some of the same people.

Big ass 2,000 lb lead acid cells, all in series. Not sure if any had two sets of batteries or not.

Those old subs were basically surface ships that could slink (sink?) away. That is why the old hull shapes were funny looking, for stability on the surface.

Any kind of fire was real bad (still is). Imagine all the brush dust from the DC motors and generators! No vfds back then.

"When the sub is submerged it runs on batteries and DC electric motors."
That would be scary, esp having seen batteries fail.

I think Das Boot gives you a feeling for the level of scary.

" in the civilian side, they ignore it"

This may have been true pre-TMI. These days the safety-conscious atmosphere at commercial nuclear sites (that I have seen, at least) borders on fanatical. The Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) has very high standards (in addition to the NRC) which, for a variety of financial reasons, are treated as regulations by the utilities. And part of INPO's philosophy is to constantly raise the bar on plant safety.

Just touring a couple of diesels (one WWII, and a couple of modern ones), I would have to agree with you. My old boss at EB used to wax nostalgic about the fleet boats, a whole different era! Nowadays, a US submarine is probably the most survivable platform in wartime, bar none.

BTW, they put the sail of the NR-1 over in New London with the Nautilus. Another cool Rickover contribution.

I wonder what Rickover thought of Ayn Rand.

Indeed. "What is a warning for? What is the operator supposed to do? Alarm yes. Indicator, yes. Warning, no"

No reason this safety record can not be carried into the private sector.

Still gotta learn more about these Thorium reactors that Jan brought to my attention though.

I served on USS Wahoo (SSAG 565) and USS Gudgeon (SSAG567) when they were "research" subs. I learned you respect the WW2 vets and anyone who served on a diesel boat, as the conditions were terrible compared to a nuke, but we had some good times. Went up the Sacramento river with Gudgeon to Sacramento.

PWRs (Pressurized water reactors) are inherently safe, I lived around them for 20 years, and the Navy nuclear program is very hard on them, as far as both maintaining and dealing with emergencies. Annually you have a Nuclear Reactor Safeguard Exam whener the whole crew had to do interviews and quizzes, for both safety and security. Even the duty chief (who is responsible for forward of the reactor compartment) had to pass oral exams on how to deal with emergencies. The real issues all stem from companies who want the efficiency of nuclear power and not do the safety and maintenance end of it, and almost every accident can be traced to a failure and improper response. 3 mile Island is a perfect example of where they misread the cues of what was happening and actually ignored an alarm because they had had false ones. There are no false alarms on navy reactors, if they do have one, whatever causes it is replaced, in the civilian side, they ignore it, thus melting down their reactor. Rickover was a hard man, but he was 100% right in how to run them.

The diesel is only run on the surface or when snorkeling at periscope depth. When the sub is submerged it runs on batteries and DC electric motors.

To Nick & Salty:
Thanks. You were able to do something for me that I couldn't. I have a close friend who spent 20 years in a sub. He considered the type of ship illustrated as being "luxurious." However, he's even older than me.

Pearl Harbor has a WW2 sub, USS Bowfin, that you can go aboard and tour. I'm astounded that anyone could ride that thing submerged -- it's tiny AND has a diesel engine, which is competing with the crew for air.

The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry has a captured German sub from WWII and the Nautilus, the first US nuclear sub, is on display in Bridgeport Conn.

Zero accidents, and less radiation than a transatlantic flight.

No question. That window was for tourists, not sailors.

If you think an SSBN is claustrophobic, try an SSN. Then go into a modern diesel electric, or an old diesel electric (the Silverfish is on display on the west coast of Michigan). The present German U209 design is tiny. To save energy they turn off AC etc, and the crew go around in underwear (or less) sometimes. The torpedo tubes are often filled with food.

My college buddy gave me a tour of the nuclear sub he commanded (attack, not ballistic) when it was docked at a west coast port. Although large for a submarine, once inside, it is amazing how claustrophobic I became. I asked him how they knew beforehand the crew would not suffer from that. Turns out they are very highly trained and examined in many situations, many designed to induce claustrophobia, before they are allowed to be a crew member. It was truly a taut ship with a taut crew, and they were all very young (to me). It was an amazing half hour.

The thing that is very interesting to me, is the claim by the leftie loonies that Nuclear Power is unsafe.

Air Craft Carriers, and Nuclear subs where everyone is confined and out to see 6 months or more at a time, in rough oceans and how many accidents?

How much safer are the ones on solid ground. Shows the ignorance of the left. they have no clue.

That's probably the first look I've had at a real submarine that wasn't a movie set.

I agree...it would be cool to see a boomer or two preserved in this way. Unfortunately, the wisdom of our political system has shown itself yet once again.

Years ago, the set up a deal to give some money to Hawaii. Old nuke boats are hauled over to Hawaii th have the reactor dismantled. So a special ship is chartered to bring the reactor back to the states for disposal, and the rest of the dismantled boat gets cut up and sold for scrap. There's efficiency for ya, huh?

In any event, they do have Nautilus on static display in Connecticut.

The made a lot of mods for the museum, so I am not sure if that was why.

So did I Dog, I didn't know they had actually save an SSBN from anyone, would be a great idea for the US had they done that for one of the 41 for freedom.

Thanks for that stroll down amnesia lane, Nick!

I spent a large part of my life in submarines. Naturally I know that our crews and boats are the best in the world!

I wonder what the window-looking things in the floor of the bunk room are.

The whole boat looks claustrophobic.

It makes me want to go to the museum.